Need a bit of advice re. coping with this level of energy. Do I call CPN, or is this nothing much to be concerned about?

[dontrunwithscissors]

I'll try to keep this brief....I was diagnosed with PND back in March, and spent 6 weeks in a Mother and Baby Unit. The last time I saw the psychiatrist, she mentioned the possibility of bi-polar as I have been experiencing real mood swings. (I told her about a week in mid September where I had masses of energy, was dancing around the house, sleeping very little and spent £2000 on shoes.) I don't see her again until the end of next month. So...the last 4 days I've been very well during the day, but gradually feeling ever-more weird so that by the evening I can't sit still. I feel like I have so much energy I don't know what to do with it. My worry is that I've resorted to drinking (a fair amount for me) as it's the only thing that calms me down and stops me talking. Now I know that this isn't good. Today I'm really, really wanting to go out and blow a fortune on clothes. Now, my problem is that my CPN is on sick leave with no date for her return. I've been given a replacement CPN, but, to be honest, I didn't like her much and the last time she came out she basically said to only call her if things were bad as she was very overstretched. So, do I call her? I could really use some advice on how to cope with this (rather than resorting to alcohol, which is worrying me a wee bit.) Or perhaps this is nothing much at all, and I need to just get a grip? (In which case, do you have any advice on how to deal with this?)

yes, definitely call her asap, I am completely medically unqualified but what you are describing sounds like bipolar type symptoms. could you cancel your cards or get someone to hide them away to stop you overspending as a temporary measure?

Call CPN, I reckon. Don't worry about bothering her, it's her job to make sure you are ok, and much better to have help quickly.

I would call her. It's her job to help you but sometimes you just have to insist that you are given help. Were you given any medication when you saw the psychiatrist?

Yes do call her please. If you were in a mother and baby unit in march you must still have a little one - so don't let things get out of hand..

Thank you for the quick replies. It was what I was thinking, but it's very hard to make that call to someone who I've only met once a month ago (and made me feel like I was whinging - I was very down when I saw her last.) I was just getting ready to go out shopping. A statement came through for my 2nd credit card. Turned out I spent a further £1000 on shoes during that week. Thankfully it was online & I had calmed down by the time they arrived so they all went back, but it's really not like me. I'm on mat leave right now and we're completely broke (and I really don't need any more shoes )

Oh, and, no, I wasn't given any more medication. I'm currently on 40mg Citalopram and 75mg Quetiapine. She wanted to wait and see what happened.
Madmouse: I have a 3.5 year old and 8 month old.

whatever else you do, please cancel your cards or give them to someone else to look after for you. it would be horrible to have the bills to face when you are feeling better.

Call her and if she is unhelpful then call your GP or psychiatrist instead (if you have one). I am a mental health nurse btw.

A medical professsional needs to review you within the next day or two to assess your mood and clarify if you are going "high". If this is the case they will also review (i.e. cut down or more likely stop) the antidepressant.

Your CPN should have completed a care plan with you. Also she should be working on a relapse management plan. Part of this would be identifying the signs which may indicate that your mood is either becoming elated or depressed.

It truly isn't your problem if she is overstretched. Also you need to clarify with her what to do if you become unwell "out of hours". e.g. if you are concerned late on a Friday then it is a long time until Monday. You should also have access to some sort of crisis service/team if you are in the UK.

I know how hard it is to make a call but do try. Ask her to bring the psych appointment forward if you feel able to. You could also try some breathing exercises. Breathe in slowly through the nose and out through the mouth. If you can, lay somewhere quiet and work on relaxing your muscles as you breathe. I hope this helps.

p.s. meant to add that if you still have a psychiatrist then you should be able to make contact with him/her via the medical secretary.

It really is important imo that you seek help before the weekend, that way you have more chance of seeing a doctor/nurse that knows you.

onepieceoflollipop Thank you for your advice. If I do have a care plan, I've never seen it. I do still have a psychiatrist.

I'll make the call at 2pm, although I doubt I'll be able to talk to anyone until tomorrow as I know they have their team meeting on a Thursday afternoon (have struggled to talk to people on a Thurs pm before.)

I've really shocked myself with those credit card bills.

You are welcome. :)

Hope you get an appointment soon. Would it help if you could get someone to ring on your behalf? When I am asking for something for myself I can be far less assertive than if I am ringing on behalf of someone else. Just a thought.

e.g. if you have a dp or a friend that could ring. Even if you ring yourself perhaps make a list of the important bits. Stress that you were fairly recently in a mother and baby unit and that you were warned by the psychiatrist that you may have bpd. Highlight that your mood is becoming elated and you are still on a reasonable high dose of ad. Try and be firm and ask for a call back today as it is urgent.

Meeting or not, the team should have the facility to deal with urgent calls.

Unfortunately, I don't have anyone who could make the call (DH is travelling for work today/tomorrow and I haven't told anyone else about this.) It's very helpful to read your post, though, as I don't really think this is anything other than a bit 'strange', but I can see I'm not necessarily the best judge of that.... I really wish my regular CPN was back!

Sorry for the multiple posts, but I just wanted to ask a (genuine) question: why is it so important to see someone quickly (Apart from the battering my credit cards may get - I plan to hand them over to DH.) So far, all of these episodes haven't involved anything dangerous/risky, and have come to an end on their own. I suppose that's what I'm expecting this time, too.

What worries me (and of course it is tricky to "assess" you based on a few sentences on the internet!) is several things that you mention.

Your psychiatrist has suggested that you have bipolar disorder and she and your CPN should be monitoring this.

You were unwell enough to have a 6 week admission to a specialist unit about 6 months ago. There is a risk of relapse with pnd or bipolar, I know you probably don't want to hear that.

You have two small children. I am not suggesting that your illness would affect them in any way, but your dh is away for a day or two and you have the stress of looking after them whilst not feeling well and worried about your mood.

Your over activity in the evening is a concern. Are you sleeping at night? You say you need alcohol to settle in the evening so that you can sit down and stop talking.

If you are going "high" then your mood could escalated fairly quickly over a period of days. Your level of insight may change. Today you are aware something is wrong, in a day or two you may feel "invincible" and that you are on top of the world and all is well.

I think in view of the history you describe, a professional needs to see you face to face. If you are drinking more than a few units then your medication will not be working properly.

Thanks onepiece, I can see that. I've just called the CMHT and they're going to ask my CPN to call me. I couldn't bring myself to say it was urgent, but at least I should get to speak to her today or tomorrow. To be honest, I feel very strange right now. I'll take your advice bookcase and try lying down (although not so easy with an 8 month old!) I do have numbers for out of hours/crisis team (who I've seen before), and DH will be home tonight. He's just away during the day.

Good luck dontrun. I'm glad your dh will be home later, he will no doubt be able to tell you if he thinks things have changed (from his perspective) since yesterday.

Update us if you have chance. best wishes to you.

I'm glad you managed to call and hope that you get what you need.

Oh dear, I spent all afternoon feeling absolutely hyper - couldn't sit still and my mind was racing. Now I'm hitting the booze and being a b1tch to DH. I feel like a demon's taking over and I can only watch from afar. Didn't manage to get hold of the CPN today, but hopefully I'll speak to her tomorrow.

Is your dh worried; do you feel able to ask him if he thinks you may be going a bit "high"? I think that perhaps one of you should ring the crisis team. Not necessarily for them to see you tonight, but so they can highlight to the CPN tomorrow, in working hours, that you are struggling. (they will not be able to assess you properly tonight if you have had more than a couple of drinks)

It is very bad imo that no one called you back earlier.

Another suggestion Scissors, is it possible to see your GP tomorrow as an emergency, as they could then contact your psych/cpn?
As someone who also has bipolar, just a bit worried for you.

He's told me that I have an 'attitude' again tonight (an f* off attitude). To be honest, he tends to want to stick his head in the sand about all of this - a few months ago I was v. low and told him I needed to be dead. I begged him to kill me. He told me I'd be OK and went to bed. (After which I tried to cut my wrists, but stopped just short of this & rang the out of hours people instead.) He's just told me tonight that he thinks all of this possible bipolar stuff is just me behaving this way because the psychiatrist mentioned bipolar (ie it's all in my head - a 'self-fulfilling prophecy' were his precise words.) And I'm really not misinterpreting this. I don't think he wants to acknowledge that it might be anything more permanent than a temporary dose of depression. I've never had any mental health problems before having DD2. I don't mean to get at DH - he's a truly lloving husband, but I realised some time ago that I can't necessarily rely upon him to step in and do what's necessary when I'm beyond helping myself. Sorry for the essay - kind of helped to get all that out. I've just downed 4 bottles of beer and am finally starting to relax a bit. I can see that this is soooo wrong.

Good idea Silvj. Perhaps it could be helpful to highlight to the GP that the CMHT/CPN hasn't been overly helpful and you are worried. Your GP will of course have copies of letters sent from your psychiatrist so will be aware that they are querying bi polar as a diagnosis.

OP,
Am a mental health professional and I want to echo the advice onepieceoflollipop has given you.

You sound as if you may be becoming hypomanic,and whilst you have insight right now,in a short while that may be lost.

You have to see someone, preferably your psychiatrist asap. Your anti depressant needs stopping and your quetiapine needs increasing, but you mustn't do this on your own - you really really need to see someone very very soon.

Untreated mania/hypomania can be extremely damaging for people as well as exposing them to all kinds of risks.
Tell your dh and make sure you get seen tomorrow.

dontrun would you feel able to show this thread to your dh?

Thanks for confirming my advice tiredlady. :)