Bipolar support thread?

[Crawling]

Ive noticed there are quite a few of us and thought maybe a thread for us would be good. All are welcome those diagnosed and those awaiting diagnosis.

Ill start with Ive been depressed so long now I dont remember how I used to feel, yet id still prefer this to mania as the havoc I reaked last time was very painful to clean up after my episode. If I had to chart my mood today between 1-10 1 being I cant think how to make a cup of tea and 5 being good 10 being the tv is talking to me and I must go out now im about a 3 today what about you guys?

[Crawling]

Bumping so others can see your post spectrumcentre

[SpectrumCentre]

Hi there,

Ive just been having a read through what seems like an incredibly supportive thread. I am from the Spectrum Centre for Mental Health Research at Lancaster University and we are currently running a trial of a support package for Bipolar Disorder and parenting. I posted it here on Mumsnet a few days ago
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/media_nonmember_requests/1814231-Parenting-support-for-parents-with-Bipolar-Disorder
but thought it may be of use for some of you using this thread?

The Spectrum Centre for Mental Health Research is currently working in collaboration with numerous NHS trusts on a new online study. The intervention is self-help tool for parents who have Bipolar Disorder. The self-help intervention is currently under the clinical trial phase, so we are looking for parents with Bipolar Disorder to test it out. Parents will need to have at least one child aged between 3-10 years. It is free to use and we pay a small amount for your time.

The intervention is based on the online Triple P parenting intervention with additional modules that are specific to Bipolar Disorder. People can find more information and register interest to take part in the trial at www.ibpi.co.uk

[Crawling]

I was 17 and got pg during a manic episode where I was not using contraception. I was very stable as stable as on meds during pg and full bf. But I became depressed badly after about a year. My second and third pg went the same way with me having a major episode between a year and two years roughly round the same time my periods returned each time.

[Mirages]

My first pregnancy went very well, and so did the post natal period. During my second pregnancy I got depressed and ended up in hospital when baby was five months old.

[MightyQuin1201]

Thanks Crawling. I guess I just feel vulnerable. Did your bipolar affect you during/ after any of your pregnancies? Do you mind my asking you how old you were when you had your first child?

[Crawling]

Oh mighty quin just to let you know I've been med free on all 3 pgs and during early bf and very stable I hope its the same for you. I hope you get pg soon but iim here if you need someone as I know how hard it is being bipolar and Ttc or being pg.

[MightyQuin1201]

I'm doing okay, most of the time, but then something snaps inside and I feel like I become a sort of shadow. Now that we're ttc I'm already worried about it not happening, which I understand doesn't really help!! I want to get pregnant & have a healthy baby and then know I can take the meds again if I need them...

[Mirages]

I did stop meds after being fully stable for several years. I did not have any symptoms. I continued being stable for some years.

[Crawling]

Sorry baby pressed post. I do hope that med free works for you I recently tried and was nearly hospitalised.

[Crawling]

Aww mightyquin what's the problem? I do th

[MightyQuin1201]

*post- I meant last post, not thread.

[MightyQuin1201]

I'm not cured though!! My anxiety from absolutely no response to my last thread is huge!!!

Actually, I'm having a shitty day.

[MightyQuin1201]

I think I'm really lucky with my gp- she had me tested twice- i was low, just not massively low, so was tested for pernicious anaemia & results were negative but the b12 was still low. I was on Lamotragine for 7 years DH and I married last year and the plan was to try and come off my meds before we started ttc- I tried coming off last year and it was a nightmare, especially at the very end, then my Nana died (we were very close) so I gave up on coming off, and actually went through a bad patch for a while.

I came off the Lamotragine 3 months ago (took a couple of months reducing the dose) & once I finally stopped I started feeling exhausted, wobbly, faint, EXHAUSTED, irritable (being an utter bitch to DH)- I put this down to withdrawal, which I just had to deal with, telling myself I would get better and could go back on the meds once I'd had a baby...

Apologies for the long post, but it's a long story- sorry! So a completely separate thing is that I started getting a rash on my hands in the springtime for the past few years and last year it got particularly bad, was initially diagnosed as an eczema flare up, until after a holiday last August when it was terrible and I took pictures (it would die down once I was in cool and grey UK) & my gp said she suspected polymorphic light eruption. So my mum has lupus and PLE can be a precursor to lupus (great! I thought, that's all I need...), so my gp finally referred me to a dermatologist this year, when I reminded her, around the time I was coming off the Lamotragine. Because of a possible lupus link, my gp ordered all the autoimmune blood tests, and this is where the b12 thing came up!

So, I've had 2 shots so far (prescribed shot a month, for 3 months), and I'm feeling a zillion times better!

Crawling- my diet contains more than enough b12, but I don't absorb it properly- apparently stress and anxiety can inhibit the body's ability to absorb it from the gut, but it absorbs it perfectly via the injection.

So, part of me wonders is it bp2 or just years of low b12? For the record psychiatrist thinks all is connected & prob still bp2, but to keep an eye on this development....

[Mirages]

MightyQuin1201: sounds interesting. Maybe one can use it alongside meds. I am aiming to be med free but it won't be happening anytime soon.

My mum had her B12 levels measured and she started to take injections. She had loads of, good knows what, problems. She seems to be doing much better both mentally and physically.

[Crawling]

Popping in to ask do you know what your b12 levels were I was at 90 and severely deficient and my psychiatrist is pushing for a pernicious anemia test but my go won't do one. I have b12 tablets at a high dose and while my levels are raising its very slow.

[nenevomito]

Hi MightyQuin - just noticed this popping up in my Active convos.

I'm interested in your being off your meds. Are you worried at all about relapse or going back on them if you find yourself slipping? I'm going to be on mine forever I think.

That's good about the B12. I didn't know that it could reduce anxiety, although thats not a big problem of mine. Is it just the injections that do it or would supplements be enough?

[MightyQuin1201]

Would love to get this thread going again... Hello everyone, I'm bp2 and currently doing pretty well- been off the meds for 3 months now and I've been having B12 shots which have had an incredible effect on me- anxiety massively reduced with a good example being the fact that I have been properly terrified of spiders for years- as in screaming at the tops of tomatoes terrified, but now I don't freak out if I see one...

Silly example, but an easy way to explain reduced anxiety to non bp people too...

Anyway, I hope this thread isn't dead- really useful place to come.

[gatsby79]

Hi, is this thread still current? I have bipolar and am in the two week wait right now. It's my first real go and it is driving me crazy. Like really. I'm doing pregnancy tests every 12 hours and spending all my time googling pregnancy symptoms. Should I be worried? Can't seem to focus in anything else at all.

[Mirages]

Guess who is back!
How are you all doing? I got out of hospital last month and I am doing better.

[Mitchy1nge]

I didn't approach my gp, it was more sort of straight to hospital without passing GO, a really big shock have never quite got over because I didn't know I was ill (am still not sure I was) then I was just in and out of hospital quite a lot (their fault for later giving me antidepressants I think, made me really really ill) until it settled down with lithium (or the passage of time?)

Obviously it must be better to see someone and discuss your concerns before it gets to that stage, you will probably need to be referred to a psychiatrist. Am not sure but don't think gps can do much except the blood tests and things, mine won't anyway, she just bounces me back to the mental health people for any medication changes. Could you write it all down first, would that help?

[Just1willdo]

Hi there

I can see this thread is old but I wondered how did you approach your GP about your condition because I strongly think I am Bi-Polar, all the symptoms I see here I recognise in myself.
I have been too embarrassed to see my GP about mental health issues afraid it might affect my work. I know I need help, I've told noone about my mental health problems that I sometimes hear voices telling me to walk in front of a bus or just go jump on the train tracks. Sometimes I hear voices telling me I'm this horrible person who doesn't deserve to be alive and do everyone a favor and go.
Sorry to be rambling on.

[Mitchy1nge]

sorry, did I kill the thread? I survived the appointment anyway

will leave you all to it!

[Mitchy1nge]

hello bipolar people, hope you are all ok and that it's ok to join you for a quick question? Just wondering how you deal with unfounded concern about your mood and intervention (people contacting CMHT and GP and making extra appointments for you) - especially if you think their motives might be questionable but you can't say so without fuelling the situation. Or in case you know, they are actually being nice?

Would you just go to the appointment and trust to the judgment of whoever asseses you in the hopes that it will be ok? I HATE it and have been much better since I finally got discharged after over ten years

[DiamondDoris]

Full of nervous energy at the moment with worry one minute then not a care in the world - but nothing too drastic ie no depression but no highs either. On medication so they are taking the edge off my "real" moods (wish I wasn't on meds, selfish I know). I hope everyone is okay. Obviously no time to read as I'm in a permanent rush. Anyone else like this right now? I'm kind of seeing faults in people - feel bad about that.

[Crawling]

I been very mixed was offered addmittance but refused not doing Well they want to change my meds as they are not working