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?

[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]

*post- I meant last post, not thread.

[Crawling]

Aww mightyquin what's the problem? I do th

[Crawling]

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

[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.

[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...

[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]

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?

[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.

[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.

[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]

Bumping so others can see your post spectrumcentre