The Bipolar Support Thread

[BippityBoppity87]

Hi everyone Just thought I'd start a shiny new thread for anyone who is suffering from bipolar disorder.

Hope everyone is ok!

I've been on antipsychotics for 5 years. I've not been hypomanic in that time so my new psychiatrist thinks I'll be okay to come off them in the New Year. He said I could have a prescription at home and take them if needed.

I'm not sure how it will go though. When my last psychiatrist tried to change my antipsychotic to another I didn't sleep more than 3 hours. But he said being on olanzapine for so long can cause other health problems and he rang off a few illnesses.

Tbh it scares me as I was hypomanic for so long I worry I'll go back to behaving that way.

Hi ela it's good to be with others who can relate. ang I would recommend phoning the crisis team .

bip I should add I was on lithium, sertraline, Nitrazepam 20mg and 25mg olanzapine. I've gradually came off sertraline cut down on the Nitrazepam stopped the lithium due to dreadful shakes so that just leaves me on olanzapine and 5mg Nitrazepam

I was the same. I was speaking to one of my friends at work (who knows what has been going on with me and stuff and I can trust) they were on holiday last week, and I asked if they'd noticed any difference. I'm rubbish at spotting the signs. And they said I was bouncing off the walls, but I seem a lot more level now.

I think I've made a mistake taking aripiprazole at night, been awake since half 4 and not tired. So over the past two days I've had about 8 hours sleep, so you would think I would be tired. Maybe I didn't give it a chance to settle?

I do have zoplicone, but I'm reluctant to take it unless I'm desperate.

Hey everyone! Thank you for being so welcoming! I was just wondering if anyone else has been on quetiapine before? I’m absolutely starving and cannot stop eating and I wondered if anyone else has had this?

I’m sorry if this has already been covered, but what are people’s experiences of declaring bipolar to the DVLA? I haven’t done so yet, but I don’t have a car. From what I can tell, you need 6 months stability following a low and 3 months following a high.

I was on quetiapine before olanzapine. I found it didn't help with my nightmares and didn't quite stop my mind racing so was swapped to olanzapine. Both big on weight gain though!

DVLA, I haven't informed them, my brother also has bipolar and they wrote to his doctor after his first hypomanic turn and he had to wait until he was stable again until he got his licence back, now it's reviewed every year.

My psychiatrist inform

Oops

Psychiatrist informed dvla, he said he had to. It’s an automatic disqualification if you are hypomanic, they’re really inflexible about it. I can’t remember if it’s 3 or 6 months of stability and meds compliance before you get it back. They do a medical enquiry once a year or every three years if things improve. I’ve never had to surrender my license because of depression, I don’t think they’re very worried about that.

That's a bit strange, you think they would @WhyDidIEatThat unless you're feeling suicidal?

I don't drive, well I have a driving licence, but haven't driven in about 10 years. There was no mention of informing dvla when I had my appointment, but then I don't ask many questions! I really should. Or do they just inform them without telling you?

I think you’re meant to tell them yourself, but I was sectioned for about four months and maybe that made it the consultant’s responsibility? He did talk to me about it and explained why he had to contact dvla. The stupid thing about the system is if I’ve lost the insight to do the right thing myself I’ve lost the insight to understand that the rules apply to me, so I always drove anyway. But driving was a big problem for me, I was obsessed with buying cars and traveling at speed, teaching other patients to drive. Getting ‘messages’ from other cars always daring me to go faster or undertake dangerous manoeuvres etc - don’t remember disclosing any of those details to the psychiatrist but I guess he’d seen it all before.

I’ve never had a MH professional tell me to inform the dvla about bipolar, but I know that you’re supposed to and that it’s the individual’s responsibility.

The DVLA page says the norm is 6 months stability after a low and 3 months after a high or psychosis. I’ve no idea why there’s such a difference between the two. It seems to me that a high can be more dangerous than a low.

Otherwise, I’m not sure of the procedure after you’ve initially informed the dvla, or how long it will take.

I’m sure that my pdoc would be supportive. I’m thinking of waiting until I have 6 months since my last episode and then informing them. I don’t drive at the moment, but I would like to get it sorted in case I need to.

I had never even thought about what a bipolar diagnosis would mean for my driving licence! I need to drive for work, if you tell the DVLA do they automatically take your licence away or do they ask your doctor if they think you are fit to drive?

Like I said, I don't drive. But I have done reckless driving in the past, about ten years ago. Took an OD of anti depressants whilst driving, pretty much popping them like sweets. Rang one of my family members who were near by and took me to hospital, where I had to stay over night and speak to a psychiatrist. I was lucky I wasn't stopped by the police!

The psychiatrist assessed me and said I just had a blip. Really I think that's crazy that they had quite happily still let me drive after that. And leave the country to go to the other side of the world two days later. Insane.

I don't drive due to photosensitive Epilepsy that is poorly controlled by meds.

I didn't know that if youve been hypomanic or psychotic then you shouldn't drive but my psychiatrist knows I can't drive anyway.

Today I've been really panicky at work so I went home sick.

My gp has signed me off for a week with anxiety as stress has made some of my psychotic symptoms appear.

I feel stressed just having a shower, every little task seems difficult.

I'm now getting depressed about being signed off worrying about losing my job.
I felt suicidal earlier too.

I'm sorry you are having such a tough time @tierraJ

I was pretty much the same in July. It wasn't great. Signed off too, then felt guilty being signed off, but I was told to by my psychiatrist, didn't really get a choice, which was fair enough I suppose.

Christmas and new year is quite a hard time for me. My DM died 4 years ago come early January. She spent over Christmas and new year in hospital, went to see her on Christmas Day, last time I saw her talking and gave me a hug, I thought she was getting better, having a laugh and a bit banter with the staff. Gave her some of her Christmas presents and said you can open the rest of them when you come home.

New Year's Eve, took a nose dive, induced coma and died several days later. Had to watch her die when they turned the machine off. I still have the presents I was going to give her wrapped up in a box.

Need to stop typing as I will start crying! Sorry if I've dampened anyone's Christmas spirits, just thought I'd be honest.

When I informed the DVLA I was allowed to keep driving while they made the decision whether I could keep my licence or not. It was approved and now I just have to reapply every year. They send the form in the post and I just fill it in and return and they make the decision again. You don’t have to stop driving while they review your application (well that’s what it said in my letter, not 100% sure it’s the same in all cases).

You definitely need to inform them though, otherwise I think your insurance will be invalid

Hi Bippity. I had the same with my daughter, they turned off the machines and she died in my arms. We went to the hospital on boxing day and she died the next day. I've really been struggling the last week. Not just with this. My head is racing and having serious anxiety. Everything seems such an effort.

The olanzapine makes me so hungry, I can't stop eating. It's bloody annoying.

I remember you saying that I can imagine it must be a very hard time for you too.

It doesn't feel like Christmas is in less than a week. I'm not really a Christmas person. The only thing I like about it is that it gives me an excuse to have a drink!

Maybe ask if you can switch to aripiprazole? It hasn't made me any more hungry. Only side effect is that I've been sick a couple of times, but I'd rather that than put on weight!

Sounds like you both having a tough time at Christmas.

My gp has signed me off sick so I'm feeling less stressed now.

It hasn't been easy. I don't know if that's what snow balled my bipolar diagnoses, but I think the mixture of crap I've been through over the years would send anyone over the edge.

Are you feeling better now that you're signed off @tierraJ That should hopefully take some stress off yourself.

I do feel less stressed but I'm very scared that they won't want me at work anymore.

SO glad my day is finished and I have two days off now. Feel like it's arsehole Friday in pubs today. Especially the big groups. Just had a rubbish day, but it's over now. I felt like my emotions were going from feeling a bit upset to very angry to upset to very angry again.

I know I should let it go, but it's very hard for me to do that, and I will probably stew over it with internal rage for the rest of the day.

I need a large

Been up since half 4 too.