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!

Is a care plan a crisis plan or is crisis plan part of a care plan? Care plan has never been mentioned to me.

I find it truly odd how MH services work, they don’t seem to follow logic at all.

Just found it, it’s not even addressed to me it’s for whoever’s on duty.

Did spend quite a lot of time with various people (9 months with a psychologist, I don’t know how long with ‘supportive outreach’ team) working on recognising warning signs etc., making a relapse signature. I should know what to do by now but I don’t

The care plan is just what the community team dream up every so often - in theory you have a say about what you’d like to happen (eg prefer to be treated at home) if you become unwell again but in real life they just do what they want (eg section you).

Mine just says my crisis prevention plan. Then my name, date of plan. Then it says

Physical signs
Behavioural signs
Cognitive signs
Emotional signs

What was happening prior to crisis
Is it likely to happen again
What has worked in the past
Developing a network of support.

Then key contacts including my key worker and crisis numbers on the back.

I’ve never had any involvement with services other than a couple of appointments with a psychiatrist for medication and that weird IAPT appointment.

Sounds quite like a birthing plan WhyDidIEatThat!

That's so strange fission. I take it it's because you were diagnosed in hospital?

From first seeing a psychiatrist to actually being diagnosed was fairly quick for me. Well they thought it was just depression and anxiety, which I've heard is quite common, then 5 months later I think, I was diagnosed as bipolar after having a hypomanic episode.

We’re not allowed to use IAPT here if diagnosed with bipolar or some other major mental illness 😕

I was in hospital for months before my diagnosis was confirmed, then I was in and out once or twice a year for quite a few years. Horrible times.

Gosh, my psych must have either been on the ball or I was pretty bad! I think I was actually manic at one point. I remember being manic briefly on my other thread, can't remember what I said now, it was all a bit of a blur to be honest. And laughing my head off on the bus. I must have got some wierd looks!

What's IAPT?

Probably should have taken the advise and gone to a&e, but I thought I was perfectly fine. I definitely wasn't fine!

Just back from the psychiatrist who said he thinks it's terrible what these assessments do to his patients

I'm back in sertraline 5mg for a week then 100mg and 56 diazepam!

He was very sympathetic and I've to see him in a month

I'm on sertraline too 100mg, but I can't take it on it's own. Funny, because I thought it was working, until I was told it's not supposed to work like that. I was like oh, ok..

I wasn’t diagnosed in hospital, after I overdose I discharged myself next day. That was years before my diagnosis. I only got diagnosed when police picked me up one time.

IAPT stands for “Improving access to psychological therapies”, bit of a pisstake name really.

We’re not allowed to use IAPT here if diagnosed with bipolar or some other major mental illness

Then what are you supposed to do? I’m stuck rn.

Maybe because it was my first ever episode, I think you’re ‘allowed’ one, or maybe it looked like something else.

I dunno Fission, I saw a psychologist at the hospital for several months once my mood had stabilised but in recent years I haven’t had any luck getting any psychotherapy through the services.

I think mine was my first, that they had seen anyway. But theybasked I think if I've been like that before and what I did and stuff. So I don't know if they counted my past history, and just going by what I say and then seeing me hypomanic and just put two and two together I don't know.

I had no idea this thread existed.

I'm having a major wobble at the moment. I have been mostly drug free for a few years now after becoming totally dependent on Quetiapine. The withdrawal was horrific and its put me off ever being medicated for more than a few weeks at a time ever again. But my mood is everywhere......it's not unusual at this time of year as I do typically get depressed but this is like a weird mixed state. Spending a fortune on crap I do not need and I am also worrying myself sick about my daughter- and flooded with nightmares everytime I close my eyes.

Does anybody else get really miserable and despondent in the winter between clocks changing? I also seem to get an extra shitty episodes with short temper and anxiety in january after the Christmas rush is out of the way.

Massage therapy and mindfulness just is not cutting it at the moment :(

Hi HellsBells

I used to think I suffered with SAD for years and years. This is actually the first year I've gone the other way.

I've heard a light lamp helps with the winter blues. I haven't tried it personally, but worth a shot?

@BippityBoppity87

I have to be careful with blue light. Too much can send me manic so have always been wary of sad lamps. I have just had a call from my gp to say I am very low on vit D so that may have something to do with my tiredness and lethargy. I also have autoimmune issues and it can be hard to know where one ends and another begins .

I'm going to my sisters for a few drinks. i know I probably shouldn't but I'm already miserable and hiding myself away so at least I will be showering and getting out and seeing somebody.

I have to take Vit D tablets, AdcalD3 I think it’s called. If I stopped taking them then I feel really crap, low energy etc.

Hope you manage to have a nice time Hells

Ah ok @HellsBellsAndBatteredBananas I've never tried one.

How long have you been diagnosed? Mine is only recent, December just past. It was a surprisingly quick diagnoses from what I've read about it. Also seeing a psych was pretty quick too. Same day as my melt down. Then I went a bit manic on sertraline, that was bad.

Had a bit of a wobble a couple of nights ago. I stopped taking my aripiprazole (thought it was poison or a mind control thing) and got it convinced in my head someone was watching me through my phone and trying to steal my identity. Then I thought someone was in the loft, got the ladders out to check at 9 o'clock at night, no one there obviously. Then I kept hearing whistling and a phone ringing. Rang my partner as I was freaking out (he was at work) then my son started screaming and crying because of me, I was a mess.

I was tempted to put flour all over the house to try and catch foot steps, but I knew my DP would have gone ape shit if I had done that, so I didn't. But I've started taking my aripiprazole again, and I haven't had the paranoia feelings.

How is everyone this evening? Apparently my aripiprazole might be getting increased because of how I was a couple of days ago, but I said it was just because I hadn't taken it 🤷🏻‍♀️

And I have to ring my psych is I get any worse as she thinks my mood is elevated again. I think I'm pretty stable just now, but who knows!

I'm okay tonight. Both DC are out with friends so I'm home alone.

Took my 2nd dose of sertraline and having a cup of tea and a diazepam.

I changed my assessment date as there was no way I could get Ds2 out to school and be st the assessment so it's the day after now.

My psychiatrist was weighing up giving me antidepressants but thinks because I'm in such a high dose of olanzapine that they will ward off any hypomanic symptoms.

He asked what I'm like when I'm hypomanic I said "just stupid" 😂