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!

One of many things I've done;

Sat in the middle of the street at 5am, centre of town, with my umbrella up (it wasn't raining) singing at the top of my lungs, then realised I had lost my keys and knocked on my door to my work at 7am asking for money for a taxi.

C’est la vie I suppose, I’ve managed so far mostly by myself.

Thank you both for the kind words though.

Can I join you guys? I've just been diagnosed with bipolar 2 and have just started on lamotrigine.

Hello Dim, I remember your message, how are you getting on?

That's ok FissionChips

Hi dimsum123 How do you feel about it? I always kind of knew, but having a psychiatrist actually tell me was a bit of a hit to the stomach. Always thought, nah, I'm being silly, I'm fine. It hasn't quite sunk in.

How are you feeling @BibbityBobbity87

Hi @dimsum123 Lamotrigine has been working really well for me so far, hope it does for you too. Only big issue is the memory thing mentioned above. It also affects my skin but I can deal with that (thank you make up).

Hello new people!

@dimsum123 Lamotrigine was recommended to me by a GP (when I went about something else and he asked how my MH was as the last time I saw him I was in crisis) and he said a lot of people do well on it. As I said earlier I find the memory thing frustrating but it's worth it for me for the benefits and it doesn't make me feel spaced out like Olanzipine and Quetiapine did.

Hi, sorry I disappeared, got distracted by DCs. Thank you all for being so welcoming.

I've only been on lamotrigine for 4 weeks, started on 25mg, then was on 50mg and have now started the 100mg. I'm also still on sertraline 50mg which is what I was put on when they and I thought I had "plain" depression rather than bipolar.

I'm currently in the depressive part of the cycle which is horrible.

I'm really interested to know how lamotrigine has helped those of you who are on it? Does it relieve the depression or does it work more on controlling the hypomania? I'm a nightmare to live with when I'm hypo but if I'm honest I love how I feel then, like I'm on top of the world, the life and soul etc. I'm much nicer to be around for my family right now but in myself I feel so down, anxious, flat and numb and a bit 'brain dead.' I am praying the lamotrigine works for me, it's awful feeling like this.

Fission, hi! How are you?

I'm going to go back and read through the whole thread properly now.

My experience of Lamotrigine is as a mood stabilizer so I don't really get "abnormally" high or low but still get to feel normal emotions iyswim.

Lamictal wasn’t massively helpful for me, I took it with lithium and ever increasing amounts of quetiapine. It’s on the list of meds I was massively disappointed by, (see also: lurasidone) which work so well for other people. Until they invent a bipolar friendly antidepressant I’m just sort of stuck.

I cant het my head together long enough to wash my hair. There are too many steps involved and i simply d9ntbuave the focus necessary.
I feel very, very abnormal currently. I d9nt trust myself as all my reactions seem wrong. Noth9ng is right.
I've been on lamotrigine for years. Hated quetiopine.
Had electroshock therapy in U.S.
Family behave very standoffosh with me. Not new but getting more pronounced.
There are days I feel so ashamed of myself for being this way and it being like other people. Right now the safest place us on the couch knitting.
The memories of some of my behaviour in the past could melt steel such is the embarrassment I experience.
Its great to find people in the same paddock as me.
I dont understand myself half the time

I have to take steroids refularly for respirstpry asthma issues. This is like tossing a hand grenade into an arms dump. I take Valium then.
Lamotrigine does ok. I am it sure what, if anything would make this bearable for me and my family (dcs and dh).
My mother laughs when I talk about my MH. Literally, dissolves into giggles. I realise it's because she's u comfortable but I asked her I ce if she'd think a tumour was hilarious.
Stopping drinking helped a bit in as much as I haven't been fuelling the worst aspects of BP but I miss it sometimes though I never knew when to stop.

Hi all - Type Two BP.

I'm on quetiapine, lamotrigine and duloxetine.

Whilst manic, I once bought a Jack Russell terrier. Luckily, I was able to keep and care for him. He's currently snoozing next to me...

A lot of my mania involves pets - buying ornaments etc for my aquarium, that sort of thing.

I also become hyper sexual and flirt dreadfully (I'm married) ....

Oh gosh I do the same Greyeye with the hypersexuality thing.

When I was pregnant I wanted a dog, and a £2k sofa (which I almost bought) what was I thinking 🙈I didn't buy either thank goodness!

I'm terrible with money. Really awful. I spent about £20k in the space of two years and I have very little to show for it! Clothes. I bought a lot of clothes, mainly expensive cashmere and a sofa. Oh and an £800 mulberry bag with matching purse. Because of course, I needed to have the matching purse!

This is the fur coat I almost bought @WhyDidIEatThat when I was a bit hypomanic. Just to clarify, I have never bought a fur coat before, or wanted one. Not my usual style at all!

Blue Fur Coat

And tartan trousers. I really wanted tartan trousers. Could you imagine the combo 😂 and leapord print shoes.

Bippity - the money thing is a constant struggle for me...

I don't allow myself a credit card, but I still buy on impulse. As I say, it is normally pet related - the biggest thrill in the world, for me, is a new pet. I have a houseful of pets, all of which are spoiled well cared for, but I get completely obsessed with adding to my collection..

I love that coat and want it one in each colour

I don't have a credit card either for that reason. I have a £500 over draft which I'm always in and that's it.

The £20k was inherited, which I didn't invest wisely with!

Hi there i have bipolar 2. I've just came off lithium and currently take olanzapine, Nitrazepam and diazepam.

My hypomania was set off by taking Prozac so my new psychiatrist thinks I'll be okay to come off olanzapine in the New Year as long as I stay away from antidepressants.

I'm not so sure tbh anyway I'm waffling

I ❤️ that coat in pink!

Mine was a real fur, which is pretty disgusting- I’ve kept it. Have a photo somewhere of me riding bareback in it. The horse was a lot cheaper to buy than the coat!

(Horse wasn’t an impulse buy, it was usually cars and completely senseless ‘gifts’ for people. Also gave ALL my furniture away which wasn’t great, long term)

Oh dear Why and the plot thickens 😂

I just got a delivery, very confused now thinking when the fuck did I order that?! Bright red coat. I'm thinking ahh, must have been a few weeks ago when I was in my spending spree mode.