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 have my pip Tribunal on Friday which I can’t attend as am in hospital. I’m terrified, I was turned down in the assessment so I can’t see them allowing the appeal. Even though the hospital social worker has written a really good letter.

That's mine over with thank god. She was very professional and just went through the form and asked when I dressed a lot. Hear in 4-6 weeks.

Glad to hear it went well Wimpy, and good luck to you with yours FFSOMG. My assessment was in the first week of December but I’m still waiting, DLA continues to show up on time tho.

Oh that's good it continues I'm due mine next Tuesday and have some bills need paying. I'm so pleased it's over.

She kept on about me driving on certain days of the week (when I collect prescription) and do I drive alone, oh so many questions, the same about meal times etc etc

Hopefully you will hear soon why that's been quite a wait.

I'm currently taking prozac,cyclobenazprine and gabapentin for my bipolar and it seems to help sometimes. I still have spots of anxiety and paranoia and depression. I've been noticing that I am more tired during the day and that when I go to sleep I don't remember falling asleep. I'm just blaaahhh

I had a funeral today. First time I cried since being on olanzapine I wasn't a sobbing wreck or anything but I definitely had real tears at seeing my family so upset.

Glad this week is over and tomorrow I'm going to rebuget my bills with my pip to see how we will manage.

Yesterday the nurse was definitely trying to say something about the fact I travel alone in my car twice a week. No idea what this proves but I'm confident they'll find something in there to stop my money.

I hope you are all as well as can be expected!

Without PIP not with it. It's been a long week?!

Just got my PIP decision, lost the mobility component but the care rate is a higher amount so it evens out - it’s only for two years (DLA was indefinite). I’m shocked at how sympathetic and accurate the report is!

That's great news! You must be delighted. Bummer about it only being for a short amount of time. I hope mine is as successful I keep going through in my mind what we discussed. Got a text from DWP to say they received the report and I'll hear in 6 weeks.

Hello everyone, I posted here about 6 weeks ago when I was just diagnosed as bipolar and have taken quetiapine since then. I have since seen another psychiatrist (a colleague of my normal psychiatrist) who thinks that I don’t actually have bipolar! And therefore thinks that the quetiapine is a waste of time. I was just wondering if this has ever happened to anyone else?

Sorry posted too early! I am so confused as I match so many of the symptoms of bipolar!

Did you feel the quetiapine helped you? Psychiatrists can be weird, I got a new one who said he was taking me off all antipsychotics then I went back to see him and instead they added an antidepressant

Can you see your original psychiatrist to get him to shed some light on it?

I've not took my antidepressants today, I keep waking at 4/5am wide awake and then so tired again by 7am so I've missed it today to see if I sleep through tonight.

The quetiapine made me feel extremely sleepy which helped me because I hardly ever slept before, so in a weird way I will miss it! My original psychiatrist is off on leave at the moment and I’m not sure when she’s back, but I hope I’ll see her again soon. The psychiatrist I saw last week thought I have adhd and said that adhd and bipolar can often present quite similarly

Yes I've read that ADHD can be similar to bipolar. I was diagnosed with PTSD before bipolar as they can often be alike too.

Hopefully when your psychiatrist gets back they will give you some answers.

I don't know what to do about these antidepressants at all. On the one hand I'm feeling better (mentally) but I feel like shit because I can't sleep when I take them. I've took 50mg today rather than 100mg see my psychiatrist on 21st. I was sleeping so well without them but was very depressed.

Hiya, sorry I haven’t been back on this thread for a while. Have my gp appointment today, so hopefully it goes ok.

I hope your appointment went okay. I didn't sleep again last night so I'm hoping I will tonight. I've set about my housework today, first time in ages I had the motivation.

The bathrooms are sparkling! It's amazing what a SSRI can do. 😊

I’ve been signed off for another two weeks as I’m not stable apparently. I thought I was doing a bit better, but obviously not.

I need to clean, I’ve just let the place get into a shit tip

Hope you're doing okay bippoty I had to stop taking the sertraline couldn't sleep

They want to wean me off sertraline, but I don’t know if I’ll dip again if I do.

Yes that's my worry too. Thankfully I see my psychiatrist this week.

What's their reasoning for you stopping them?

Mainly because it sent me hypomanic the last time. I feel like I’m stable now on the lamotrigine and aripiprazole though, and I think being off work for a bit has helped too.

Hope everyone is okay!

I heard back from PIP today and I've got standard rate till 2023. I got 10 points and could appeal it but can't be arsed going through all that for an extra 2 points.

I'm quite happy it's over and done with. I'm staying on 25mg sertraline and I don't seem to be having problems sleeping on such a low dose. I've to try go up to 50mg but will wait and see how we go.

That’s great news! I’m thinking about applying for pip or see if I’m entitled to any benefits as I can’t go on like this.

I can’t work full time, even part time working 4 days a week I end up pushing myself too hard and end up being signed off sick. At the moment 3 weeks. I just can’t afford it. Plus my knee for lack of a better word is absolutely fucked.

Will I be entitled to anything? Would there be any point? I’m going to go to citizens advice, but I don’t want to go through the whole process getting even more stress if I won’t be entitled to anything.