Anyone else bipolar?

ruffles

I’ve been diagnosed for the last 4 years with bipolar manic depressive disorder up to then I was just thought to be clinically depressed. So life’s been tough what with a breakdown and then dealing with the diagnosis of this un-curable life altering disorder. Its obviously characterised by mood shifts, irritability, anger, big highs and terrible lows and I’m on medication that does keep me stable and life has turned out well despite this and I don’t think people can tell I have it but I’m just so confused as to what part of me is a result of the BP and what is just me. For example if I am in a mood with my boyf and have a row is it because I have a reason or is it the BP making me irritable, equally I get terribly angry at things, suffer anxiety and my mind changes about things very rapidly and dramatically so I just wanted to know do other people out there suffer from it and have they learned to handle it. I would be grateful and interested to hear other’s view on this illness.

miamee

Hi ruffles,
I don't suffer from BP or know anyone personally who does. Just posting this as there was a program on BBC2 last night following Stephen Fry who is also a sufferer, it's on again next Tuesday 9pm, maybe that will give you a little more insight into the illness & how it affects someone else?

Tobias Greeshman

I don't suffer from it myself, but I do know that if your moods are extreme then this is the BP in control and not you. I also know that once you take your meds at the correct time it will help you by slowing your mood changes down, but forgetting to take them can cause a relapse.

I'm sure there are some message boards on the net for bipolar people, do a search on google you should probably find one where you'll find people willing to talk about their experiences. There may be a few bipolar sufferers on here, but you'd probably get better feedback from a bipolar site.

There was a programme/documentary on BBC2 last night with Stephen Fry about BiPolar disorder. I don't know if you seen it or not but it was very good, it's a two-part documentary. It might be beneficial for you to watch it.

Lust4Life

Hi Ruffles!
I have a close friend who is Bipolar. And she often poses the same questions.

My friend is in her mid 30's and has been through many episodes / issues. I can tell you from watching all that she has been through that it is utmost important to take your meds every day and not self-diagnose.

It seems like every other year she tends to get in her mind that she is sinking and that if she alters her meds it would lift her spirits up. And of course when she does that, it leads to not taking ANY of her prescribed meds - which leads to a long hospital visit to get her back on track.

The hardest thing is that with every episode like this, her doctors have a more difficult time leveling her mood with meds. Say if you went on a scale of 1 - 10 - 1 being very depressed and 10 being very manic. The Doctor's goal is to keep you at around a 6. But with each time she goes off her meds and they have to readjust, she now finds herself at a 4. And it seems this is the best they can achieve for her now.

So keeping this in mind, please, please continue to take your meds religiously. I'd hate to see you in my friend's position. It is very tough on her.

I wish you the best!

L

ruffles

Thanks. Im really annoyed i missed that show, i will tune in next tuesday.