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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 5 of 5. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Raisinb on September 8, 2011, at 15:15:27
Hi everyone,
I just got home after being hospitalized for a week. Overall it was a great experience, and I wish I'd done it sooner. I'd been diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder for years but after talking extensively with the doctors, I've learned I'm bipolar. I don't have an issue with the diagnosis at all; I think they are right, and lots of puzzle pieces fall into place as I think back on my life.But since I thought I was depressed, and possibly personality disordered, all these years, I don't have a good sense of how to track and manage my illness. If you are bipolar, what are some good tools that help you? Do you use computer programs or websites to track moods? If you are in therapy, what kind helps you the most?
Thanks everyone. This isn't really a med question, but I figured this might be the best place to post it.
Posted by mellow on September 8, 2011, at 16:09:24
In reply to Advice for bipolar?, posted by Raisinb on September 8, 2011, at 15:15:27
Congratulations on having a positive outlook on your diagnosis. I fought mine for years. The best thing to get a grasp on is when you are really having an full blown episode and what strategies help get you stable. For many years I had no clue how my meds worked, what the side effects were and when I was just bummed out or really in need of some attention from a doctor. I've also been able to learn the difference between when I'm just doing well and when I am going into mania. Sometimes mania can just feel like being really productive and feeling good for the first time in months, but it can quickly turn into so much energy that you become unable to function. Learning to step back and put the breaks on before it is too late is very crucial...Although not very fun when you feel absolutely brilliant.
I would recommend having a therapist at all times. Even if you aren't involved in some deep form of therapy it's good to have someone objective who can witness your moods and keep a file on you. My therapist has been with me for three years so we have figured out that spring time is mania, little dip into a funk in the summer and stability in fall through winter. I don't know why I am backwards. Many people go crazy in winter. I love the melancholy and the snow. That's just my pattern year after year. A good therapist will help you identify stuff like that. Mine will mention when I need to see my doctor and would certainly assist me lovingly if I needed to be hospitalized again.
Best of luck
mellow
Posted by phil on September 8, 2011, at 17:43:06
In reply to Advice for bipolar?, posted by Raisinb on September 8, 2011, at 15:15:27
these folks have good peer meetings and there's a wellness tracker at the bottom of the page.
Posted by bleauberry on September 8, 2011, at 18:37:49
In reply to Advice for bipolar?, posted by Raisinb on September 8, 2011, at 15:15:27
I've found the use of plant medicines to keep me grounded, to control problems immediately as they happen, and at rare times to use immediate acting pharmaceuticals for very short periods. The meds that require a 6 week wait/gamble just don't work for me.
I've had all the meds you would likely take for bipolar...lithium, lamictal, depakote, multiple antipsychotics...and for me they provided a quality of life less than if I didn't take them. For others they can be useful.
Posted by Phillipa on September 8, 2011, at 18:59:29
In reply to Re: Advice for bipolar?, posted by bleauberry on September 8, 2011, at 18:37:49
BB didn't realize you are bipolar? Phillipa
This is the end of the thread.
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