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Avatar universal

WELCOME ALL

Hi and welcome to the Bipolar Disorder forum.  Whether you are newly diagnosed or been living with this disorder for some time, or maybe you are living with someone who has the disorder - all of you are welcome.  This forum is a great place to meet people who are living with BP.  You will find support and kindness in abundance.  We offer our support by sharing our own experiences with each other, whether that be about the condition itself, its impact on loved ones, medications we have been prescribed etc.  All we ask is that you remain respectful of your fellow members, even if there is a difference of opinion good manners cost nothing and it is because of our respect for each other that this forum runs so well.

None of us are medical professionals and we advise that any queries relating to medication are also raised with your health care provider.  We can certainly tell you of our own experiences but you must NEVER stop taking your medication without consulting your health care provider.  Neither do any of us advocate the use of illegal drugs and we request that nobody posts a thread relating to the use of illegal drugs over those of prescription medication as these will be removed.

Bipolar is such a complex disorder/illness that as well as consulting the MedHelp health pages or posting on the Expert forum there are many information websites that can help.  

This link will take you directly to the healthpage which lists a few of the more popular websites :  "Useful Bipolar & Depression Webisties" -

http://www.medhelp.org/health_pages/Mental%20Health/Useful-Bipolar--Depression-Webisites/show/523?cid=105

You are advised to never put your private e-mail address, telephone number etc on an open forum and advise caution if you decide to give these out via your PM facility (private message facility).

Please take a moment to read the numbered paragraphs below which will help you navigate your way around the forum a lot easier.

We're so glad you have found us here and really look forward to getting to know you better.

Bulldozer (Helen)
Community Leader
and on behalf of all our current members



1)  Be sure to check out the "Health Pages."  The link is in the upper right hand corner of your screen.  “Health Pages” address topics relevant to bipolar disorder.  Among the pages is list of common bipolar acronyms, a great resource!

2)  Please join the community.  Once you have had a chance to look around, why not create a profile and tell us a little about yourself?  Your profile can be as simple or as complex as you like.  In any event, you will meet people from around the globe!  You will have the opportunity to learn from others who share your concerns.

3)  Consider posting on a current thread or staring one of your own.  Don’t worry - you’ll get the hang of it very quickly.  You’ll find that you will want to come back often to check up on your new friends.  If you’ve got something on your mind, please don’t be shy.  There are no dumb questions and we are all here to learn.

4)  Get acquainted with other members.  There are several ways to “Add a friend” but one of the easiest is to scroll over the member’s name and click on “Add a friend”.

5)  The Mood and Sleep trackers.  You can add these to your profile by clicking on "My MedHelp" (top) and then click on "Trackers".  Follow the steps to add the tracker and begin using it today!  Keeping track of your mood and/or sleep is a great start to managing your mental health!!  There are other trackers that may be relevant to you - there is no limit to how many you can have.

6)  Consider keeping a journal.  Your journal can be private, public, or available only to those people you have added as a friend.  Journals are a great way to share your story, frustrations, experiences, history, etc.  You will probably find there are others who can relate to your story.

7)  Want to speak privately to another member?  Send a private message (PM) by scrolling over the member’s name and clicking on “Send Message”.

8)  Only have a minute and want to welcome a member, or send good luck wishes?  Scroll over the member’s name and click on “send a note.”  Unlike PMs, everyone can view “Notes”.

9)  Once you’ve created a profile, click on “My MedHelp” (indicated by a little red heart at the top of your screen) and check out the many great features and setting options.
16 Responses
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1526148 tn?1295431220
I was literally diagnosed 2 days ago, and i don't know what to think. Im 18 years old, and i only started out with simple anxiety. when i was younger i would get so angry sometimes over the littlest things. Now, i'm anxious constantly with little bouts of depression thrown in there. I've been starting to get mad at little things again too. But i really dont feel like myself. I feel foggy all the time. And i constantly try to figure out whats normal, and why i look ok to everyone else, but on the inside i feel like im going nuts. I was put on seroquel xr, only 50 mg to start, but it makes me sooo incredibly tired, and it doesnt wear off until later on in the day. I'm not even sure if i am bipolar or if it is just anxiety... I'm so confused.... please give me some advice if you can, thank you.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hello. I haven't been diagnosed with anything but have a mix between bipolar and schizophrenia. I haven't been feeling all that good lately but it might be the cold weather. I look forward to chatting to you all.
Helpful - 0
585414 tn?1288941302
  Yes there are a variety of types of bipolar and some can potentially have aspects of psychosis and only a psychiatrist could provide an exact diagnosis so it would be worth seeing one. As per insurance at an emergency room you could be eligible for emergency Medicaid which could transition into standard Medicaid which would cover seeing a psychiatrist.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I'm nineteen years old, I have not been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. However, I feel strongly there something wrong with me mentally. I'm not stable at all, I have mood swings, sever depression, and many other things. I've noticed my behavior change about six months ago. Even my friends and family said they don't know who I am anymore. That got me thinking. I've heard a few different theories. One person said I seemed really depressed, another said I could be schizophrenic, and my friend who is Bipolar said I sound just like him so i could very well be Bipolar as well. Getting these theories thrown at me is frightening. What's the best thing for me to do?? I don't have insurance, I don't have money to see a psychiatrist. I'm scared if I don't get help something bad will happen. Please help, and I'm sorry for the inconvenience.
Helpful - 0
585414 tn?1288941302
It would be worthwhile to post any specific comments or concerns you have about this forum (or any other) in the "suggestions" forum. Then your comments would be read there and answered.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I would suggest that you open a section or subsection for people diagnosed with Cyclothymia. We have may of the same symptoms as people with BP1 and 2 but not as extreme and we tend to get drowned out in forums. Thanks.
Helpful - 0
585414 tn?1288941302
Yes welcome. You could post a thread with a question that people would then respond to. I know that many people with bipolar have noted its effect in judging other people's mood and reactions and other factors that may impact on relating to other people at times.
Helpful - 0
1382402 tn?1279732648
Hello, I'm Janessa and I've had bipolar 1 w/ rapid cycling since 2005. it hasn't totally ruined my life but it has caused me to loose  a lot of relationships and friendships. i would love to talk to other people who have the same thing as me and know i'm not alone, and see how other people deal with the symptoms.
Helpful - 0
585414 tn?1288941302
Well if you look at the top of the page you are posting on there are lists of websites that can be helpful and one has a listing of mood stabilizers that are FDA approved or are FDA approved medications used experimentally for bipolar. If things aren't working out you could discuss that information with your psychiatrist. I went through the same process with what was then treatment refractory schizoaffective disorder and I could not tolerate any known medications including Clozaril but have made a recovery now with an experimental antipsychotic in Phase II FDA study. There is research and development on new anti-psychotics, mood stabilizers and especially anti-depressents and on a regular basis there is one that is FDA approved and becomes a new option and there is continuing research into whole new classes of treatment. Its worthwhile to keep track of that. If things aren't working out and you have tried all options in standard use you might ask your psychiatrist for a referral to a mood disorders specialist or consider going to a psychopharmocologist who have specific knowledge as regards medications that may not be otherwise in regular use.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I have been diagnosed for years now, and still wonder if I'll ever feel truly good again.  I take lithium seroquel, and effexor.  I've also had two rounds of ect and hoping to have another round soon.  I also have a vagal nerve stimulator (vns).  Part of me thinks in this day and age there should be something more permenent and stable yet the other part knows that I have a progressive disorder that needs constant monitoring.  I don't want to die or cut myself anymore but sometime the urges are so srong.  Sometimes I just get tired of fighting. twitching, wiggleing. and just generally feeling like crap.  HELP ME !                              Tammy43
Helpful - 0
585414 tn?1288941302
Well its best to educate yourself on what bipolar is and how to understand what is going on. The websites linked up are one good start but there are some helpful books that would be available at the library as well but since the knowledge of bipolar and its treatment advances at a regular basis the websites linked up (and any others that would be clinically accurate) would be more up to date but NAMI would have some good informational material as well. Having a dual diagnosis is a further form of recovery that can sometimes be complex but I know people who have gone through this process.
Helpful - 0
1344677 tn?1278344164
I just joined the community for the reason to hear what other people go through with Bipolar and making some friends.  It's lonely living in the mind of confusion. I was diagnosed with Dual Bipolar.  I am a recovering alcoholic.  I quit drinking March 31, 2009.  The only difference is now I know what I have and how to treat it.  Well sometimes.  They're are times that I ask myself what's really wrong with me. Am I really ill.  Do I just talk myself into thinking I'm ill.  This is the craziness of my illness.
Helpful - 0
585414 tn?1288941302
Antipsychotics (Geodon is one of many) can cause temporary movement disorders such as dystonia. Difficulty swallowing can be one sign of this. That can be treated with a side effect pill. Speak to your psychiatrist about this.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
My doctor has me on Geodon and Lamictal.  I've been taking the Geodon for about 6 months and the Lamictal for the last 2 months.  Now in the past month I have had enormous trouble swallowing.  It feels like my esophagus has closed in compared to how it was before.  I am getting chokes every time I eat something solid.  Anyone else having this trouble?  
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hello, I am hoping you can help me shed some light on how I best deal with my boyfriend. He is a wonderful, super intelligent, gifted, photographic memory, spiritual and a wonderful lover kind of guy and understands me better than I do myself at times. But....of course there is always one of those! He is Bipolar. This is something he was diagnosed with years ago, but does not take medication for. He tried for a couple of weeks last year, but they made him so high and tight jawed that he gave up. Also at that time he was at a friends house, drank most of a bottle of whiskey, got in a car and lost his license. I was called up at 2am from a hospital asking did I know this man and would I come and get him. Of course I hadn't slept a wink anyway, as I had a feeling something was not right. He has a problem with drink, does not drink often, but when he does he gets very drunk very quickly and either loves the world or on the other tip of the knife edge cries and hates everything most of all me of course. The day after he invariably tells me he wants to break up, that I would be better off without him or that I'm such a princess that he can't even stand the sound of my voice anymore. I can't just treat him like someone who is ill as he has a very strong nature and when he feels something, my god he really feels it. I find it hard to cope, now luckily he has got himself a dream job, I have been supporting him for about a year now financially , in another country, but as you may know Europe is small and flights are cheap so it is no huge deal. I am, as is my family, hoping that he can cope. So far so good, they all love him. We are all sitting here waiting for the chain to break and hoping that wont happen, that might sound mean but that's how it is when experience shows that is what normally happens. This job really is one of those that could set him up for life in an exciting environment,  yet with the routine I think he needs. He tried to start a business himself but mostly couldn't get out of bed in the morning. Now I do not resent him for turning me into as he calls me a 'stress bunny', I just would love to know how I best deal with him, so that I don't have to walk on eggshells, yet pretending not to be, so he doesn't howl at me. Hope this makes sense to someone out there...
Helpful - 0
1211960 tn?1272974502
Thanks for the tips. They were very helpful. I noticed that there is not an introduction thread. How do I befriend members or vice versa. I am new and would like some friends. I think I am going to start an introduction thread.
Helpful - 0
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