What comes up must come down?

[jst4shanell]

Am I the only one on the face of the planet that doesn't become severely depressed or not depressed at all after serious manic episodes with psychosis?  I have been in many horrible depressive states, but none following mania.  It makes no sense to me.  My diagnosis is BP1 with psychotic features.  What's the deal?  I feel like this forum is so supportive, but I also feel like I can't relate sometimes, or people can't relate to me.  

[GeorgiaAnnie]

Yep.  I can have a high without the immediate low.  At some point my body needs to catch up, and can go down for 6 months.  Not a direct relation between up and down.  Have been extending regular period for a few years now.

Not on meds, spotty about vitamins, do exercise when ok, and now have someone who accepts me and my ways (also don't tell everything).

Your ok.  We accept and understand and relate.  Hope you're utilizying your time without the depression, as you contribute to the world without guilt for your manic with psychotic periods...

[ILADVOCATE]

You have to remember that there are times where people with bipolar are euthymic (normal) in between moodswings and it sounds like you are a rapid cycler like me. What triggers off mood changes is complex. I remember years ago, way before recovery, I was on a lot of very old line meds (a standard mood stabilizer but the antipsychotic was Haldol or something similar plus a side effect pill). I have schizoaffective but from what you are describing you might have bipolar with psychotic features (ask your psychiatrist). But I had psychosis all the time as is typical for schizoaffective but with bipolar with psychotic features when you don't have moodswings you don't experience psychosis. One time in an extremely manic state and another time in an extremely depressed state I was tired and had the urge to rest (note I had not just taken medication) and I fell asleep and woke up with the mania/depression gone. I asked my psychiatrist years later what had happenned and he said "you were extremely labile", labile meaning suseptable to mood changes at a hair trigger. To put it in a simple sentence it sounds like what you are on is not well adjusted and medications need to be titrated, added and perhaps changed. When someone is rapid cycling and experiencing all this, whatever the exact form of bipolar it clearly is a cause for concern.

[LeftCoastChick]

I know of a couple of BP folks that don't cycle between the two quickly, there is time in between, and much less because both are on good meds. I'm BP2, rapid cycler - BUT since I'm on a good dose of meds especially my MS, I can actually have hypomanic times which are productive, and I don't crash into depression anymore, well at least since October. I was diagnosed in Aug, so I think that's pretty good. I also don't do anything that would majorly trigger a huge manic episode, like 4 cups of coffee or lack sleep. I now have people saying are you sure your BP? It's all about control once a person has found a good drug combo in many cases. I say some, because not everyone finds it easy with their meds.

I take 2 MS and an AP, as well, Omega-3,  high B vitamins, avoid caffeine, alcohol and linit my sugar intake.

[jst4shanell]

Thats great.  I like that.  I feel alone sometimes.  I know we all do no matter how much support you have.  My meds are all MS's and AP's plus vitamins.

[adel_ezz]

there is say " tell me what you eat (meds) and i tell you what you are". So perhaps is what you are taking. OR perhaps you are not taking any meds AT ALL so your symptoms are the natural ones that BP encounter in general and that ours are oppositely intricate due to swallowing meds. If i were you I wouldn't try to understand. Trying to understand too much will lead you nowhere . Besides, you may catch OCD and worries for no reason. Meanwhile, BP is not one single illness it is rather a series of different types. I read once BP1, 2, 3 (cyclothemia), 4, 5 and in some conferences, 41 and 42, etc...The more you read in this bloody business the more you feel you are not contented. For after a few steps of the jigsaw puzzle things become more complicated. Pdocs themselves don't know, even their drugs is "trial and error". Just sleep well and do sports you will be OK and wish us luck
ezz