frustrated

[auntbearbear]

I have bipolar and refuse to take the medication. I have tested 4 different kinds and all they do is keep me in a state of depression. I have a very happy bubbly personality and I hate being sad. I still get my lows sometimes and when I do they are bad but I no longer gonto hurting myself or suicide sand my boyfriend is very supportive. Sometimes I throw what is like an uncontrollable tantrum that i feel no control over and in the moment I am completely frustrated. I'm 26 and I still feel like a child. Nobody seems to listen to me. Is there any relief from this frustration and outbursts without medication? I have heard about some people trying certain diets.

[Crystal413]

I forgot to mention. You may want to ask your dr about Deplin (L-Methylfolate) a breakdown of folic acid. Even if your folic acid shows normal it does not mean your L-Methylfolate is. You need a test for that one. You can also get a coupon on the Deplin site. You need an Rx for Deplin.

[Crystal413]

You have been given a lot of hood advice. As for the tantrums and frustrations. This may sound simple but if you are feeling this way or start to, remove yourself from the situation or place you are in and take a few deep breaths. Sometimes just removing yourself away can really help. Then go back and if you see you really can't handle it then just leave for your own sanity. Some other things that help are yoga and mindfulness. They help your whole well being.

I say this in a lot of my comments but it's important to get some bloodwork done that is affected by depression if your low or deficient. Ck your Thyroid,  VitB's, Vit D and possibly your hormones. I had my iron checked as well and I was very low. Fish oil is excellent to take. Buy the one that says no mercury in it.

Congratulations on becoming a nurse!

[Amy4891]

I don't blame you for not wanting to take the medications. I haven't had very good luck with them. I always found therapy to be more helpful than the meds. If you find a good therapist they should help you with some good coping skills, and other useful things you can do. There may be some self help books available that may be beneficial to you. I don't really know which foods, or vitamins, or other kinds of supplement are supposed to be helpful, but if you find out let me know too, lol....

[auntbearbear]

Nursing. If it turns out I can't have kids then I'm going back to school to be a doctor. I'm still young and just out of school so we will see.

[Anonymouse88]

Well, a therapist/psychologist is probably the best person to ask about those techniques.  I usually try to remove myself from human contact when I'm feeling that way, because I know there'll be issues if I try to talk to someone.  For me, if I'm hungry, even if I can't actually feel it, eating something majorly helps that state.  DBT was originally designed for borderline personality disorder, but that means it targets extreme mood lability and emotional outbursts that come with that disorder, and it's now used for other disorders as well.  Even if you don't do it, you could look up some of their techniques or try to get a workbook.

This is probably academic at this point, but 3/4 of the meds you've been on are antidepressants, not mood stabilizers, which is not recommended in bipolar (some say no antidepressants, others say not without a mood stabilizer too).  There's decent evidence that antidepressants can make bipolar worse.

It's great that you've managed to prove the doubters wrong and get through med school.  What kind of residency are you doing?

[auntbearbear]

I don't mean to be so blunt and pushy its just that everyone tries to push medication. But I rly will not take any. I'm also trying to get pregnant and I don't want to harm my baby. I do not believe in any safe medications.

[auntbearbear]

I have been in therapy and trying meds since I was 11 I gave each med 6 months to a year except lithium it made me like a zombie and I was losing days at a time. I've tried effexer xr and welbuterin I was on prozak the longest at different levels but again I REFUSE to take any other medications or be on one the rest of my life I have been unmedicated for 2 1/2 years and better than I ever have been. I've just recently graduated from med school when I was told I would never be able to hold a job for longer than 6 months I've also been at my job now for over a year and bartended at the same resturant for 3. I don't need the meds I just need relief techniques for when I feel overly frustrated.

[Anonymouse88]

Which meds have you tried?  The atypical antipsychotics are probably more likely to be sedating and lower your energy.  And finding the right meds is a total crapshoot for a lot of people.  The right mood stabilizer should help with the outbursts.  You need a psychiatrist who will listen to you and treat you as a partner in your treatment, and not someone who will try to railroad you into certain meds.  Keep in mind that you have to take most meds for up to several months before the main effects kick in and initial side effects go away.

Exercise is always good, and therapy could help as well (cognitive behavioral therapy or dialectical behavioral therapy might be a good place to start).

[stormbear]

HI, yes diet is very important along with regular exercise  mediitation and some vitamins are helpful also  , when it come's to med's though it is trial and error til you find the right one or combination ,yes it can be frustrating i know but for me i got to stay on med's or i'll spiral into chaos otherwise.