newly diagnois bipolar

[kajama]

I was diagnois about 3 weeks ago and meds are doing great, I think, is it normal to be manic for 3 weeks straight. I mean i feel like I can do anything and haven't had one bit of depression. Is this because of the meds? Before the meds i would go like 3 days without sleeping and have tons of energy, but then I would crash for like 3-4 days with depression. anyone with experience with this please let me know if this is normal

[starbunny]

Do whatever you need to do to obtain the meds. Withdrawals can be horrendous and relapse can be even worse - sorry to sound so negative, but you have said yourself that you feel good on the meds, so why give up on them? and yes untreated bipolar can be life threatening - so please don't put yourself at risk. Is there an advocate service or support worker available to help you? It's astonishing that patients are just left in situations like this!

[paranoid_cataclysm]

I went through the exact same thing.  I refused to go to the hospital after they told me that BS where they can't give me aftercare.  By any chance are you not a client of a mental health services thing?  I was told I would of received a different path if I had been a client of the centers for mental health here.

[ILADVOCATE]

Best to go to the family doctor so they can continue the prescriptions as withdrawing from them would not be a good idea and also whatever they were treating would return. If you don't have a psychiatrist you feel comfortable with you can obtain a referral and they can always adjust or change your medications if you are experiencing any difficulties with what you are on and you could speak to them further about that.

[kajama]

Well today I gotta say today I am kinda going crazy. I am gonna be out of my meds in like 2 days. I called the hospital and they said I was no longer a paitent so they couldn't call in not more meds, I only have seen a social worker and he can't rx meds, so i guess I to to family doctor or neruologist, so confused and so aggravated. Feel like i can't get any help. The psyc hospital told me to go to ER but this is not life threaten so what't the use. Just feel like giving up on the stupid meds.

[amylove21]

I know. Sometimes I get that phase. It is something that a lot of people who have bipolar go through. I never know how long mine will last. It can be a few hours to several weeks. So nothing to worry about. Just something that happens. Mood swings.

[paranoid_cataclysm]

The mood phases of bipolar disorder can last any length of time, including mere hours for some people.  Sometimes people stay in a mood phase for months before cycling and it is considered rapid cycling if it happens more frequently than however many months they list that I can't recall off hand.

[dawsohs]

Yeah this is normal, i rapid cycle rather than remain manic for days but there are different types of bi polar so dont panic just speak to your gp

[kajama]

thanks I will try that, the meds I am on now are trileptal 1200 mg and Seroquel 800mg. I have found a psychiatrist but I only saw a social worker. I had my meds prescribe to me by a psyc doctor cause I was hospitalize but haven't seen one yet. This is all new to me. I guess as time goes on hopefully things would get better.

[ILADVOCATE]

The medication you are taking should have treated mania as well as depression. Sometimes there is (I have experienced this) some hypomania (extremely mild mania) left as medication adjusts. Best to think about what changes that would show that you are potentially manic and whether they are occuring and how often and include this in the mood tracker and print out the results for your psychiatrist.