Hallucinations?

[PoorBoy]

I was wondering whether or not someone with Bipolar disorder could experience a hallucination including seeing a person, who is telling them to do things with the help of drugs?  And I also wanted to ask if someone who didn't know they had Bipolar disorder, and took anti-anxiety medication could experience a manic episode?, and how long it would take for the drugs to 'cause a manic episode.  Thank you, and I apologize if my questions are confusing or if you don't have the answers I'm looking for.

[kathy434]

I have BP1.  I am on several meds for my symptoms as well as the Omega3 vitamin.  I would never tell anybody what to do about their medications.  This is something one needs to discuss with their doctor.  I personally was recommended the Omega3, and I believe this has some benefits, but definitely not to totally replace my other psych meds.  That is tempting disaster for a BP1.
As anybody who works in the medical field knows, no patient should mess around with medications or dosages other than just what your doctor prescribes.  If it is not working out well for you, talk to your doctor Before making any changes and continue to take meds under his supervision.  It is important to caution yourself from making any recommendations for another person to try anything that has not been passed through his doctor first.  Lives are not especially stable when one suffers from BP, so don't toy around with people and their meds.

[Crystlas]

I sent you a friend invite and a note!  TTYS!

[ames67]

I don't know how to do this but could you send me a note. I would really like to talk to you more gioven that we are both in the mental health field, nice to hear from you!!!!

[Crystlas]

ROCK ON...Thank you for your support!  It is funny that you mentioned diabetes.  I have labled bipolar as "diabetes of the brain" when I am trying to get through to people that are not complient.  They seem to listen more with that comparison.  I hope the ones I have spoke to are behaving and taking their meds!  I have a severe form of bipolar too, which I mentioned above.  Due to the fact that I was unpolar and decided "I really just was not that depressed" and went off my medication, while still taking the omega-3 every day as I had for years, then how the heck would I have had a 4 month manic spell (diagnosed 3 months into it)  if this omega-3 is the "cure".   That is why I know it is not.  Unless you guzzle a ton of it, which clinical trials claim "may" help,  your s.o.l.  

[ames67]

I am glad to see someone is as alarmed as I am regarding all the discussion of going off meds and trying something that has not been medically shown to effectively treat bipolar disorder (i.e. Omega-3). I agree it is a serious mental illness and to downplay it by saying it is a misdiagnosis or wanting to quit all medications gives me serious cause for concern. There was a post today regarding diabetic patients and their need to take insulin. This is such a good analogy because both bipolar and diabetes have to do with a chemical imbalance and stopping all medications for either is such an invitation for relapse, I have a hard time understanding why someone would risk having a manic episode. Maybe inpart that my episodes have been severe, but also because subsequent episodes tend to get worse overtime and going off meds makes it harder for stabilization in the future. I should temper all this by saying that NO ONE wants to be bipolar, and as much as I hate it for myself and others, I would be a fool to ignore the fact I have a serious medical condition that requires medical intervention and it is a lifelong condition not to be played around with. I too am a mental health professional so I have seen first hand how going off meds can result in disaster, not to mention having experienced the aftermath of manic episodes myself. I am really thankful for this forum because it gives us the opportunity to share our difficulties, but I also read triumphs about people finding the right medication combinations to manage their illness. Best of luck to all of you, and remember the informed patient is the best patient. Talking openly with your psychiatrist and keeping up to speed on interventions and your reactions to them makes you a wise consumer. It is okay to question, just be sure not to throw it all out the window.

[Crystlas]

You can not control bipolar disorder on just Omega-3.  I have been taking it for years.  It is a good suppliment, however,  telling people to use it alone is dangerous so I would kindly ask you not to go around telling people to go off their meds and use a suppliment.  Especially those of us with severe bipolar.  Some people are new to their disorder and unsure.  They use this forum to seek answers and if given the wrong information it could lead to a very dangerous situation. Soft bipolar may be able to get away with it some and get more benefits, but it is dangerous to use it alone.  It has been studied that possibly bipolar individuals are somewhat depleated of both omegs-3 and meletonin, but it is still under trial.  I do use both suppliments because it can't hurt to have a heart healthy suppliment along with having a balanced sleep pattern.  I too, have done tons of research.  The only findings that have been reported is that very high levels of omega-3 can give benefits but can possible be harmful to the individual taking it.  I read this in a few trials that were done.  Medications do not "mess with your brain chemicals" as much as they change the biochemistry in the brain which in turn balances the brain chemicals and makes individuals that are medication complient stable.  If you take care of yourself and do what you are supposed to do, this disorder is treatable.  Bipolars that go on and off of their medications have relapses over 85% of the time.  It is harder for a bipolar individual to get restabilized after they go off meds.  After your medications half life fades out of your body, you more than likely will relapse.  Good luck with that, it is a bumpy road.  As far as Lithium levels go, you are supposed to be checked every four months, which I do.  I also make sure my thyroid is funciton properly and it is perfect so far.  Wellbutrin is the anti-depressent I am on and I am losing weight on it.  I use it with my Lithium.  This combo works wonders for my being bipolar I, mixed state and a rapid cycler.  A level of 4.98 would happen if someone overdosed on Lithium.  No hospital would turn away a bipolar patient with a level that high due to the fact that it is a red flag for a suicide attempt and/or it could kill you.   A blood test would have caught the levels going up way before it reached that high.  BTW, I have a degree in Psychology and Social Work.  I have experience working in the field of mental health and have had clients that are bipolar that were not medication complient and did not take care of themselves.  So I have seen these dangerous situations first hand.  I have read your posts in other threads telling people that you quit your meds and to check out using omega-3 instead.  Remember, if this information gets in the wrong hands it could be dangerous.  I am concerned for the safety of others in this support forum.  Bipolar disorder is not something to be taken lightly, but a severe mental illness.

[dazed999]

I saw and heard a lot of stuff while on lithium a few years back. (I discontinued all my meds a couple weeks ago.)  I experianced the "things" I did because someone forgot to tell me, (and I did not read about it); that you should NOT take any type of diuretics while on lithium due to the fact that it will cause toxicity.  As you well know if you take anti-deppressants.... you tend to gain weight.  I was trippin' for a couple of weeks, I even went to the local emergancy room and they sent me home telling me to sleep it off.  You tend to act like you are drunk.  Even with the high lithium level in my bloodstream; they just sent me home!  I had a level of 4.98!!  Very toxic.  When you are in that state of mind you don't "know" that there is something seriously wrong with you.  My shrink freaked out when I finally contacted her and told her there was something seriously wrong with me.  Research your meds!!  Only You know what you are experiancing.  Remember; the meds you take are messing with chemicals in your brain.  What you put into your bloodstream will take a while to wear off; most meds take 3 to 4 weeks to fully kick in.....  they usually take 2 to 3 weeks to get out of your system too!!!  I am not knocking lithium; I used it for a whole lot of years.  Caution is the key word for all the meds we use for stabilization.  Check out Omega-3's as a suppliment too.

[Venora Moonwind]

when I am manic I can talk to people  on the phone that arent there and my dreams become my reality. talk to the doc . you dont have to go through this.
Love Venora

[Crystlas]

I thought I answered this post already??  I am BP I, rapid cyling, mixed state.  I only have hallucinations when I am manic, as most bp's do.  I have speakers appear on the wall and play rock and roll music, kind of cool.  Other than that, I see little stuff  whizz by in my prefreal vision.  I did overdo it playing too much World of Warcraft last year and thought I was living in the game for awhile.    

[debj52]

my stepdaughter is bi-polar and one time in her manic m ode she thought we had cameras in the basement watching her and she said she looked at her arm and there was a severe cut(which there wasnt)....and she thought my daughter was trying to takeher 2 kids away from her.....so yeah you sure can when your in the manic m
mode....take care ...deb

altho she did eventually give me and hubby temp cistody because she got into drugs...please dont ever do that...deb

[Indianman]

I am Bipolar1 diagnosed 8 years ago and sometimes I hear voices or hear music,I can,t tell what it is.I have also saw images!!!!

[kris123]

I am bipolar type 1 and I see shadows here and there and also hear voices whispers - this is enhanced by pot so I try not to go there any more.  I would go to dr and talk with them about what you are seeing.  I am on abiltfy(sp) and Limitcal(Sp)