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Avatar universal

Is this bipolar or something else?

My 12 year old daughter asked me while we were out having a nice dinner if I was bibolar.  There weird thing is I had been trying to determin that question myself the last few months.  I have always had anxiety with some depression but  with some things I have been doing I started looking into it.  I asked her why she thought that and she said because one minute you are "lalala" happy and the next you are yelling out of control.  I see it to.  I will be doing something and usually it has to do with the kids fighting and I flip out. Scream, yell and am a total freak.  After a while I can calm myself down.  I have to breath and talk to myself.  The feelings that come out are scary for me and my family.  I feel like everyone is always walking on egg shells arouond me because they don't know how I am going to be.  I was on Celexa and lexopro last year and i did feel better.  Less moody and when I did freak out I could bring myself down quickly or even talk myself out of it before it happend.  I really liked being on it because I did feel better.  The probablem was I gained 45 pounds while taking it.  I stopped taking it in July.  I do have some other health issues going on now (lupus/fibromyalsia) so when I am in pain or having a hard day with that I obviously am more touchy.  If anyone can give me info I really want to have this under control.  I noticed this all started when I was 17 and pregnant for the first time.  I freaked out on my father for coming in and changing the channel in the middle of a show I was watching.  I just chalked it up to being pregnant.  This has been going on for a long time now and it is a problem that I need to fix or help.  I do have problems sleeping but I am now on Amtriptyline 20mg at night for sleep problems and pain from my autoammune problems.  I usually tell people I have anxiety but I do know now it is more.  You can't be so down and then be running around like a maniac.  Again I do know when I am feeling sick I can't do much and then when I feel better I run, run, run.  I always thought that was due to the other illness.   Please anyones advice would be appreciated.    
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1486688 tn?1333853707
yeah..you could be rapid cycling.  That is what it's called when your moods are changing that quickly back and forth.  With Bipolar disorder you could have "seasons" or long periods of a certain mood..like down a month and then up for two...like that or you can have quick cycles.  If it's something that is affecting your family and it sounds like it is, I'd definately go to a psychiatrist and get the meds.  The trick with Bipolar is that you MUST stay on them to keep a stable mood..you can always tell when someone isn't taking their meds for Bipolar.  (I used to work for a psychiatrist) I reccommend that you read this book called "The Bipolar Child"  It will make things alot clearer on the topic.:O)  Can't remember the author right this second..but don't think it'll be hard to find.
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1100992 tn?1262357216
My advice would be to keep track of your mood swings and rages and bring it with you to your next psychiatrist appt. One other thing to think about... Post traumatic stress disorder can cause rages and anxiety...
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Avatar universal
Hi and thank your for your response.  I have tried a gluten free diet.  I also was tested years ago (blood) and was clear to eat anything.  I know from friends that can't eat it that the test does come back wrong sometimes.  I have tried eating a high protien diet and lost weight but was very sick while on it.  Bad headaches and just sick.  I tried for two weeks and just couldn't go on.  I will check with my therapist and see if she thinks what I am thinking is a possibility and go from there.  Thanks again.    
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Avatar universal
Thank you and yes I am glad she did open up to me.  My husband and I are very open with all our kids and they know they can come to us with any question or concern.  I have been seeing a therapist and a psychiatrist.  I have told the therapist how i am up and down but she never mentioned bipolar.  Just something has not been right for years.  My oldest is 24 and I remember when I first brought this up with the regular doctor they put me on prozac.  It worked in the begining and then it stopped and I got worse.  I remember my little boy asking mommy did you take your medicine today.  That is when I was moody and the meds were not working any more.  I then went off and was very careful of my behavier around him.  It has just been so bad lately with my medical problems and my mother in law and dog just passed and "life" has just gotten in my way.  If you know what I mean.  I am just going to have to bring it up to her.  I really can't go on like this.  It is not fair to me or my family to have to walk around afraid of how I am going to be.  Thank you for responding to me.  I know everything has been worse since my medical problems have been bad.  
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Avatar universal
You are obviously aware there might be a problem--and bless you for listening seriously to your brave little girl--so I would recommend you take your ideas to a good psychiatrist, because these people are the best at figuring out which possibility is the most likely when psych issues are at hand.

You know, it really did take courage for your daughter to bring this up with you, and it is a sign of how serious this is for her.  Our son has bipolar disorder, and when he is sick, he has no idea how scary his rages are, or how deeply they affect those around him.

It would be awfully kind of you to get professional help not only for you but for your family.
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Avatar universal
Due to your autoimmune conditions, you might consider getting off a gluten (found in wheat, barley, rye and oats).  Celiac disease (which is an autoimmune reaction to gluten), can be connected with other autoimmune conditions.   If you have the problem, getting gluten out of your diet will help you absorb your nutrients, nutrients you've been without for a long time.  These same nutrients can help balance hormones and neurotransmitters and many other things in your body.  I've heard some people get relief by following a low carbohydrate diet like Atkins.  

My recommendation:  A gluten free, low carb diet for a few months and see what happens.  If you'd like to give the diet a try, read up on them and take the vitamins and minerals that they recommend (they are recommended for a reason).  When people have food intolerances or food allergies and/or carbohydrate intolerance, it plays around with blood sugar (fluctuations) and insulin (insulin is a hormone that effects other hormones when it jumps around or is constantly being stimulated), and this in turn can effect the neurotransmitters in the brain.  Diet is a hard thing for people to change, but more often than not, it can really help fix alot of problems.  Maybe you could try going gluten free first for a few months and see what improves.  If it helps, but doesn't fix things completely, add the low carb diet.  You'll probably find yourself feeling calmer without all the mood fluctuations.  If nothing helps, you'll have to resort to medications  again to see improvement.  If you try the gluten free diet, your medications and vitamins have to be gluten free also.  Any small cheat can really mess the diet up.  I hope this helps.
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