Aa
how long meds
I have a pertinent question to members of this forum which is does anybody know for how long we have to continue taking meds as sometimes I wish I could live a life without taking any meds.I have been having BP since 12 years and have been on an MS since eleven years.My Pdoc does not answer this question of mine and himself is not sure.I was shattered in July this year when due to a hypomanic episode I was started on an AP(Risperdal) but my Pdoc has decided to take me off the AP thankfully as I am stable now and tomorrow I will be thankfully off it and will then have to only take my MS(Tegretol).But even then I always wish I could be med free.Does anybody know whether we could on day be free from these meds if we are stable.All suggestions and answers are welcome
Well I just say person with a psychiatric disability and I wouldn't say "normal" either as all people all different but its the ideology behind it not just the terminology. The more stability I achieved, the more I was treated like other people and some part of that was my ability to understand people's feelings and how they responded and act appropriate so I would agree medication helps that as well of course Actually since bipolar is caused by the limbic system in the brain being over activated and many of the medications (including the one I am taking that is showing some promise as that) for it started out as anti-convulsants, what a person experiences in a manic state just appears to me like any form of biochemical imbalance as motor restlessness and a speeded up appetite and libido often accompany mania so it has physical aspects as well.
this question is difficult to answer whether we can return to our original us again. also whether it will worsen with the years also is another more diffcult question. my point don't think of tomorrow and live day by day. some pdocs will try to please you by telling you lies that we will stop being bipolars one day as if since we fell ill suddenly then we shall be cured also suddenly, though i heard 3 of them saying if you don't suffer any episode for 3 consecutive years then chance you will get stable for a long time. hope so.
again it depends on the case itself, bipolarity is not standard kind of illness there are very severe cases which needed hospitalization as well. one pdoc i consulted once he is retired now and was the head of the main psychiatric hospital in cairo told me all affective disorders we had, their bipolarity kind of disintegrated and finished, i didn't believe him yet he assured to me more than once.
in your case i wouldn't worry because you are on one drug only which is not typical, usually bp pts take many drugs until they settle for a good combo.
as to the stigma regarding bipolarity and all mental illness, there is now a great understanding and sympathy towards them, i have many non-mentally ill friends. to tell you the truth it's the stupidity of the films where we live showing pschy pts as retarded like you see an actor saying i'm God or napoleon etc.. which is stupid. in the western countries people have complete awarness of these diseases, besides a large percentage live on drugs not like in our countries where only a minority who is taking them. but believe me the no is growing even in our countries, because i see in pharmacies total shelves of similar drugs meaning the no in the increase. again my parents told me when they were of my age there was one pdoc in the whole of cairo now you find a clinic in every block meaning the business is doing well.
i have the feeling that there is a lot of industry going on and pushing people to taking drugs. my view is that there is a kind of overlapping between depression and lack of energy one can't tell which is which this is why bp is related more to dopamine rather than seretonine for example i got better on an SSRE which reduces the seretonin and AP's reduces the dopamine in mania, so there should be other ways to deal with bp than just AD's when it tackles depression say, they reckon there are chinese trends or old indian ones i.e. some very old methods that work.
in any case i disagree totally with the word mental illness. a mentally ill person is a person who can't recognise the fact that he is ill already. again the word or terminology manic-depressive coined by the german discoverer who first diagnosed the illness is also indecent, better bipolarity and much better "mood swings" which is the true state of affair. there is no single difference between us and the "normal" people except that our rectifier (electronic device which transforms an AC current into a DC current) is not working properly so you have large fluctuations rather than the adjusted ones in normal people because our thermostat is not functioning, i.e. every person can't adapt himself to large stresses - like us - but there is in his brain a device which cuts the large fluctuations, like a dear person to you dies both of us get sad but the difference is that he forgets about it easier and quickly than you do, and same thing when he goes to a party or get involved in an affair or sex he stops thinking about it easily when involved in something else, work say, whereas in our case it keeps going in our brain so your mood continues bad (depression) or good (euphoric) for a longer time before it attenuates. This is why they help us by a mood stabilizer to help us fluctuate less. That is the whole story. So forget about being mentally ill please, we have a larger mood swing and i consider this as something personal that shouldn't in no way be criticized or being humiliated due to it.
again it depends on the case itself, bipolarity is not standard kind of illness there are very severe cases which needed hospitalization as well. one pdoc i consulted once he is retired now and was the head of the main psychiatric hospital in cairo told me all affective disorders we had, their bipolarity kind of disintegrated and finished, i didn't believe him yet he assured to me more than once.
in your case i wouldn't worry because you are on one drug only which is not typical, usually bp pts take many drugs until they settle for a good combo.
as to the stigma regarding bipolarity and all mental illness, there is now a great understanding and sympathy towards them, i have many non-mentally ill friends. to tell you the truth it's the stupidity of the films where we live showing pschy pts as retarded like you see an actor saying i'm God or napoleon etc.. which is stupid. in the western countries people have complete awarness of these diseases, besides a large percentage live on drugs not like in our countries where only a minority who is taking them. but believe me the no is growing even in our countries, because i see in pharmacies total shelves of similar drugs meaning the no in the increase. again my parents told me when they were of my age there was one pdoc in the whole of cairo now you find a clinic in every block meaning the business is doing well.
i have the feeling that there is a lot of industry going on and pushing people to taking drugs. my view is that there is a kind of overlapping between depression and lack of energy one can't tell which is which this is why bp is related more to dopamine rather than seretonine for example i got better on an SSRE which reduces the seretonin and AP's reduces the dopamine in mania, so there should be other ways to deal with bp than just AD's when it tackles depression say, they reckon there are chinese trends or old indian ones i.e. some very old methods that work.
in any case i disagree totally with the word mental illness. a mentally ill person is a person who can't recognise the fact that he is ill already. again the word or terminology manic-depressive coined by the german discoverer who first diagnosed the illness is also indecent, better bipolarity and much better "mood swings" which is the true state of affair. there is no single difference between us and the "normal" people except that our rectifier (electronic device which transforms an AC current into a DC current) is not working properly so you have large fluctuations rather than the adjusted ones in normal people because our thermostat is not functioning, i.e. every person can't adapt himself to large stresses - like us - but there is in his brain a device which cuts the large fluctuations, like a dear person to you dies both of us get sad but the difference is that he forgets about it easier and quickly than you do, and same thing when he goes to a party or get involved in an affair or sex he stops thinking about it easily when involved in something else, work say, whereas in our case it keeps going in our brain so your mood continues bad (depression) or good (euphoric) for a longer time before it attenuates. This is why they help us by a mood stabilizer to help us fluctuate less. That is the whole story. So forget about being mentally ill please, we have a larger mood swing and i consider this as something personal that shouldn't in no way be criticized or being humiliated due to it.
Dont worry he will get better but all meds need time to act.He will take a few months to get Ok as his episode was very severe and he needs time.My only suggestion is to be patient>he will again be the same man but it will take time.Keep in regular touch with his Pdoc.
Hi, if you don't mind I have a question for you since my husband was also diagnosed only 3 months ago at age 44!
Knowing what you know about the first bad Manic Episode (my husband's was really bad, tried to commit suicide and was delusional, and extremely Psychotic too!)....He has been taking a MS Depakote and Risperdal for 3 months now. Only 3 weeks ago we finally saw the 'light at the end of the tunnel' ...I can finally see minor traits of my 'real' husband coming back to life, even his body language, tone of voice changed!!!! And when he became Manic I became his worst enemy!
But here is my question, as the weeks, months go by, of course I can see progress, but everything seems to move so slow, almost as if He will never go back to his 'base line' ....
For instance, he was having a 'good' morning with us (my daughter and I) yesterday ...but today he came home very 'down', sad , quite, didn't want to talk much with our daughter or his father .....
You said something about taking you 3 years to feel' normal' again...and I know this is different for everyone, but I like to get patient's perspective so I can have a realistic time frame , this way I can continue to be patient and loving in order to help him....From your own experience, do you think going through a Major first Manic Episode + suicide attempt+ Psychosis....even with Meds...the process of 'coming back' from this darkness is very difficult and slow, isn't it?
I sometimes try to understand what phase he is going through so I can help. He left home a month ago, and now that he is a bit better he asked to come back home. It has been 2 weeks since he asked, he brought a couple of clothes back to the house, but hasn't come back home yet...I can imagine how difficult it maybe for him to come back as he realizes all the 'bad' things he has said and done these past few months..
Any thoughts are welcome....I'm trying to save a beautiful, healthy 12 year relationship with a man that I LOVE so much!
Knowing what you know about the first bad Manic Episode (my husband's was really bad, tried to commit suicide and was delusional, and extremely Psychotic too!)....He has been taking a MS Depakote and Risperdal for 3 months now. Only 3 weeks ago we finally saw the 'light at the end of the tunnel' ...I can finally see minor traits of my 'real' husband coming back to life, even his body language, tone of voice changed!!!! And when he became Manic I became his worst enemy!
But here is my question, as the weeks, months go by, of course I can see progress, but everything seems to move so slow, almost as if He will never go back to his 'base line' ....
For instance, he was having a 'good' morning with us (my daughter and I) yesterday ...but today he came home very 'down', sad , quite, didn't want to talk much with our daughter or his father .....
You said something about taking you 3 years to feel' normal' again...and I know this is different for everyone, but I like to get patient's perspective so I can have a realistic time frame , this way I can continue to be patient and loving in order to help him....From your own experience, do you think going through a Major first Manic Episode + suicide attempt+ Psychosis....even with Meds...the process of 'coming back' from this darkness is very difficult and slow, isn't it?
I sometimes try to understand what phase he is going through so I can help. He left home a month ago, and now that he is a bit better he asked to come back home. It has been 2 weeks since he asked, he brought a couple of clothes back to the house, but hasn't come back home yet...I can imagine how difficult it maybe for him to come back as he realizes all the 'bad' things he has said and done these past few months..
Any thoughts are welcome....I'm trying to save a beautiful, healthy 12 year relationship with a man that I LOVE so much!
Thanks for advice.I know we got to be taking our meds to be stable.I am on a good mood stabilizer for a number of years which had kept me stable until a huge stressor caused a hypomanic episode in July this year.I had to be put on an AP(Risperidone) which terminated the episode but gave me a number of side effects.Thankfully my Pdoc tapered it off after I became better and I had my last dose of Risperidone yesterday.I am now relieved that I shall have to only take my mood stabilizer.
Corlenbelspar was right. But there is a bright side. The sooner the diagonsis, the less the episodes. I wasn't diagnosed until over forty, the my gp really screwed me up and it mentally injured me for years. I am finally with a great pdoc for three years and almost back to mental functioning like a noninhibited/nonretarded person. So yes you will take your meds, most likely for life But because of the early diagnoses it will never get this bad.
About the stigma, I didn't tell family or most friends about being BP11 until the gp took away all pain meds, psych meds and other meds he had me on because I was really in pain and sick, lost twenty pounds in three weeks. Ended in hospital and had to have psych from that point on. So family found out, I was in hospital for over week and hubby lost it.
Most friends don't read up on it or ask too much about it. Lost one very close friend but the rest are here and supportive, just not curious.
Many at church know and all pastors know. Most treat me normally. Some friends are intuitive and come and pray with me when they see I am not ....me.
So it is possible for others to know, it is discerning who can be helpful, handle the info and remain loyal.
I am assuming you are BP1 because of the high mania. I understand that the feeling is like a serious drug and hard not to desire. Remember maintaining stability helps your brain to function and balance itself for a "normal" life.....we will never be "normal" because we are highly intelligent, creative, think faster than humanly possible and we are charismatic in personality. So we learn to balance, use our gifts.
It is good to have "spotters" in your life to watch, check on you and give you council when they think you are off a little or a lot.
Can you live on a cash system? No bank account but a simple envelope system that puts the money in classifications, car, food, electric, rent, insurance, fun money, savings, drugs, doctors, etc?
I have been on this system for twenty years and do not overspend.....most of the time.
Ok, enough Mom talk that's about it, hope it helps....zzzmykids
About the stigma, I didn't tell family or most friends about being BP11 until the gp took away all pain meds, psych meds and other meds he had me on because I was really in pain and sick, lost twenty pounds in three weeks. Ended in hospital and had to have psych from that point on. So family found out, I was in hospital for over week and hubby lost it.
Most friends don't read up on it or ask too much about it. Lost one very close friend but the rest are here and supportive, just not curious.
Many at church know and all pastors know. Most treat me normally. Some friends are intuitive and come and pray with me when they see I am not ....me.
So it is possible for others to know, it is discerning who can be helpful, handle the info and remain loyal.
I am assuming you are BP1 because of the high mania. I understand that the feeling is like a serious drug and hard not to desire. Remember maintaining stability helps your brain to function and balance itself for a "normal" life.....we will never be "normal" because we are highly intelligent, creative, think faster than humanly possible and we are charismatic in personality. So we learn to balance, use our gifts.
It is good to have "spotters" in your life to watch, check on you and give you council when they think you are off a little or a lot.
Can you live on a cash system? No bank account but a simple envelope system that puts the money in classifications, car, food, electric, rent, insurance, fun money, savings, drugs, doctors, etc?
I have been on this system for twenty years and do not overspend.....most of the time.
Ok, enough Mom talk that's about it, hope it helps....zzzmykids
Yeah,I know that I would have to take medication.It was wishful thinking on my part.
Well I hear it's a good idea to stay on medication for life if you have a mental illness bipolar disorder, sorry to say for you. I've heard they take some people off in special circumstances like their life is totally stress free for example if the person isn't known to relapse just for no apparent reason but who's life is stress free these days? You're not alone though with the problem you have in your country, there's pretty much stigma all over the world associated with mental illness but people have started trying to get rid of the stigma associated with it. I don't know if it was recent or a long time ago but someone in the field of psychiatry recently said some official people now recognized mental illness as a real illness but he talked about it like it was a recent thing. I don't know maybe he worded it badly and didn't realize it if it was a long time ago but this is a good step in the right direction.
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