Bipolar 2 and Fibromyalgia

[Sue031]

I have had Bipolar 2 for 11 years and it has taken that long for my Government in South Africa to provide the correct medication. I am unable to work because of my instability. Anyway, finally I got the right medication which included sleep medication. Not sleeping pills but Clonazapam which helped relax me into sleep because of my Anxiety. So having listened to all of this it should come as no surprise that at 41, with a divorce in the works that I have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia that keeps me awake for 36 hours at a time and then I get about 6 hours. Then we go for the 36 hours again. The pain has alot to do with it. It involves my neck, shoulder joints, elbows and hands. My hips and tailbone, my knees and ankles and the underside of my feet. Driving even with an automatic car is painful and because of the dizzy spells that attack suddenly I am afraid to take long journeys and the pain afterwards is levelling. I know that I have to give up caffeine, sugar and carbonated drinks and of course smoking. But I want to know what can be done for me especially with Bipolar. It is like the 2 feed off each other. I am getting very depressed with the lack of sleep and pain and that is just the beginning. I am really frightened at the lack of knowledge that is out there and I still have to keep my other disorder at bay and come to terms with the fact that I now am really disabled and cannot earn a proper income and have to rely on my ex. This in South Africa is a joke because if he doesn't pay it isn't like we have the resources to go and arrest him to bring him to book. Anyway, too much information. That is my question. And please don't anybody say that I worry too much about labels. The labels don't mean anything they are just a form of identification but what their illness does is of great concern.

[Tuckamore]

We are always welcome here. How is it you are is South Africa if I may ask? Is it your native country? You are wise to know your medications and how they interact. I do the same and obviously I am in the USA.

Are there good pharmacists that will help you with your medication questions? Is so be sure and ask for their assistance too.

Someone is normally on this site and responding to posts. Week-ends tend to be a little slow. Due to caring for my father' in his frail condition I am not always here as often as I would like to be but I try to make it here every day. So please feel free to post your questions or just vent.

I'm disabled too and I can relate. I am very fortunate to have a supportive and caring husband. I am sorry that you don't.  You are welcome to send me a PM (personal message) any time as is anyone on this forum.

Take Care and keep in touch with us.  
Tuck

[Sue031]

Thank you so much for your kind words. They are probably the first I have heard in 11 years. You'd be surprised what empathy and support can do for one's moral.

What you just said has been my point all along. It's as if people think you use the name of your illness to brag or something. It's not. That is the label that someone gave it and it's a damn side shorter way of explaining what you suffer from than giving a list of symptoms and expecting everyone to be doctors.

It's just these Doctors in South Africa that have a thing about 'labelling' yourself??? My question is, so what if you have the flu, do you tell everyone that you have a snotty nose but you feel like dancing? This is why I have come looking for help in forums like these overseas because I'm terrified that these people are going to kill me.

I'm not kidding either. They just prescribe medication and it's up to you to ask the questions as to whether it will interact with your bipolar meds or what side effects it will have and many times they say almost nothing and you end up in such a state you don't know what to do with yourself.

So I seek for answers myself before entering the wonderful world of the medical profession so that I am armed to some degree. Now I hear that they have found some retrovirus that could be the cause and there are people actually getting happy about this. Don't they realise that there's no cure???

Anyway. Once again I've gone off. Sorry, I'm just so alone and afraid. Thank you for your post and maybe your thoughts on this retrovirus thing.

Sue.

[Tuckamore]

Hi Sue,

Welcome to the Pain Management Forum. I am sorry that you have two different conditions that can be challenging to treat individually to say nothing of dealing with two of them on a 24/7 basis. I would never suggest that you are too concerned with labels. I don't see that in your post at all.

In my opinion you need an excellent PCP that can assist you in coordinating the care between two specialist. Obviously one that treats your bipolar condition and one that treats your Fibromyalgia. It's important to assure that one medication does not work against another and that all your symptoms are considered and addressed.

Our bodies need sleep. Sleep deprivation can magnify our pain, symptoms and emotional responses to name just a few of the issues that lack of sleep can bring.  Please discuss this with your PCP.

I wish I had better answers or suggestions for you. Others will post also. Please let us know how you are doing. You are not alone. Best of luck to you and please take care.

Peace,
Tuck