Discussion Topic
bipolar treatment
Posted on 07/21/09, 07:03 am
hi..im looking for people in the uk who have been diagnosed with bipolar .
i havent ben diagnosed. i want to become a foster carer in the near future and im ure that if this is on my records i wont be able to.
i have always suffered with what i thought was just depression, i have been presribed a few different anti d's over the years but i have never really taken them properly.
i know i had a manic episode a few years ago...i spent £10,000 in cash , maxed 2 credit cards amongst other things.
i havent done this again but i do have a hard time with my finances.
my lows are terrible ..anxious restless irritable i have had one good day in the last 3 weeks and i fear this is getting worse.
i have managed to cover this up but a friend has noticed that im not myself...
we sat down and i told just how i have been feeling , she has been great and has offered to help me to find a therapist i can talk to.
i will never really tell my family as they do not understand ..they have the pull yourself together attitude...i also have a daughter...
so i do cope..but i feel i am getting worse.
my biological mother took her life when she was 30...i found out 2 years ago that she had suffered psychosis for 18months , she saught help for herelf.. she was detained under the mental health act one day ...and she managed to get to her car ...she was missing for 2days..her body was eventually found at the bottom of cliffs.
so there are mental health problems within my biological family.
i just want to know how i can receive some help without this going on my medical records.
does anyone else manage to cope with bipolar without taking meds?
mandie
i havent ben diagnosed. i want to become a foster carer in the near future and im ure that if this is on my records i wont be able to.
i have always suffered with what i thought was just depression, i have been presribed a few different anti d's over the years but i have never really taken them properly.
i know i had a manic episode a few years ago...i spent £10,000 in cash , maxed 2 credit cards amongst other things.
i havent done this again but i do have a hard time with my finances.
my lows are terrible ..anxious restless irritable i have had one good day in the last 3 weeks and i fear this is getting worse.
i have managed to cover this up but a friend has noticed that im not myself...
we sat down and i told just how i have been feeling , she has been great and has offered to help me to find a therapist i can talk to.
i will never really tell my family as they do not understand ..they have the pull yourself together attitude...i also have a daughter...
so i do cope..but i feel i am getting worse.
my biological mother took her life when she was 30...i found out 2 years ago that she had suffered psychosis for 18months , she saught help for herelf.. she was detained under the mental health act one day ...and she managed to get to her car ...she was missing for 2days..her body was eventually found at the bottom of cliffs.
so there are mental health problems within my biological family.
i just want to know how i can receive some help without this going on my medical records.
does anyone else manage to cope with bipolar without taking meds?
mandie
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Reply #1 08/04/09 12:56pm
I AM A BIPOLAR SUFFERER I HAVE BEEN SUFFERING SINCE I WAS A TEENAGER. I WAS DIAGNOSED. I HAVE BEEN GIVEN ALL KINDS OF TREATMENT. I AM NOT WORRIED ABOUT MY MANIC SIDE AS MUCH AS THE DEPRESSIVE SIDE. I MANAGE TO KEEP CONTROL OF MY MANIC SIDE. I SEE A PSYC DOC EVERY TWO MONTHS AND AM ABLE TO SEE HIM ANYTIME I WANT. I REFUSED TREATMENTS LIKE LITHIUM, SODIUM VALPORATE CAUSE IT MAKES YOU FEEL BLOATED. ALL I TAKE IS ANTI DEPRESSANTS (PROZAC) TO STABIISE MYSELF. I AM JUST ABOUT COPING. I AM HAPPY ENOUGH MOST TIMES...I HAVE DEBTS SIMILAR TO YOURS. BUT AM PAYING THEM AS ONE MONTHLY BILL AT A LOWER RATE. aSLO IF I GET IRRITATBLE I JUST GO OUT OF THE OFFICE AND SMOKE. MY OHD AT WORK KNOW WHAT I HAVE AND SOME OTHERS BUT THEY ARE OK WITH IT. I DONT THINK THEY WOLD DISCRIMINATE AGAINST YOU UNLESS IT IS A REALLY BAD MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEM WHICH COULD CAUSE HARM TO OTHERS -
Reply #2 10/04/09 10:50pm
Hi,
My partner has a subtype of bipolar (Rapid Cycling Mood Disorder) as well as borderline personality disorder and anxiety disorder.
In theory you should not be discriminated against. As long as you are stable and have been stable for a while, complying with any medication or treatment and your psych confirms this and says that you are fit, then you should be able to foster. Please note though I only said IN THEORY. What happens in practice may be different, and it may well vary from authority to authority.
Mental illness can be hereditary and it seems that is the case with you, my partner was also adopted, her biological mum was only 18 when she had her, and we don't have anymore information.
If you feel you need help with controlling your mood and in particular with your low moods, please see your GP and get some advice and help before it's too late.
My partner is on a lot of medication, mood stabilisers as well as anti-depressant (amitryptaline), she has only been diagnosed for 18 months so they are still trying to find the right combination of drugs. She is also in a major depression at present has been for coming up to 2 weeks now, so they are looking at changing her anti-depressants.
You may only need an anti-depressant if your manic phases are so few and far between and manageable.
Go and speak to your GP, see what he/she has to say, but please seek help, before it gets too bad.
Cath
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