Here is what i am doing from your list. Can anyone explain why I should not drink caffeine?

*Avoiding street drugs and alcohol

*Drinking lots of water

*Seeing your psychiatrist on a regular basis

*Seeing your therapist on a regular basis

* Have a support system, i.e., a support group, family support, a supportive friend

When you put it like that I realise how boring my life has become.
Cheers for the downer

The most important things for me are seeing my pdoc, therapist and keeping a sleeping schedule. The schedule of sleep has been hard lately but I think I'm there now. I avoid drugs but not alcohol totally. I have a bottle of whiskey in the cupboard right now and it has been there for months and months so I don't drink often. Eating right and exercising also help but I haven't been doing those lately. :(

I know my life is so boring now...

Caffeine can stay in your system of about 8 hours or so. This kind of depletes the purpose of some of the meds you are taking.

BRAVO! For your road to stability!

Peace!

Caffeine is a stimulant and a diuretic. These are not desirable things, whether we takemeds or not.

I still have my morning cuppa joe...I drink lots of water because it's the only thing I like. I have to see my pdoc every 2 mos. or he yells at me.
That's about it for me.
My support group is here.
No drugs/alcohol because I have an addictive personality.
I think I'm doing pretty good, no?

From your list, I don't do street drugs. I don't drink much-once in a great while. Love caffeine, so that's a no go. I do have an awesome support system, see my pdoc every 3 mo or more if needed, and drink water. Meditation works well for me too. :)

pretty much not doing any of those things anymore... kept going to the hospital when i was, so I figure if I stop and go back to just being a good old bipolar, it can't be too much worse

i drink lots of water, always have and i have a good support system, the other things, not so much, i dont always adhere to a reg sleep schedule or no alcohol... please, please do not slap my hands

ya I cant avoid my Mountian dew.... When in the psych ward they wont let me have any mt dew but will provide 4 cigarretts a day. I threw such a fit... I threatened to start smoking and then sue for not being allowed a soda or coffee so I felt stressed from my withdrawl to smake... which was a 'drug' they would provide. LOL what do you know They let me have a Mt dew. I should also say that if I was able to have visitors I would have been allowed into the lobby or out side and allowed to have soda or anything else I darn well pleased but because my loved ones lived to far away I was punished....

Oh ya ok they said that the caffine interfered with the medication and made it harder to tell how it was working... or if it was working properly...

But if it cant work with my caffine then I need a new med

ya I cant avoid my Mountian dew.... When in the psych ward they wont let me have any mt dew but will provide 4 cigarretts a day. I threw such a fit... I threatened to start smoking and then sue for not being allowed a soda or coffee so I felt stressed from my withdrawl to smake... which was a 'drug' they would provide. LOL what do you know They let me have a Mt dew. I should also say that if I was able to have visitors I would have been allowed into the lobby or out side and allowed to have soda or anything else I darn well pleased but because my loved ones lived to far away I was punished....

Oh ya ok they said that the caffine interfered with the medication and made it harder to tell how it was working... or if it was working properly...

But if it cant work with my caffine then I need a new med

Drink Nyquil, Budweiser, Rum, Sugar-Free Rockstar, dip some apple blend skoal, work to much.

Certain things I do religiously: take meds, see pdoc & tdoc regularly, drink lots of water, do not do alcohol or drugs.
Sleep is determined by child's schedule, but it's very important! Eating right comes and goes with hormones and moods - cope with food sometimes. Exercise comes and goes (same as with food).

I do all of the afore mentioned except that I'm a caffeine addict. I actually lie to my pdoc about how much I really drink. I find it helps with my depression but would love to be off it as it makes my hands shake like crazy and then I can't do my crafts.