Bipolar Disorder Support Group
Bipolar disorder is not just a single disorder, but a category of mood disorders marked by periods of abnormally high energy and euphoria, often accompanied by bouts of clinical depression. This is the place to talk about your experience with bipolar disorder, learn from others' experiences, and find support.
She came Thursday to tell us about her journey. She was probably misdiagnosed, and given medications that didn't help her, in fact they caused psychosis, Now she's better and off medications.
When she started coming to the group, she was very thin, and nervous, severely depressed and she couldn't stop pacing.
She told us she had a blood infection that didn't respond to antibiotics. The infection spread to her GI tract and esophagus. She lost 30 pounds, she weighed about 90. They gave up on antibiotics, took her off. Of course she was depressed.
She was diagnosed Bipolar and given anti-psychotics. She was unable to think clearly or make decisions - except she made one decision: she was going to starve herself to death.
Ironically, the doctors think her malnutrition was what finally weakened the candida infestation.
She started to feel better, and followed holistic treatments, took pro-biotics, and she gained weight. But psychologically, she was still depressed and a complete mess.
She was in and out of the psych ER. She was diagnosed schizophrenic because the anti-psychotics made her psychotic, she had a full-blown psychotic break. Also, because of her pacing, she was diagnosed with mania - her husband said he though it was Akathisia from the medication.
She was voluntarily admitted to a hospital, where they put her on Lithium and Lexapro. The Lithium & Lexapro made her very happy, high, like taking recreational drugs. For example, when her beloved cat died, she had no emotion about it.
But she felt better, and an advocate told her she did not need hospitalization, she could request a 48 hour release. Her doctor told her that if she was released that way, she would not be given any medications for after her release. She thinks he was manipulating her to keep her in the hospital. When she told the advocate, he said that is a lie, he yelled at the doctor, and she was released with meds.
Her husband found a good psychiatrist in New York City. The doctor said he didn't think she was mentally ill, and they made plan to titrate off the medications. Mid-way through the "treatment plan" he told her she was done. She said, "But we made a plan..." He said, "That was your plan - there is nothing wrong with you."
She is back to herself now, gained back 30 pounds, off medication and happy.
I think it is an interesting story, about someone whose physical illness caused depression, and the psychiatrists almost killed her. What saved her was her husband's support, and the fact that she could self-advocate eventually.
I see some people who are obviously over-medicated to make them docile, particularly while in the hospital. It makes a big difference if the doctors know you have family and advocates watching and intervening. And it makes a tremendous difference if you are able to speak up about your own treatment.
In our group, we urge people to discuss their meds with their doctors, if they are not working, or causing bad side effects.
I love happy endings :D
When she started coming to the group, she was very thin, and nervous, severely depressed and she couldn't stop pacing.
She told us she had a blood infection that didn't respond to antibiotics. The infection spread to her GI tract and esophagus. She lost 30 pounds, she weighed about 90. They gave up on antibiotics, took her off. Of course she was depressed.
She was diagnosed Bipolar and given anti-psychotics. She was unable to think clearly or make decisions - except she made one decision: she was going to starve herself to death.
Ironically, the doctors think her malnutrition was what finally weakened the candida infestation.
She started to feel better, and followed holistic treatments, took pro-biotics, and she gained weight. But psychologically, she was still depressed and a complete mess.
She was in and out of the psych ER. She was diagnosed schizophrenic because the anti-psychotics made her psychotic, she had a full-blown psychotic break. Also, because of her pacing, she was diagnosed with mania - her husband said he though it was Akathisia from the medication.
She was voluntarily admitted to a hospital, where they put her on Lithium and Lexapro. The Lithium & Lexapro made her very happy, high, like taking recreational drugs. For example, when her beloved cat died, she had no emotion about it.
But she felt better, and an advocate told her she did not need hospitalization, she could request a 48 hour release. Her doctor told her that if she was released that way, she would not be given any medications for after her release. She thinks he was manipulating her to keep her in the hospital. When she told the advocate, he said that is a lie, he yelled at the doctor, and she was released with meds.
Her husband found a good psychiatrist in New York City. The doctor said he didn't think she was mentally ill, and they made plan to titrate off the medications. Mid-way through the "treatment plan" he told her she was done. She said, "But we made a plan..." He said, "That was your plan - there is nothing wrong with you."
She is back to herself now, gained back 30 pounds, off medication and happy.
I think it is an interesting story, about someone whose physical illness caused depression, and the psychiatrists almost killed her. What saved her was her husband's support, and the fact that she could self-advocate eventually.
I see some people who are obviously over-medicated to make them docile, particularly while in the hospital. It makes a big difference if the doctors know you have family and advocates watching and intervening. And it makes a tremendous difference if you are able to speak up about your own treatment.
In our group, we urge people to discuss their meds with their doctors, if they are not working, or causing bad side effects.
I love happy endings :D
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Hey All...I hope that you have a lovely, peaceful beginning of your weekI have a bunch of chores that need doing but may put them off til tomorrow and just hang out with my landlord/roomie todayWhat about you?...Anything special going on?Have a great day and take good care of you!!..Xo
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Once again I've had a fever today. I'm not going to the hospital because that's a huge waste of time but I did schedule a dr appointment for Wednesday afternoon.
It's a really nice story Dec... TY...x
I've never been sure about the drug happy quality of psychiatry. Drugs help but they can be leathal it up to us to be a participant in the treatment plan.
If things aren't working its up to us to be our own advocate and keep demanding good medicine until we find a solution that we can live with. Easier said than done as this story clearly illustrates.
I've seen people who were clearly misdiagnosed or never actually diagnosed with bipolar tell others that they can be cured with some quack treatment.
As I point out, anything will cure you of bipolar if you don't have bipolar in the first place.