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.
I'd like your guy's input as to what you would think is a better course of action. It's been two weeks since I was first diagnosed, and I've been on 5 different medications so far.. Abilify is the latest, as I just got it and will try it for the first time tonight (20mg... isn't this a bit of a high initial dose?)
My "fork in the road" right now, is whether to keep trying to treat this piecemeal, at home, while seeing my campus psychiatrist for 15 or so minutes a day, or going into a hospital and getting myself all leveled out faster? My psychiatrist said today that if the Abilify doesn't work, and I'm still having a hard time by the end of the week, that a stay in the hospital over the weekend might be the best thing to do. (A weekend stay chosen as best because I refuse to miss going to my college courses, even if it's painful to go to them sometimes).
Has this happened to anyone else before? What is it like to be in the hospital for bipolar? I'm not suicidal per say.. I get frustrated and "want out of my head" sometimes (I'm sure that makes sense to at least some one you). But I'm not particularly a threat to mine or anyone's safety.. Still, the pdoc thinks that I can be leveled out faster if I went to the hospital. Any advice, or stories from experience would be greatly appreciated!
My "fork in the road" right now, is whether to keep trying to treat this piecemeal, at home, while seeing my campus psychiatrist for 15 or so minutes a day, or going into a hospital and getting myself all leveled out faster? My psychiatrist said today that if the Abilify doesn't work, and I'm still having a hard time by the end of the week, that a stay in the hospital over the weekend might be the best thing to do. (A weekend stay chosen as best because I refuse to miss going to my college courses, even if it's painful to go to them sometimes).
Has this happened to anyone else before? What is it like to be in the hospital for bipolar? I'm not suicidal per say.. I get frustrated and "want out of my head" sometimes (I'm sure that makes sense to at least some one you). But I'm not particularly a threat to mine or anyone's safety.. Still, the pdoc thinks that I can be leveled out faster if I went to the hospital. Any advice, or stories from experience would be greatly appreciated!
I can't imagine running through 5 different meds in 2 weeks. I thought some meds required a bit of time to reach a therapeutic level.
During my one and only hospitalization last fall, where I was finally diagnosed BP2, my medication was adjusted a little everyday. By the time I left, I had the combo I'm still on today. The staff was excellent and presented some really great sessions. We also had rec therapy where we had a 4-square tournament and played other games competitively. It was like the Pscyh Olympics.
Think of it in these terms -- If you don't take a spell to get your health straightened out, you may be missing a whole lot more school than you ever dreamed.
Whatever you decide, Winter, I wishing you the best in finding the right pharmaceuticals.
When I went in I was stripped of all the meds I was on and placed on a whole new set, they gave me abilify and that started to work little by little.
Like BabyShelby said, you dont wanna end up missing alot of school because this cant be straightened out.
Good luck and I hope you find something that works for you : )
Mind you, if you are in US then the level of health insurance you have could be a deciding factor also- there's are very good & very, very bad facilities..and insurance or not it can be luck of the draw.
The reservation I have is that first time hospital stay in a psych ward *can* (though by now means always) be extremely traumatic (& could sideline you some from your studies..potentially)
You see and hear people in crisis in hospital..suffering greatly..sometimes people suicide on the ward & you experience fallout of that .much much more I could go into but it's not something to be taken lightly.
Another thing; in psych ward you'll very likely meet many people with very severe bipolar at horrendous place in their illness & this can lead you to fear that is what your future holds...seeing the worst of all these mental illnesses is very confronting when you're young (as I assume you are)
But if this psych ward your pdoc re.commends is a cushy joint..it may be worthwhile....but mostly I'd say psych ward stays can be way traumatic..if you can hang in there without one, do. my 2 cents