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.

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cb72 03/20/2007

Hi, I keep reading here and at other posts how people 'discover' they're BP after they go manic on an antidepressant. This is NOT a sign of BP. Anyone may go manic on anti-depressants, and that's why that is specifically excluded from the DSM-IV criteria for BP.

If your doc decides you're BP because you took Paxil and went manic, then he's not familiar with DSM-IV, and that is a problem.

A couple of other comments: it is not only the SSRIs that have the potential to induce mania. Any anti-depressant treatment, including light therapy, can induce it. However, it is not a sentence. I looked up some articles on SSRIs, and found that only ~10% of BP patients develop mania when on them.

starfish 03/20/2007

That is good to know, I have read the contrary in more than one clinical book.

cb72 03/20/2007

Oops, that's a problem. Cause I only read the DSM-IV. In a few years, we'll get the DSM-V, and we'll see what that sais. Current practice is always ahead of the DSM. On the other hand, DSM is a consensus of many, and clinical books may reflect the ideas of only a few MDs.

I wonder when were those books printed, and how did you come by them. Clinical books are usually expensive, did you buy them used, or did you get them from a library?

deleted_user 03/20/2007

are you on you're psych.trip?talking clinical?people want to hear down to earth comments. noone has a clue what you are saying don't be so clinical. talk like you know what we are going through!i have enough words and experirnces also but i don't quote shit noone understands! relate to usnothing personal!

deleted_user 03/20/2007

i am so sick and tired of trying to understanding you're clinical bullshit!

deleted_user 03/20/2007

peopledo not DISCOVER they are bipolar.they know but are not sure of the diagnosis. how did you DISCOVER you were bipolar and good enough to give advise? where is you're degree? i know as much as you but do notpreach like i am better than people i'm not better just the same1

deleted_user 03/20/2007

NOOFFENSE BUT YOU HAVE RUBED ME THE WRONG WAY SINCE DAY ONE.I CANNOT BE NICE TO YOU ANYMOREDOC!LOL

deleted_user 03/20/2007

ARE U BIPOLAR? OR JUST ON A EGOTRIP? WHERE DO YOU'RE WORDS OF WISDOM COME FROM?

deleted_user 03/20/2007

let me ssy you this! you are sofree togive advise but you are looking for treatment1 are you being treated for bipolar?

starfish 03/20/2007

I have a BSN in nursing from OHSU, and read from books in their library, and from my clinical nursing books.
DSM does not give medical information, only criteria for diagnosis.
It is a guide for psych professionals to use to differentiate diagnoses. You have to know what the medical meanings of their terms are before you can use it accurately.
I don't know what your credentials are, but be careful if you don't have them.
Some words in general English vernacular have entirely different meanings in the medical profession.

deleted_user 03/20/2007

people in the bipolar world understand manic deppressive outburst hatred up down happy sad happy sad hate love we understand up and down emotion! cry scream cry scream pullour hair out love hate love hate!

starfish 03/20/2007

boopiespan, don't worry about trying to understand this. We are just trying to clarify a disagreement, that's all. No problem.

deleted_user 03/21/2007

cb72/starfish: I was wondering about something similar...I've heard about SSRI's causing mania but not sure where drugs like Paxil and Effexor (which effect norepinephrine AND seratonin) fit in this theory. Any thoughts? Oh, I know I'm being lazy, I could look this up in a jiffy but when was the DSM-IV printed? And when will V come out?

starfish 03/21/2007

SSRI's work on seretonin alone.
SSNRI's work on seretonin and norepinephrine both.
Each drug has a different list of side effects, so you would have to look each one up to see what is possible for it.
You can get this info at www.webMD.com or at www.drugs.com Both are good sites for drug info.

starfish 03/21/2007

I only have DSM III, which is mostly a keepsake now. So I don't know the answer to your DSM question.

dobiedots 03/21/2007

Here's one for you: I was originally diagnosed Unipolar (Stable then major depression). It was not until I was put on thyroid medication that I went manic. Since then, I can get manic very easily. I am now a certified Bipolar. Meds brought me into mania. I have a friend who used a Light Box too long, which also set off her mania. If you're bipolar a lot of things will set off the mania whereas in a "healthy" person nothing would happen.

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