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  • TDS Moderators: AlphaMethylPhenyl | paranoid android

Bi-polar possibility

H

HippieChick

Bluelighter
Joined
Jun 19, 2010
Messages
193
Location
Arkansas, U.S.
Once when I was shipping in massive quantities of Valium (they thought they were xanax, but nope they were Valium) .... my 2nd asshole husband had me committed to a voluntary rehab to get me off of them. After I was out - like a week - they sent me to the 'community kooky center' and some Dr. interviewed me and said like I had all the symptoms of being bi-polar, EXCEPT the desire to kill myself. What do y'all think about such a diagnosis?

She prescribed me lamictal at the time and I did not crave pot, etc. and I started going to some meetings where these other people who oh didn't leave their house and didn't take baths, etc. (the really crazies) ... and as I sat in that room some of them talking to themselves .. and listening to the Dr. talk to them, I was thinking, shit I'm the sanest one in here!

Do you think it's possible to be bi-polar without the most important symptom of suicidal thoughts?

P.S. I got rid of that husband and felt much better.
 
Sounds like you caught a really bad doctor (quack therapist/not an actual MD maybe?) or like you maybe only took away part of what they told you or something.

Not everyone who is bi-polar will necessarily have suicidal thoughts, although it is really common. You can be Bipolar and suffer mainly from mania (heightened energy/illusions of grandeur/rapid flow of thoughts/greatly reduced need for sleep) with some valleys in between those peaks, but without being actually suicidal. Grandiose thinking is another symptom of Bipolar that isn't a pre-requisite for having the condition.

It looks like Lamictal is indicated to be used for treatment of 1.) Seizures/Epilepsy 2.) Bipolar disorder. I don't know why the doctor went the route of saying "ah, you haven't been suicidal so you're not Bipolar" then prescribed a med that treats Bipolar, seems really odd.

For me, 10 years after finding out that i am Bipolar, i think it's a blessing. I take Lithium and feel 100% normal, no side effects at all. I know hordes of people walking around who are a little tweaked/"off" but who don't have something serious enough to warrant them going to a doctor for treatment. Most will spend their life just accepting things that consistently negatively affect them that could be treated with therapy/meds/recognizing there's an issue and just conditioning themselves mentally over time.

I always felt a little "off" but just kind of thought that everyone felt that way underneath it all, and that maybe i was just lacking a little in confidence. It was kind of a long road, and not easy at all, but once i got normalized, i looked around and realized that damn - the "crazy guy" is way more "normal" and "well adjusted" than most of the people i know!

Good luck on your journey getting to a comfortable place where you can just focus on loving yourself and not let the world drive you crazy!
 
I would have to agree with Ixchell above that suicidal thoughts aren't a necessary part of a diagnosis of BiPolar Disorder but this is coming from someone who is not a medical professional :)
My advice would be to get a second opinion.
If you are not clear about why you were diagnosed with something, ask the Dr.
 
NomNomNom said:
It looks like Lamictal is indicated to be used for treatment of 1.) Seizures/Epilepsy 2.) Bipolar disorder. I don't know why the doctor went the route of saying "ah, you haven't been suicidal so you're not Bipolar" then prescribed a med that treats Bipolar, seems really odd.
!
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She said I WAS bi-polar.
 
you don't need to have suicidal thoughts to be bipolar. i'd get a second opinion anyway. and i guess i'm one of the REALLY crazy ones, I didn't leave my house for about a month once.


NomNomNom said:
I always felt a little "off" but just kind of thought that everyone felt that way underneath it all, and that maybe i was just lacking a little in confidence. It was kind of a long road, and not easy at all, but once i got normalized, i looked around and realized that damn - the "crazy guy" is way more "normal" and "well adjusted" than most of the people i know!
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This is exactly how I feel, unless I'm having a really bad day.
 
Um, I'm gonna try another route ... My mom came over last night, and in the whole 30 mins she got to stay before my needy sister called and had her rush home ... she said look into bio-identicals. You have most of the symptoms of early menopause ... great, I'm crazy and menopausal. Lovely I ought to be fun to be around; not. Mom does not have a PhD in anything but she does have a master's in guidance and counseling, and biology and I forget what all else. She's very smart, at least I think both of our iqs are up in the 140s.
At any rate. I've got the only bio-identical-Dr. here in Arkansas calling me tomorrow and hubby said see how much this is going to cost - could just put me on his insurance at work but sometimes it's just plain less expensive just to pay for this crap out of pocket. I don't know if it's possible to be a little bi-polar or not? I may just be pre-menopausal (I'm 43)and a little bi-polar .... wonder if that explains my use of drugs from around 18? It could.

If it turns out I am not menopausal, I will have to first find an M.D. that I trust. Ought to be somewhat challenging. I don't actually have a medical Dr. We have lots of poor folks here in Arkansas and I've just gone to clinics which are great for free pap smears, and free mammograms, and free birth control pills. If there's a system, I'm working it. It's just been real recently that my husband has been making so much money that I'm not going to qualify for all this free stuff anymore.
 
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HippieChick said:
I don't know if it's possible to be a little bi-polar or not? I may just be pre-menopausal (I'm 43)and a little bi-polar .... wonder if that explains my use of drugs from around 18? It could.
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You either are or are not bipolar. The diagnosis stays with you for life as bipolar disorder is a chronic illness that must be properly treated as long as you are alive, sort of like diabetes. I recommend going to see another psychologist or psychiatrist to get screened for bipolar disorder. If you do have it, it is in your best interest to get it treated as soon as possible. Untreated bipolar disorder is usually fatal due to suicide.

As far as your drug use, the figures that I have read in books about bipolar disorder usually state that as many as 60% or more of all people with bipolar disorder experience substance abuse problems. If it turns out that you have the disorder, you should read some books about the illness. It is a lot less scary than it sounds. Apart from the fact that I'm still looking for work right now, I'm completely fine and I have bipolar disorder.

Also, in this case, it's probably not such a good idea to depend on family members for medical advice; go to professionals who will be able to view your case without bias.
 
das_feuer said:
You either are or are not bipolar. The diagnosis stays with you for life as bipolar disorder is a chronic illness that must be properly treated as long as you are alive, sort of like diabetes. I recommend going to see another psychologist or psychiatrist to get screened for bipolar disorder. If you do have it, it is in your best interest to get it treated as soon as possible. Untreated bipolar disorder is usually fatal due to suicide.

As far as your drug use, the figures that I have read in books about bipolar disorder usually state that as many as 60% or more of all people with bipolar disorder experience substance abuse problems. If it turns out that you have the disorder, you should read some books about the illness. It is a lot less scary than it sounds. Apart from the fact that I'm still looking for work right now, I'm completely fine and I have bipolar disorder.

Also, in this case, it's probably not such a good idea to depend on family members for medical advice; go to professionals who will be able to view your case without bias.
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Yeah, I figure I am too. My dad told me once that they once told him he might be a little bi-polar. Not really knowing what I was talking about - I said Dad, I think you either are or you're not, it's kinda like being a little pregnant. He died of chronic alcoholism. Actually says that on his death certificate. I'm gonna go see if my hormones are in line or whatever and then I will break down and go talk to a psychiatrists. But Gawd, I hate going into how much of a loser I am for being so fucking smart. "Um, yeah I sorta know I got it, but I would much rather suffer just sometimes and stay fucked up most of the time on Valium, pot, booze or whatever." I think maybe it's an embarrassment thing? See, supposedly I'm really smart, IQ wise, common sense - most of the time ... but shit, when it comes to admitting that I have a disease that I oh fuck, never mind, I'll swallow my pride and go talk to a professional, when I can find one I trust. Gees, maximum embarrassment.
 
I would agree with the person above that getting mental health advice off loved ones is not a good idea. No matter how intelligent they are they could very well be biased. Id get a second opinion from another psychiatrist as i think that would be the best way to go. Just because you don't have suicidal thoughts does not mean you are not bipolar. Ive heard of people with bipolar disorder that don't get suicidal thoughts at all. All the same id be willing to bet that the vast majority of people with bipolar disorder get suicidal thoughts. I certainly do :\

So yes a second opinion would be in order i think. If you do have bipolar disorder you will have to find the best med that works for YOU. Not the best one that the drug reps love but the best one to treat the type of bipolar you have and this can take alot of time unfortunatly. It took me years to find the right combo of meds and even now due to certain circumstances im not stable.

Good luck to you
 
HippieChick said:
Is there such a thing as non-injectable lithium .... I don't do needles. :!
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You don't inject lithium. It comes in pill form ive never heard of a form of lithium being used for injection and im pretty sure it doesent exist. I don't know where you got that idea.

It's a standard treatment for certain types of bipolar disorder mainly bipolar 1 disorder but it depends alot on the patient.
 
Well, it's been like 10 years since the diagnosis and as I recall it was bipolar II? But as you may have guessed, I've 'slept' a lot since then. Among other things. I just wanted to let everyone know that I really appreciate their opinions. Thank you very much for the responses. I don't trust a lot of people - almost like I trust someone that doesn't even really know me more than a Dr. sitting there looking at my probably book of a chart by now. I will start fresh with a totally new Dr. This chick was at the mental health clinic that sees patients that are homeless, etc. = no resources. Resources is something I have now, thanks to my hard-working husband.
 
OP, keep in mind that mental health issues are purely social constructs the same as race, religion, etc. That is to say, there is little difference qualitatively between someone with bipolar disorder and someone without it.
 
Well, as luck would have it. When I punch in bio-identicals (as in I think it may just be I'm pre-menopausal) the only Dr. that pops up in Arkansas is also a psychiatrist! And while the hormonal imbalance thing is not covered by insurance, I bet her private practice is? So things are working out alright. I can see one Dr. to get 'me' sorta normal. :)
 
Just making sure I understand.

deez_nuggs said:
OP, keep in mind that mental health issues are purely social constructs the same as race, religion, etc. That is to say, there is little difference qualitatively between someone with bipolar disorder and someone without it.
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Is this what you mean: We are all a little crazy (or close to it) whether we've been diagnosed or not?
 
deez_nuggs said:
OP, keep in mind that mental health issues are purely social constructs the same as race, religion, etc. That is to say, there is little difference qualitatively between someone with bipolar disorder and someone without it.
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Umm i doubt you would say that if you saw me in full blown mania. I can get pretty wild and edgy when im manic so yes there is a difference between someone who has bipolar disorder and someone that does not. Id also hardly call the depression side of things normal either. Losing massive amounts of weight because you won't get out of bed to eat or even fucking shower is not "normal".
 
1. i never used the word normal 2. by qualitatively, i meant to explain that a mental disorder, while it may have physical repercussions, is a state of consciousness, like any other state of mind. the linguistic paradigms a society uses, i.e. manic, schizophrenic, whatever..are semantic representations of a train of thought, and nothing more. I too have been depressed for quite some time now, im edgy and have plenty of the symptoms of bipolar, hell, even schizophrenia..but the framework psychiatrists and psychologists use to evaluate mental health is a one-size-fits-all type of blueprint. this has never and will never work.

Hippie chick- yes, precisely.
 
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paranoid android said:
Umm i doubt you would say that if you saw me in full blown mania. I can get pretty wild and edgy when I'm manic ...
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Yeah, see that's another thing, I'm never in the mania part. I wish. Always the depressed part. Bet I'm just depressed and have been taking so many antidepressants that I can no longer get a Dr. to prescribe them to me. I had one tell me, "you pronounce that (diazapam) better than I do." My hubby told me to act dumb next time.
 
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