Is it dangerous to have bipolar and go on not treating it?

Question

I have a low grade bipolar as my psychologist keeps saying. But I really don't want to take something for it because I take a lot of pain medication and I'm afraid that it would take the edge off my writing style. For 5 days I was really depressed and had a very short fuse. It was bad to the point that i was thinking about suicide. But today, eventhough i was in a lot of pain, I felt great. Kind of giddy and playfull. I've noticed other ups and downs like that. But mood stablizer have a lot of side effects. I really don't know what to do.

Answer 1

Yes, if you don't get treatment for it you could make it worse. The bipolar state puts stress on the brain and other parts of your body. You could end up in a vegetable state,

Answer 2

I am very low grade bipolar diagnosed in 1997, took meds, but didn't really believe I was b/c the only evidence was racing thought, rapid speech, minor stuff. Then in 1999 I started freaking out over my 30th bday. The meds i were taking were apparently not enough and BAM overnight I left my husband, started an affair with a man I barely knew who was also the boyfriend of a friend/coworker, and (feel like crying here) my daughter went to stay with my parents and I don't think I even really cared. The worst part was I turned into a person I didn't know it was like I was trapped i the body of this insane women who thought and said and did all the CRAZY things that I never would have done, never in a million years would have dreamed I would do. and even back on proper meds I didn't really realize what I'd done was crazy/wrong for months. I even joked about it. Oh and PS I did some horribly embarrassing things at work and don't know how i stayed employed. I will never go off meds b/c of that and b/c experts say every new attack gets worse. Be careful.

Answer 3

I hear you saying that mood stabalizers have side effects. That is true for older medications such as lithium carbonate. This drug dulls the emotional responses. It can cause lethargy and weight gain due to water retention. I gained 40 pounds on lithium, but regained my normal weight after quitting it.

Now I take Lamictal, a newer mood stabalizing drug that doesn't seem to cause any ill effects. With this I take Wellbutrin as an anti-depressant. I don't feel any bad effects with this medication either. It was hell to be so severely depressed that I wanted to die. Sometimes I still wake up feeling like life is hopeless, but the suicidal urges are more easily overcome.

Mental health people would ask "Do you want to harm yourself?" This question irked me. No one wants to committ suicide. A depressed person just wants relief from the misery.

I miss the feeling of confidence that comes with mania, but I feel like my judgment is better when taking medicine. Mood swings interfere with relationships, so I'd urge you to seek help and consistently participate in your treatment.

It's not an easy life, but with the right support, you'll make it. I despaired of getting help because I couldn't afford a psychiatrist. I was lucky to find a Physician's Assistant who stuck with me through thick and thin. He helped me to get free medicines. A good medical person can make all the difference!

Remember that you are not a diagnosis. Concentrate on your abilities and strengths. Many famous and noble people, including Abraham Lincoln, have suffered from bipolar illness. I wish you the highest and best, my friend.

Answer 4

If you're having suicidal thoughts, then it's definitely dangerous. There's also the danger of doing something reckless while in the manic phase. A bipolar friend of mine who had decided she didn't need her medication nearly got herself killed when in the manic phase she decided to drive 90 miles an hour on a bad road, then even faster when she tried to outrun the police.

A competent doctor should be well aware of drug interactions and whether you can take pain meds with the meds he prescribes.

In any case, here are some suggestions to help those around you help you:

Maintain a strong support system of family members and friends and to use it whenever you needs help.
Be a loving, caring family member or friend yourself. See Helpguide's Building and Preserving Joy and Excitement in Adult Relationships eBook (http://www.helpguide.org/mental/improve_relationships.htm) on building strong trusting intimate love relationships.
Find ways to distract or engage yourself when the red flags of depression go up, e.g. play a sport, work out, go to a movie, visit a friend.
Stay on medication if it is relieving symptoms and improving quality of life and ask friends and family to point out symptoms as they begin to emerge.

Answer 5

I'm mildly bipolar and have never taken medicine to ease the hormonal ups and downs. It's not the greatest experience, but I'd rather not have some of the side effects and I dislike the idea of being in a stable mood all the time. Being brash is something I just learned to live with.

Answer 6

I am quite sure that I'm bipolar, although I have never been to a psychologist. It is not always dangerous, but if you have serious suicidal thoughts then you should consider some sort of medication to take care of that. But I'm not too sure about anti-depressants, because they do not always stop people from killing themselves.

Answer 7

Your doctor is well educated on the medicine and they know what is best. Many people who are depressed/ have bipolar stop their meds. You should really just try it for 6 months and see what happends

Answer 8

You should have it treated and there are a variety of medications that your psychiatrist will try. Talk to him about your concerns and ask about side effects. People are not better writers because their bi polar disorder is not controlled. You need to take care of this. It will improve your quality of life.

Answer 9

hm... well if i were you i would want something to treat it, something that would help you and your psychologist get through this faster and get life going on normal again, so if you treat it with medication, you could try like the minimum dosage of it, buy you and your psychologist have the final say here, so i wish you good luck. i hope i helped!

Answer 10

yes, i think so. i knew a girl who was bipolar..i don't know to what degree but i think it was pretty bad. she was like 2 different people and she wouldn't take her meds when her husband or friends made her mad. she drove away everyone around her and didn't understand why.