I have had Bipolar disorder and have had it for 14 years. I just turned 40 and my symptoms are changing?

Question

Is this normal. I have set up an appointment with my psychiatrist. Does any out there know more about it then I do?

Answer 1

If you FEEL different then you ARE different, and I can think of no good basis for letting a psychiatrist tell you she or he knows more about you than you dourself do from experience of being you. It may (or may not) be outwith your psychiatrist's experience. I wouldn't use the word 'normal' except in the satatistical sense.... even if you were totally unprecedented your experience would still be true, valid, and relevant. Trust the process and my suggestion is you make sure that any helpful professional you see is osmeone who is in tune with you and not someone who thinks they know more than you.

Answer 2

Look, I'm not a psychiatrist, but I do have a year of grad school. What I can tell you is two things: 1. Your body's neurochemistry can change as you age. 2. The drugs you undoubtedly take are CAUSING a chemical imbalance in your brain.

Yes, I know you've been told you HAVE a chemical imbalance, but just think: Nobody knows what the correct "balance" of brain chemicals is supposed to be. If events in your life have changed in such a way that you no longer deal with the same stress, this can also have an effect on mood disorders. The biggest part of the problem of any mood disorder and not just Bipolar Disorder is that you never ever know after you take a specific drug for an extended amount of time whether or not your "symptoms" are genuine manifestations of a psychological illness or if symptoms are the result of what drug you've been taking. What many psychiatrists will do is change the drug you are taking. They will not tell you something that might very well be true: You don't need medications anymore and can be safely weened off the drug.

However, there can be side effects. Be advised: Recent literature is out there suggesting that drugs like Paxil, Effixor, and other SSRI type anti-depressants are indeed physiologically addictive and cause terrible side effects when you try to stop the drugs--side effects that you cannot distinguish between drugs and an actual neurological "imbalance." Some psychiatrists tell their patients horrible things like not wanting to take a drug treatment is a symptom of the disorder. Such "advice" is probably more about not wanting to lose a patient. Remember you have the right to ask questions about your condition and any drugs you are prescribed.

There is only a "normative" pattern of mood disorders and within the treatment plans, just about everyone is put on a "maintenance dosage" that they're told they need to take for the rest of their lives. There's just no clear evidence that something like Bipolar Disorder is a) caused by a chemical imbalance, and b) once a person is diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder the person needs to stay on drugs to control it for the rest of his or her life. The POPULAR or CONVENTIONAL MEDICAL approach is to say because Bipolar Disorder is caused by a chemical imbalance you need to take a drug (that actually CAUSES a real chemical imbalance) to balance your brain chemistry for the rest of your life. The reality is that everyone's body chemistry and living conditions vary.

*addendum: You know, after looking at the reply by Fran01pie03 below, it would have been best if you never asked this question on Yahoo because you're going to get some very wrong answers!

Answer 3

I know that this illness is a very serious shortage of certain neurotransmitters in the brain. As with clinical depression you must take your medication on a regular basis to maintain the sufficient levels of these chemicals in your brain. Otherwise you will end up in a psychiatric hospital or worse, you may commit suicide and end up in the mortuary! Though it is possible that your symptoms may change over the years, it is usually not significant as bipolar depression is a chronic condition in most cases that I know of.

Answer 4

My guess would be the changing hormones.

I have a mild anxiety disorder, but whenever it gets to be that time of month, I'm always edgier and more suseptible to anxiety attacks.

Your doctor will be able to give you a more educated answer than I can, but that would be my best guess.

Good luck, hon!

Answer 5

you have done the smartest thing if thier any more sympotmes that really concerning you, then call your psychiatrist and tell her but as of right now i think your good