question for people that know about or have bipolar disorder...sometimes do you think you dont have it?

Question

I have been diagnosed by three seperate psychs with bipolar disorder and anxiety/panic disorder. I am with the same doctor now that I have been seeing for about six years, it was very rough in the beginning because as he put it "i am one of the hardest bipolars he has treated" (Bipolar I rapid cycler) So anyways, I don't always notice my mood swings, I do know when I hit rock bottom though. My mom and dad are very supportive, pay for my appts and treatment and have dealt with all my bullshit for years the problem is sometimes I start to think I don't have it, of course this is usually when my mom says "I think you are getting a manic episode, be careful!" (I've spent some time in the slammer thanks to manic episodes) So does anyone experience this? I consistently take my medication, which is a lot (Lithium, Depakot, Abilify, Lamitacal, Zoloft, Klonipin). Im doing well but I dont want to think im ok and stop taking my meds and wind up in jail again or worse. Advice?

Answer 1

at age 16 my daughter was diagnosed with bipolar affective disorder . the struggles we as a family have gone through are as real as your fear is . according to my daughter, being manic feels good. of course she does not see what the rest of us see. when she feels as though her illness has magically gone away,(because the meds are working!) she stops taking them and within a day or two the mania reappears and we begin the process all over again. I, like your mom will never stop being the one that she can count on, even though she treats me like the enemy. i can tell when she is down or up and always take the necessary steps so she can be well again. by not taking care of herself and following drs orders, she not only endangers herself,but gives up her right to choose for herself, the one thing she hates the most. nothing about this illness makes sense so to help myself and to be a better caregiver, i signed up for a course offered by N.A.M.I., the national association for the mentally ill, called the family to family education program. it was free and run by regular people who had similar experiences with mental illnesses. it was the best thing i could have done for both my daughter and myself. it gave me hope where once ther was none. the most surprising thing that happened during the course of the class was that it was being held by a woman and her bipolar daughter. none of us could believe our ears when ,on the last day of class, they told us their story. our story began 6 years ago and i am happy to report that my daughter is doing very well and has not relapsed for over two years. like all of us bipolar people have good days and bad days. thank goodness i no longer panic when my girl gets the blues or is just having an exceptionally good day. i have learned what to look for and no longer make assumptions as to her state of mind. i will always worry and have been known to ask her if she has taken her pills, but i have learned that she really is the only one who can decide what her destiny will ultimately be .of all things that there are to do , you have taken a very important step in asking for advice and if i could say anything meaningful to you at all it would be that i think you are well on your way to "o.k." you said in your question that you consistently take your meds . the last time my daughter fell ill she had been taking her pills but still got sick. her episode was triggered by an event...the stress of my fiancee's death was too much for her to handle . so many factors can contribute to what your brain's chemistry is up to. so, keep in mind that being bipolar is not just about taking a bunch of pills to be "normal" but also involves making good choices about the way you live your life.and always recognizing that we all need help from time to time. I hope that i have been at least a little bit helpful to you my friend take care of yourself, be kind to yourself and remember that you are not alone take it easy.....

Answer 2

Do you excercise and eat well? I've been off my meds and a good long bike ride helps my moods more than lithium ever did. Also I try to watch my self and make sure I get enough sleep. When I don't get enough sleep for a few days then I tend to get manic.
Sure sometimes I think I'm perfectly all right...but at some point I stop what I'm doing and realize I've been a little manic lately!

Answer 3

I have a son that gets in trouble and wont see a doctor. I wish he would take the meds. I found out I had Bi-polar and I have never spent time in jail although I did get arrested once for trying to make him go to school. No, you have Bi-polar so you might as well face it. You sound just like me, I had panic disorder and anxiety attacks for years before they diagnosed me; except I don't want to go to jail and I can't understand why you keep getting in trouble as soon as you get out of trouble. My son is the same way and it is breaking my heart. I want to do whats right. Don't ever stop taking your meds. Do what your family says; they suffer for you because they love you!

Answer 4

It took me along time to actually believe I had Bi-polar.Normally the only time I think I dont is when I'm Manic.Its tough. My Dr's had me on so may meds I finally just up and quit. Now I only take Wellbutrin and Lamictal.I exercise and try to take care of myself. I have rapid cycleing also. I also have two kids that I know needs me to be well for them this is why I stick with it. For getting into trouble I know what you mean.I'm now on a years probation for writing bad checks after I dropped my meds for a month.Stick in there and make it to all your appts. Listen to your family they know your moods as well as you do.

Answer 5

I have a daughter who is bipolar and as soon as she turned 18 she refused to take her medications. Since then she hasn't been able to hold down a job, raise her kids or anything. Yet she feels she is fine. She has not lived with her children in 2 years and she thinks she is normal. She goes through men like water and they often are not the type I welcome in my home.

I say keep taking your medications and do as your doctor says. You may think you are alright because you are as long as you keep taking the medications.