Bi-Polar Diagnosis?

Question

I have been diagnosed with BPD and I still get angry, dangerously angry. I got mad over my husband not wanting to give the dogs water right when I asked him to and flew into a rage and I took it out on him and I was just blind with madness, throwing things, ripping his clothes up, etc. Then, as soon as he did it, I was fine. Like nothing ever happened. I am wondering if I may need higher doses of my medication or is it something else.

I am on Tegretol 200mg and that's all!!

Answer 1

My father is bipolar and the process of achieving stability involves a lot more than just taking meds.

For starters, both you and your husband need to be seeing a counselor or therapist who has experience in working with families who have a bipolar loved one. The counselor may need to see you together, or may need to meet with each of you individually. But I cannot emphasize strongly enough that you both need to be in counseling. Ask the psychiatrist who is prescribing your meds to give you a referral.

To achieve stability, you also have to understand that recreational drugs of any kind-- and that includes alcohol-- are forever off limits. If you smoke, you also need to get help quitting, if you can. Nicotine and alcohol both have powerful central nervous system affects that can work against your stability. You need to avoid them if you are serious about achieving stability.

You also need to do things that minimize disruption to your sleep schedule and minimize stress. This may mean that you cannot travel, or go out partying or clubbing in the evenings even if you don't smoke or drink, and otherwise avoid things that disrupt your sleep cycle, because that can trigger a mood swing. It might also mean that you need to look at what you do for a living, and whether this is in any way disruptive to your stability.

By all means discuss your meds with your psychiatrist, but do this in the context of the other things you need to do. I can tell you after observing my father for 50 years that a bipolar person cannot just depend on meds to achieve stability. There is so much more that needs to be addressed than just taking pills.

Answer 2

I am Bipolar I. Have been for 15 years and at the start of it, I was super-manic and of course had energy to go, go, go for days and nights. But eventually it turned into violent outbursts and I would get upset, then go into a rage that I could not control, break everything in our home and eventually several bones (of my own). Mania is a overwhelmingly powerful stimulating chemical on your brain and when it has been going on for a long time, violent outbursts can result because it magnifies ALL your emotions. You did not say how long you've been on Tegretol, but it takes a long time to get your neurological chemicals in balance, and it's normal to have to make adjustments in the medications. Also, you need a medication to pull the reins back on the anger, Tegretol is to maintain the mania day-to-day. But you need something for going berserk now, not something that takes months to know whether it's working or not. So, before you think you have something else wrong with you, calm down, you don't, it's part of the disorder. But it needs immediate attention, or soon you will have problems that you don't need or can handle, like seriously injuring your husband during an outburst, or the neighbors calling the police when they can hear you screaming and breaking things. You don't need that. So please talk candidly to your psychiatrist (a good psychiatrist is essential and will understand this situation) and don't keep blaming yourself like you're a bad person (you're not, you have an illness that is unstable right now) and instead of repeatedly saying "I'm sorry" to your dear husband, tell yourself and him that you know you need more help with this and then get it. All the self-analyzing or apologies or guilt in the world is useless when all it will take is telling your doctor the truth (after all, if you don't tell him/her, how will they know what hell you both are going through?) and then trying your best. Don't worry about the overall picture of being bipolar and how it will affect your whole life and future; that's too much to deal with. Just take it slow, day by day, keep up to date with your doctor and meds and remember, you can be happy and enjoy life as you deserve just like anyone else. And do research on it, if you have a computer--you have access to instant information! That's so wonderful. There's a lot of information and support groups to find. Trust me, it doesn't have to be a lifetime of pain and helplessness. When I started with this illness, I was severely afflicted and my entire life was in shambles and I almost committed suicide. I went through a lot of different medications and psychiatrists until finding the right medications and physician that I have now. It wasn't easy and I admit that I was resentful about the whole thing (and I didn't like knowing I had a mental illness at all), but being a stubborn person made me continue to keep trying to get well and just function like anyone else with an illness and I got there. You can too. If you were hopeless, you wouldn't have asked about it on this forum for advice, so take care and my best to you and your husband.

Answer 3

What I usually do is have something frustrate me, then I cry and wail and sob for hours over it, and can't function for 2 days and think about suicide the whole time, incessantly because I hurt so much. The other day what got me is that I had 3 appointments in one day!!! I have no job, and can't handle 3 appointments. Oh, yeah, and last night, I couldn't get the subtitles off the DVD I rented from Netflix. so that was the end of that, boo hoo, bawling. It is sort of funny, in a desperate, incredibly painful way.

You need to tell your psychiatrist (hope you have a psychiatrist and not just a family doc) what's going on, you can bring your hubby with you, too, if it would help, and then he/she can advise. The counseling thing is good, too. You should figure on lifelong counseling if you're bipolar. I bring my hubby in about once a month to work on a team approach on how to handle me. I hope that you apologized. I always feel terrible when I go off. Your incident sounds bipolar to me. I think the abbreviation BPD might mean borderline personality disorder, too, so you have to watch abbreviations when asking questions. Oh, and all that stuff about keeping your schedule regular, etc. yepper, all true. Go to bipolarworld.net and read up Dr.Phelp's stuff. He has lots of goodlifestyle advice. Good luck!!

Answer 4

Well, thing is that like Riptide 7 said, we'll never be totally mood stabilised (blah!!) cos the medical professionals are just stabbing in the dark as far as the right meds go anyways. Wot you have to decide is do you really want the drama of becoming accustomed to a new dosage level in your system??? You know, cr*p side affects and all like, constipation, jitters, upping meds could make you lose sleep too.......... Anyways, embrace your individuality I say...... I reckon maybe its just part of the fibre of who we are??? Your little tantrum sounds eerily like the ones I throw on a weekly basis. Its just that we get sick and tired of being labelled the "krakpots" and getting dissed all the time. A minor explosion every now and then's a good way to blow out a few cobwebs, don't you think???


....... :0)

PEACE

Answer 5

Hey. Sounds like you either need higher doses or different medications. What are you on now?

But also remember, that just because we are on meds, that does not mean that all symptoms just disappear. Unfortunately, the meds help, but don't solve the problem 100%.

Answer 6

You sound like a friend of mine, when she says do this it's like now and your to slow. You didn't day what kind of meds your on but if your suffering the ssame thing as my friend is then may be what will work for you is this new treatment called Trans Cranial Magnetic Stimulation. This is suppose to be really great for people who are med resistant and if your any thing like my friend then you may be med ressistant.

Answer 7

You should speak to your doctor about your feelings of uncontrolled anger. It has to be hard for you and your family. Today's medicines do help but finding the right medicine and dose can take some time. Best wishes to you and your family.

Answer 8

Depends on how long you have been on it. If you have been on it at least 4 wks...you need your meds up'd I am bipolar and irratation is my commen sign of going from manic to depression, but everyone is different. Call your doc kid , your husband is gonna need it.