Bi polar or what.?

Question

Okay here is the scoop.

I am what you say clinically depressed the lexapro 20 mg isnt working and I have highs and lows. It is not extreme. I have had suicidal thoughts and next be happy with life. Dont believe me read my questions. It is the suicide thought that scare me. I really dont want to die but it is thought in my head. I have read the symptoms.l identify with the talking to fast sometimes and the spending. I also identify with the manic depressive side like the not caring to get out of bed sometimes and a genreal not caring about how I look. I will see my doctor in Mid may and tell him this but I just want some opinions about this.

Answer 1

I have bipolar and my story sounds similar to yours.
I have not had extreme mood swings resulting in dangerous or outrageous activities but I certainly talk too fast, think too fast, need less sleep, feel all jiggly and happy. On the other side I am sleepy, find it hard to even take a shower and have to absolutely drag myself to work amid tears and feeling a strong sense of sadness.
I have been diagnosed with depression and anxiety but only recently bipolar. I am taking lithium and lexapro and feel pretty good. I am much more stable than ever before.

I never once thought I was bipolar prior to this. I always thought it would be much more pronounced and extreme and obvious.

Bipolar can come in different forms. I have a mixed type (often am up and jittery but also with a sense of hysterical happiness bordering on depression). I am rapid cycling - can change mooods very quickly over a period of a few hours.

I have learned that it doesnt matter what you want to call it but go along with what the docs say and see if it works. If the meds are working then great and if not then go back - it doesnt matter what you name it - just as long as the meds are working.

Sounds like you have some kind of mood disorder - Goodluck - it is not easy but things can get much better.
I rarely have a low day anymore and I am much more even mooded. It is so tiring keeping up with your rapidly thinking brain when you are up.

Answer 2

The suicidal thoughts are a serious concern. Go back to your doctor who prescribed the lexapro and tell them what is going on. The medication needs to change, or you may find help with talk therapy. Work with your doctor to figure out a plan of action to best help you.

Bi-polar disorders are different across people suffering from them. It's a very personal and complex situation. But the one thing shared by all people who have this disorder is that the very nature of their ups and downs prevents them from being able to get the help they need. Overcome this by sharing your situation with 1or 2 people you can really trust and who care very much about you. Sometimes these people will be the only ones you will have the where-with-all to reach out to and that can ultimately become a lifeline for you.

Good luck

***Edit
One other thought for you - If your doctor doesn't help (sometimes they don't understand how) then go to a different one and find one who does help.

Answer 3

Compared to a stable mental state, suicidal thoughts and not wanting to get out of bed ARE extreme. I don't know much about meds but I am "clinically" depressed and I do not feel those things and Bi polar def. a possibility. My mother is too and when I was young she took Lithium and now she is on Prozac and Zanex for immediate relief. Hold out and get a second opinion. Some doctors take you in and out and don't really listen to your symptoms. Right everything down about how you feel, what you do and don't do. You could have mainstream meds. and exercise and diet. Exercise and Diet help so so much, I can't even stress enough.
Good luck!

Answer 4

Yes, it does sound like you have bi-polar. My dad has it and I had it for a couple of years. They say that people have it for the rest of their lives, but I don't agree with that. I think that extreme stress can trigger the emotions too, not just hereditary. (my opinion) I was under an extreme amount of stress when I started having problems. I took two different kinds of meds and my doc monitored me very close. I was very open with him on how I felt and thank goodness I have a doc that I am able to speak to about how I really feel and for him to honestly listen to me. You have to be totally honest with him on how you do day to day basis. Keep a journal and take it in with it when you visit the doc. It will show your ups and downs. It will give them a better idea of what help you need. I am proud to say that I am drug free now, but also not too proud to say I needed help. It is sometimes difficult as you feel one way one minute and another way another minute...as if you are standing away from your body in disbelief watching yourself act a certain way. Have a family member/significant other or close friend go with you to the doc,,,support and understanding are the biggest medicines you can get. Please give your doc a call ASAP though if you are having suicidal thoughts. You may be needing a different med. They've just recently raised the warnings for those on some antidepressant medications...they raised the age to be of great risk of severe behavior from taking the drugs. So please don't wait until mid May. Good luck.

Answer 5

Well, it does sound like a milder form of bipolar disorder. I am Bi-polar Type II (depressive), and I have very similar experiences. I have only had suicidal ideation one time in my life, even though I have been through the "can't get out of bed"-type depression more typically. If you identify with the impulse-spending and talking too fast, or racing thoughts-- these are textbook, classic mania symptoms. They do not need to be severe to be significant. If you identify them as different from your typical behavior, then it may be serious, as you suspect.

Answer 6

I'm not a doctor, but you have the classic Bipolar 2 rapid cycling symptoms. Anti-depressants can sometimes just make that worse. Check in with your doctor ASAP for a meds change anyway.

If you are Bipolar 2, (which basically means that you have more lows or more extreme lows than highs), your depressive episodes will just get worse and worse until you get rid of the highs.

Mental hospitals are scary, annoying, embarrassing, and all-around not fun. Suicide and suicide attempts are worse because you'll just rub broken glass in the hearts of anyone who ever knew you.

I hope that you fight like hell for health and stability and peace, and don't give in to some stupid old disease.

It sounds like in your heart, you already know what's up. Be brave. I, with your symptoms went from I'm only a little sad to roller-coaster to puking up pills on a mental ward to calmer to clearer, to stable, to dependable to peaceful.

Talk to your doctor. If your disease is like mine, it will only get really worse really fast. Don't waste time and don't waste your life.

I'll be thinking extra special sparkle best wishes through the monitor for you.

Please talk to your doctor.

Amelia

Answer 7

you must talk to your doctor immediately! Especially if you are having thoughts of suicide. lexapro may not be the right drug for you. If you are clincally depressed, that's different than manic/depressive. Manic/Depressives need a different type of medication. Also, make sure you are seeing a psychiatrist, not just your regular MD. Although your MD can prescribe medications, some of the nuances of different types of mental illness are hard to determine. in any case, please, please, call your doctor right away and tell him/her that you are having some thoughts of suicide.

Answer 8

you say you identify with the manic, but describe it as not caring to get out of bed, that's not manic, I think you have severe depression, but I don't think it's bi polar, my son is bi polar, and his manic episodes are not him wanting to get out of bed, they're pretty severe, as far as your suicidal thoughts go, you really need to see someone to help get you through this, I wish you well

Answer 9

just because you have suicidal thoughts, does not mean that you have bipolar disorder. there is a severe depression disorder that can give you suicidal thoughts as well. also if you are psychopathic, anti-social, socialpatical are also other factors as well.

http://search2.google.cit.nih.gov/search?q=suicidal+thoughts&site=NIMH&client=NIMH_frontend&proxystylesheet=NIMH_frontend&output=xml_no_dtd&filter=0&getfields=*&btnG.x=13&btnG.y=8