~*~BiPolar Folks~*~

[Houston Heather]

Well, I did a mix of Essiac tea (but they circumvent the rules and call it Essiak), dandelion root (supports detox, liver, very cooling to the system), mints (because it is a heat condition), and Licorice root (awesome detox ability and boosts immune system). I am flushed, sweating, and headachy in addition to my obvious heat-rash. The Chinese would say that I have a heat-toxicity imbalance, and I needed cooling and detoxifying support.

It'll either help, or not. Nice thing about herbal!

I always tested above average intelligence, and borderline "limited" except they used the r-tarded word. From infancy to age 17, I tested that way.

I always made up elaborate stories and talked to myself. I had a very active thought life. I wasn't often bored, either, and I enjoyed learning.

That all goes to my Fetal Alcohol though. I would venture that he is probably also FAS - about the same percentage of the population is bipolar/alcohol affected. In fact, 1/3 of FAS victims are also bipolar!

If our symptoms weren't so bad, would any of us take medication? I really doubt it! I am convinced that's why God let me get so sick before I found help!

[faithgirl]

Originally Posted by Houston Heather

Well, I did a mix of Essiac tea (but they circumvent the rules and call it Essiak), dandelion root (supports detox, liver, very cooling to the system), mints (because it is a heat condition), and Licorice root (awesome detox ability and boosts immune system). I am flushed, sweating, and headachy in addition to my obvious heat-rash. The Chinese would say that I have a heat-toxicity imbalance, and I needed cooling and detoxifying support.

It'll either help, or not. Nice thing about herbal!

I always tested above average intelligence, and borderline "limited" except they used the r-tarded word. From infancy to age 17, I tested that way.

I always made up elaborate stories and talked to myself. I had a very active thought life. I wasn't often bored, either, and I enjoyed learning.

That all goes to my Fetal Alcohol though. I would venture that he is probably also FAS - about the same percentage of the population is bipolar/alcohol affected. In fact, 1/3 of FAS victims are also bipolar!

If our symptoms weren't so bad, would any of us take medication? I really doubt it! I am convinced that's why God let me get so sick before I found help!

Can he get it from his father? Because my sister never drinks. And if that is so, then I probably am, too. I changed one of the words I used, not r-tarded, but another that you saw, becuase I don't want anyone seeing it to be offended. I never meant it that way.

[Houston Heather]

No, FAS only comes due to maternal drinking.

It's entirely possible he has some form of autism or neurological damage due to toxins. I was reading a fascinating book that discussed pesticide (which is a neurotoxin) resides in our food and how the rates of neurological problems have escalated dramatically. Pesicides are even found in tap water! Add that to prescription drug residues to a young brain, maybe an iffy vaccination... whap.

I don't recall any offensive words - honestly the r-word is the one everyone understands. I feel that developmentally delayed - which I am - I hit my milestones months late - is a little too vague to make the point.

[faithgirl]

You know what she WAS taking? Paxil. I know there was a lawsuit, but I thought it was for physical defects, and not mental. I don't know.

[Houston Heather]

HUH. I'd bet money on the Paxil.

My sister's surgeon told her "no way" the Levaquin ruptured her tendon... but everyone knows it causes tendon ruptures. They don't want to deal with the lawsuits if they actually go on the record and say "Yeah, the medication did it".

So says the woman covered in hives.

[faithgirl]

Probably so. Wouldn't surprise me at all.

[djalomo]

OK here's a question - I'm running a bit hypo. Is there an easy way to bring yourself back "down?"

I feel GREAT today and didn't get a wink of actual sleep last night. Haven't eaten much since Saturday. Don't have the true racing thoughts/bad decision-making yet but give it time. LOL. I've been on a dating and working out spree and primping a lot and feeling really confident.

I feel awesome and this is fun - I always get this way when fall starts approaching. But, this probably isn't good and I need to nip it before I'm doing some really regrettable things.

[CurveControl]

If this is as 'high' as you get, I would ride it out. Especially if it is a seasonal thing and you are not getting scattered thoughts.
JMO.
keep an eye on it.

Its Monday, and if you are getting in deeper tomorrow your doc will be open (right)
I might say something different if it were thursday or friday.

My doc has said that keeping close to 'me' is the goal, not elimination all symptoms/ups and downs, just to watch them.

I would love a short spurt of hypo w/o mixed symptoms about now.

[djalomo]

Thanks CC

Yeah, this is actually a really nice spurt. No mixed, no anxiety yet, just feeling a little "too" good. The dating spree kind worries me...but I'm slowing down this week. I can just see that going so badly awry. I think maybe that pool party and staying out all night+alcohol destablized me a bit. I also did a lot of wining and dining last week. I can't believe I booked the ENTIRE week solid.

[CurveControl]

staying up all night can lead to hypo leading to less sleep, leading to more hypo.....

make sure you get some good sleep tonight!

[dmvgirl]

I think I really *ucked up my marriage this weekend. I've been going to a counselor for a couple of months, helping me with stuff that the lamictal and pdoc can't take care of. I have come a long way, but there is tons of work ahead of me. One of the things is that I manage to sabatoge any happiness that I may have, and the best way to do that is to piss my honey off so badly he wants to leave. I may have done that. While we were talking about my issues this weekend and what the counselor said. I came clean on a few things I have done recently. All of it has to do with money, but you all know how important that is in a relationship and I have done it to him before. He said he will stay with me because he promised and being alone for the time being would be horrible for me and ultimately horrible for our son. But he isn't in love with me anymore, doesn't know if he can be in the future and can't wait till he has to travel for business at the end of the month.

[CurveControl]

Maybe he is just mad. I do not believe he could stop loving you over the course of a weekend.

[dmvgirl]

It's years of my abuse, every time he thinks he can trust me again, I've gone and done something incredibly stupid. Hopefully time will help, and he does want to go to my counseling session with me, which both the counselor and I have wanted him too.

[CurveControl]

Originally Posted by dmvgirl

It's years of my abuse, every time he thinks he can trust me again, I've gone and done something incredibly stupid. Hopefully time will help, and he does want to go to my counseling session with me, which both the counselor and I have wanted him too.

Then there is hope, and caring. And probably love and a hope to work things out, or he probably wouldn't.

I do know about putting husbands thru a lot, 20 years worth!

[Houston Heather]

Called my doc again.

They're like "Oh, so you have the hives." I told them I stopped the Lexapro and begged for something to help with the horrible itching. Something cheap.

They're gonna call me back.

[faithgirl]

Originally Posted by Houston Heather

Called my doc again.

They're like "Oh, so you have the hives." I told them I stopped the Lexapro and begged for something to help with the horrible itching. Something cheap.

They're gonna call me back.

Hope you get something good!

[faithgirl]

Originally Posted by dmvgirl

It's years of my abuse, every time he thinks he can trust me again, I've gone and done something incredibly stupid. Hopefully time will help, and he does want to go to my counseling session with me, which both the counselor and I have wanted him too.

No advice, only

[Houston Heather]

I seem to be OK with the phenergan, and I am completely comfortable with the side effects. Even taking groggy pills, I'm a lot sharper since I got off the Lexapro.

I had a horrible headache yesterday, so I tell myself I'm detoxing. My poor skin. I'm going to have to treat myself to a seaweed bubble bath or something when I'm healed.

[dmvgirl]

Thanks I'm waiting for Robin (counselor) to call me back.

[djalomo]

I think my hypo broke. You were totally right CC - I took one a Xanax and some melatonin and slept finally and ate today. I really could have slept a few more hours.

[faithgirl]

Originally Posted by djalomo

I think my hypo broke. You were totally right CC - I took one a Xanax and some melatonin and slept finally and ate today. I really could have slept a few more hours.

[CurveControl]

I am glad!

[djalomo]

Yeah, you know I've been needing Xanax less and less lately, which is good, but the next day I have this numb feeling all day and it's like I hold my breath occasionally without thinking about it. It's not the "zombie" feeling, I dunno. It's weird. I might need regular Xanax and nont the XR.

[Houston Heather]

The rash is bad enough I'm going to a regular doc.

[faithgirl]

Originally Posted by Houston Heather

The rash is bad enough I'm going to a regular doc.

Wow, that's been hanging around a long time Heather. You're right, a regular doc is in order.



How are you doing dmvgirl?

[faithgirl]

So here's a bipo WWYD question for all of you.

I am miserable at my job. The boss does not know how to treat people like human beings and he thinks it's funny to humiliate them. He is the reason I nearly had a complete breakdown a couple months ago. Unfortunately, my sister works with me and being the caretaker that I am, when I see him abuse her, it effects me. She is also my nephew's mom, and what effects her, effects him, which effects me.

Anyway, I want out and I want out bad. If I had a choice, I would never go back again and it wouldn't bother me a bit. I would miss a few people, but it would be the best decision ever. Quite frankly, getting stable and staying that way is always going to be a challenge while working there, but that's not to say that something else might not come up in my life later to present an equally, or even harder challenge.

So I could hunt another mediocre paying job, but even those are scarce right now. But knowing my track record I would, in short time, find myself miserable and wishing I had never taken the job to begin with.

So I'm finally getting to my question: If you knew you could frugally support yourself for a year and had no dependants, would you quit your job and do the thing that you loved? Even knowing that you might, at the end of that year, be forced to take on a menial low-paying job, if the job you loved never panned out?

I know in my heart I am a novelist. I have no desire to do anything else, or at least nothing more than a passing fancy for. But everyone knows getting published is tough. I know that. I've come close and have had praise from editors for a novel I wrote in the past, so I do have some confidence that I can do this thing. But it could take years to get published. And yes, I can write after hours and keep my regular job, and have been. But the stress of that job makes it difficult to focus, and what heaven it would be to have a full year to concentrate on something I love!

But then there's reality. Bills to be paid. What about the unforseen?

I think if I worked overtime between now and January, I would have enough saved to live frugally for a year. The big thing would be insurance. I wouldn't be able to afford it-at my weight it would be outrageous. But my insurance through my job now doesn't pay for a whole lot more than my prescriptions. So I am wondering if my doctor would help me with those. Or I could go completely generic. I would hate to lose the Abilify, but maybe Heather's Precious would be even better? Right now I think I will have good stability with Abilify and a low dose AD, so it's not much. And of course, I could get sick with something else over the course of the year, but I discovered how little my insurance is paying these days and other people manage without it. I'm not saying it's ideal by any means, but it would probably just be for a year. Or less if I make it big. Or even just a teensy bit big.

Anyway, I am not planning on quitting tomorrow, but this is rolling around in my head. What would you all do? I would like for once in my life to follow my dreams instead of staying with/taking the horrid job that I know I will hate. Ah well, I have plenty of time to think about it. And save money.

(By the way, my spelling, punctuation and diction in my posts in no way reflect how I actually write when it's for my manuscripts).

[CurveControl]

I don't know.

MI is iffy, and the drugs are pricey.

Honestly I might leave the high stress job you are in, maybe take a part time job, just for the benefits, while you write for a year.

My doc appointments, without insurance are nearly $200 a visit. Even with my insurance I pay out at least $75-$100 a month for meds.

[djalomo]

Hmm. I think CC said it best here once ~ no life-changing decisions while you're unstable. Seriously, I almost did this a few times and I'm REALLY glad I didn't. I hate my office too but it's waaaaaay easier to deal with now. I was borderline paranoid before - I truly believed everyone was out to get me there.

[CurveControl]

Originally Posted by djalomo

Hmm. I think CC said it best here once ~ no life-changing decisions while you're unstable. Seriously, I almost did this a few times and I'm REALLY glad I didn't. I hate my office too but it's waaaaaay easier to deal with now. I was borderline paranoid before - I truly believed everyone was out to get me there.

That too

[Debbi]

Hi to everyone - I hope you don't mind my butting in here but I have a concern about my DBF and wanted to see if I could get some educated opinions before I speak to his doctor. DBF is diagnosed (long time) as bi-polar/schizophrenic. He has been on 900mg of lithium per day + invega +Prozac + topomax (migraines) + seroquel. His lab work has come back the last two times w/his chloride levels and creatinine(sp ?) levels - high. His Psychiatrist says he is concerned about the meds damaging his kidneys so now -for the last week he has taken him off of the lithium - totally off....so far he seems okay. Doc said to watch if he becomes manic. He is going tomorrow for more lab work - lithium and kidney enzyme levels. I am concerned that he has stopped so abruptly and of course I am worried about the mania. Do you have any opinions or suggestions - anything I should look for without nagging him to death about how he feels? Thanks for your help!