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Yes. You don't have to be suicidal to be depressed, although it's a very common factor. The main point of bi-polarity is the mood swings, which are often quite violent. Not violent in that you want to hit people, although excess agression is a common symptom in bi-polarity and depression in general, but the way in which someone some can litterally be on the floor crying and wishing to never of existed to suddenly feeling so elated they think they could take on the world.
With all due respect, your counsellor is not a psychiatrist, not even a GP. He/she is not trained in diagnosing mental disorders and is not able to prescirbe/suggest/monitor drugs for people or their use.
My wife suffers from a form of bi-polar and takes medication for it. Unfortunately the medication can have side-effects so obviously we want to keep her on the minimum dose possible. In addition some of the medications can have effect on pregnancy.
When she becomes "ill" it starts off as a "high" for her - she becomes carefree and will often go on a spending spree. She will stop taking her medication and say nothing matters anymore. On the last occasion she actually got ill she started neglecting certain duties too, and subsequently she has been put on a 2nd medication which stabilises her mood swings, but means that now she cannot consume any alcohol at all.
But isn't it like that with nearly every medication anyway?
I seem to exactly the same eith my mood swings. What makes it worse is that one minute I can be happy and the next I'm not and all I want to do is self harm. (which is actually the only thing that will calm me down)
You what?!
I know with certain medications you can't take them with something else as one of them doesn't work properly, but never heard of anything like this.
self harm is something i use when im not feeling which can be during a high or a low makes no difference
hope your ok
thanks
How would I get tested for something like this? is it just a case of talking to the doctor or would it be someone else?
Im sure even rapid-cycling bi-polar is only more than 4 episodes of mania in a year.
The older types of AD known as MAOI's have this warning
"You must not consume foods that are rich in the amino acid tyramine while you are taking this medicine. This is because the combination could cause a dangerous increase in blood pressure. An early warning symptom of this is a throbbing headache. You should only eat fresh foods, and avoid food that has been matured in some way or is suspected of being stale or ?going off'. Foods that you should avoid include cheese, yeast extracts (eg Oxo, Bovril, Marmite), brewer's yeast, fermented soya bean products, eg soy sauce, hung game, pickled herrings, liver, dry sausage (salami, pepperoni etc), broad bean pods, avocado, caviar, peanuts, excessive amounts of tea and coffee, and alcoholic drinks or non-alcoholic beers, lagers or wines. You should also avoid these foods and drinks for a further two weeks after stopping treatment with this medicine. You can get further advice from your pharmacist."
They also interact with SO many things and some need refrigerating.
Bipolar disorder is terribly hard to live with, as I struggle every day to find correct medications/doctors to fit my own personal needs.
I recently had an episode in which I came extremely close to losing my life.
Cheeky sod.
you ok now-well as well as you can be-how long since you were diagnosed
I was diagnosed a little over a month ago. I had always known there was something "wrong" with me.. then I became addicted to Xanax, which can counterreact with bipolar disorder and I basically went nuts.
I am currently prescribed to Lamictal (a mood-stabilizer), Seroquel (another mood-stabilizer/anti-psychotic), and Valium (for anxiety and insomnia). I'm fairly satisfied with all 3. And yes, I am doing much better