Anyone read anything about manic eposides destroying parts of the brain?

never heard that, although if your self medicating with hard drugs then i guess it's possible.

only my thought , i really don't know otherwise.

till next time

harmony

I think what you may be referring to is relatively new research that shows, through spec imaging, that in an UNMEDICATED person who has BP, as one ages, with each subsequent episode there are visible changes in the front lobes of the brain. There is no doubt about this as it can be demonstrated through the use of imaging that is similar to MRI. It can also be shown that a person's brain is actually protected by the use of lithium. (You do not see differences in the brain of a 40-year old "normal" person compared to a 40-year old bipolar individual.) I don't know if studies have been done showing the use of other mood stabilizers. But it is now pretty well established that in an unmedicated bipolar individual the episodes of mania and/or depression will continue as the person ages, and that the symptoms usually intensify and worsen. The person will not "outgrow" BP as was once previously thought.

thank you tsohl for that insightful post. never realized that there could be some damage due to being bp and unmedicated. i wonder if i may already have damage due to the fact that i'm 47 and was just medicated as of last year. i guess there really is no answer to that unless i go through spec imaging and there's no point in going through that at this time. it just crossed my mind is all.

till next time

harmony

Hi Harmony,

Did you just recently get diagnosed? My husband didn't get on meds till he was 48. He seems more stable now but the "dementia" symptoms are continuing to progress in my opinion. Unless they are simply more noticeable now that the Lithium has slowed him down whereas pre medication he was always moving "a mile a minute" so we would be hard pressed to observe them in someone moving about so quickly. Does that make any sense? Anyway, just curious since you are about my husband's age.

I think because my husband was so highly educated and so financially successful nobody stepped in or thought it could really be bipolar in someone so "successful". Of course now I know much more about bipolar but before his diagnosis I was a little confused to say the least. It's pretty sad actually, it reminds me a lot of the Brittany Spears, thing. How much more will she unravel? The untouchable star that is suffering inside and continues to because she is surrounded by people that say nothing but "yes" to her out of fear of her wrath.

I hope you are doing well Harmony!

Luvya,

Luckygem13

i read something about this in a book called "the bipolar handbook" that i checked out at the library. if i remember and have time later i'll find the exact section and post up what they said.

luckygem, i feel like my therapist feels that way about me...too successful to have much wrong with me. on one hand she did sent me to my pdoc, on the other, she has no sympathy. my bipolar is very mild, but it's enough for me to feel like it is hindering me, but she makes a lot of comments like there are other people who are "homeless and taking their clothes off in the middle of the street" (implying i don't have it that bad, it could be worse; no duh, that's my cousin she described!!!) and noting that since i've gone to college and have a career i must not be too bad (well, i feel like i had special circumstances in college such as not having to work during it, and as for the career well i just started it so...i pretty much don't have one yet...i've got to build it up and i just don't feel like i can do that in this condition!!).

anyway, not to hijack the thread. but yeah. i think it's an important issue..."successful" people need attention, too! i think that a person's track record can hurt in this case because everyone thinks you're doing great even thgouh you're falling apart inside...you've just managed to find some coping skills on your own to hide it.

i read something about this in a book called "the bipolar handbook" that i checked out at the library. if i remember and have time later i'll find the exact section and post up what they said.

luckygem, i feel like my therapist feels that way about me...too successful to have much wrong with me. on one hand she did sent me to my pdoc, on the other, she has no sympathy. my bipolar is very mild, but it's enough for me to feel like it is hindering me, but she makes a lot of comments like there are other people who are "homeless and taking their clothes off in the middle of the street" (implying i don't have it that bad, it could be worse; no duh, that's my cousin she described!!!) and noting that since i've gone to college and have a career i must not be too bad (well, i feel like i had special circumstances in college such as not having to work during it, and as for the career well i just started it so...i pretty much don't have one yet...i've got to build it up and i just don't feel like i can do that in this condition!!).

anyway, not to hijack the thread. but yeah. i think it's an important issue..."successful" people need attention, too! i think that a person's track record can hurt in this case because everyone thinks you're doing great even thgouh you're falling apart inside...you've just managed to find some coping skills on your own to hide it.


I completely understand where you are coming from! PLEASE switch Dr's!

Years ago I went to a counselor to try to understand what was going on in my marriage with my husband going into rages, etc. Well, the guy evidently took one look at me and decided I was a spoiled brat, FAR from the truth. If this man would have listened for 10 minutes he would have gotten past the MBA and the money and my husband's "outward" success & figured out it is not normal for a man to be smashing artwork because he didn't like the way his dinner tasted....Ugh!...the frustration. There are many good T-docs and P-docs and many bad ones as well. Pay without insurance if you're able but get the best you can find.

Too many people dropped the ball on our family due to my husband's great coping skills, that's B.S.! I tried to reach out so many times and was called a "complainer"...nobody ever gave me a chance to work up the courage to talk about the violence and abuse, they just slammed me down on the front end....all because my husband is a "charmer", "the life of the party" (they weren't there when the party was over though), so handome, so successful. With a 5 carat diamond on her hand and a 5 million dollar home, what could she be complaining about?

I could be complaining about getting punched in the jaw, ya know?

Anyway, sorry to rant....that did kind of did feel good though :D

I hope my sharing helped you in some small way :angel:

Take Care of yourself OK?

Luvya, Lucky Gem