strawberrysc
06-26-2009, 08:51 PM
I have been recently diagnosed with bipolar disorder and am really confused about it. I have OCD and generalized anxiety disorder and have always been told that my anxiety is part of my OCD and GAD. I had no clue that anxiety could be a symptom of mania. I ended up going to the hospital because my anxiety was so bad and it was making me throw up and not be able to breathe very well and I hadn't slept in three days. I have really bad insomnia and rarely sleep very much and no drug on Earth makes me even remotely tired. When I was at the hospital the psychiatrist on call told me that the anxiety that I was having was not due to my OCD and GAD but that I was actually having a mixed episode. He said that's why I couldn't sleep as well. It's just confusing to me because I always thought mania involved grandiose behavior. I am the most cautious and level-headed person ever and just fill like the diagnosis doesn't fit. After I got out of the hospital I met with my psychiatrist and she told me that she had suspected all along that the anxiety was a form of mania and was glad that someone else confirmed the diagnosis. Does anyone know if intense anxiety like this and bad insomnia can be bipolar in nature? Please help. Thanks......
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light the world
06-26-2009, 09:15 PM
Yah it definitly can. Its actually really common in people who experience mania to not be able to sleep for as long as you did. Anxiety can also be part of being manic.
dreams in neon
06-26-2009, 10:24 PM
I have been recently diagnosed with bipolar disorder and am really confused about it. I have OCD and generalized anxiety disorder and have always been told that my anxiety is part of my OCD and GAD. I had no clue that anxiety could be a symptom of mania. I ended up going to the hospital because my anxiety was so bad and it was making me throw up and not be able to breathe very well and I hadn't slept in three days. I have really bad insomnia and rarely sleep very much and no drug on Earth makes me even remotely tired. When I was at the hospital the psychiatrist on call told me that the anxiety that I was having was not due to my OCD and GAD but that I was actually having a mixed episode. He said that's why I couldn't sleep as well. It's just confusing to me because I always thought mania involved grandiose behavior. I am the most cautious and level-headed person ever and just fill like the diagnosis doesn't fit. After I got out of the hospital I met with my psychiatrist and she told me that she had suspected all along that the anxiety was a form of mania and was glad that someone else confirmed the diagnosis. Does anyone know if intense anxiety like this and bad insomnia can be bipolar in nature? Please help. Thanks......
I have BPI and can tell you that anxiety is a symptom of mania.
In fact, whenever I'm manic, I experience anxiety myself for which I take Klonopin.
When I was manic two weeks ago I felt like I was having a heart attack.
I also had a feeling of impending doom. This is when my therapist said I had a panic attack and explained that it was due to my manic episode.
I've also had anxiety whenever I've had a mixed episode although it was never as bad as it was 2 weeks ago.
The anxiety I had at that time was so severe that I ended up taking a higher PRN dose of my sleep med along with
2 Klonopin (with my psychiatrist's permission) in order to knock myself out. I slept from Saturday afternoon until Sunday evening. When I woke up, I felt much better.
Yesterday my new tdoc taught me breathing techniques I can use whenever I have an anxiety attack. He told me whenever I feel anxious, I should tell myself "I feel anxious right now, but I can handle this." If I don't know what I'm anxious about, I am supposed to tell myself "I don't know what I am anxious about, but that's okay. I can work through this and everything will be okay."
He suggested that I slowly exhale all of the air out of my lungs, inhale deeply and then hold my breath for 2 seconds before letting it out again. I am to do this twice and repeat if necessary.
I have BPI and can tell you that anxiety is a symptom of mania.
In fact, whenever I'm manic, I experience anxiety myself for which I take Klonopin.
When I was manic two weeks ago I felt like I was having a heart attack.
I also had a feeling of impending doom. This is when my therapist said I had a panic attack and explained that it was due to my manic episode.
I've also had anxiety whenever I've had a mixed episode although it was never as bad as it was 2 weeks ago.
The anxiety I had at that time was so severe that I ended up taking a higher PRN dose of my sleep med along with
2 Klonopin (with my psychiatrist's permission) in order to knock myself out. I slept from Saturday afternoon until Sunday evening. When I woke up, I felt much better.
Yesterday my new tdoc taught me breathing techniques I can use whenever I have an anxiety attack. He told me whenever I feel anxious, I should tell myself "I feel anxious right now, but I can handle this." If I don't know what I'm anxious about, I am supposed to tell myself "I don't know what I am anxious about, but that's okay. I can work through this and everything will be okay."
He suggested that I slowly exhale all of the air out of my lungs, inhale deeply and then hold my breath for 2 seconds before letting it out again. I am to do this twice and repeat if necessary.
Bunnylover
06-27-2009, 01:39 PM
Interesting--my anxiety disappears during my hypomanic states, but it's still a real issue, especially during depressive episodes the rest of the time, despite treatment.
I'm glad you posted--I'm struggling to figure out how to recognize the beginning of hypomanic states, and I'll add that to my list now, hadn't thought of it before.
I'm glad you posted--I'm struggling to figure out how to recognize the beginning of hypomanic states, and I'll add that to my list now, hadn't thought of it before.
Swoosh60
06-27-2009, 04:54 PM
Dear Strawberry,
I was diagnosed with postpartum depression in 1990 when my son was born. Three yrs later I was diagnosed bipolar II (I'm mostly hypomanic with very little depression). I can tell you that my FIRST symptom (in 1990) was insomnia. My son was sleeping 7 hours (in his first 2 weeks home) and I was sleeping 1. This went on for 5 months until I was referred to my first psych dr. Over the years lithium did not work well for me, and in 1995 I was put on depakote, which calmed the mania and calmed me period (helping my sleep). The sleep never got much better until 1999 when I was put on Remeron (has a huge sleep component to it). So between that and the depakote, I've been highly functional and have a really good job (exec asst) that I love. My boss of 7 years doesn't have a clue that I'm bipolar. To address the anxiety ... I went through a stretch in my mid-late 30's (I'm now 48) where I was missing alot of work (and therefore losing alot of jobs). At the time, no one EVER mentioned anxiety to me. In 2001 I came to my current psych dr. She said, "Has anyone ever asked you if what you're feeling when you can't go into work is REALLY mania, or is it anxiety?" Wow, a light went on. So, she treated me with effexor (an antidepressant that helps with anxiety) and I took it for about 4 years ... broke the habit of me missing work and being anxious. I've been off of it for a long time now and my only meds are the depakote, remeron and klonapin at night as needed. So hang in there ... things will get better. I still have episodes of insomnia, but mostly now it's because I'm going through perimenopause (near the end of that) and working with my GYN dr. to take prometrium (bio-identical progesterone), which also calms me down and helps my sleep. Life is good, and it's gotten WAY better for me over the years once they found the right "mix" of drugs for me. Also, exercise helps alot. I walk about 4-5 miles each weekend day. I'd like to do that more, as I'm sure that would also help the insomnia. Not enough hours in the day :)
I was diagnosed with postpartum depression in 1990 when my son was born. Three yrs later I was diagnosed bipolar II (I'm mostly hypomanic with very little depression). I can tell you that my FIRST symptom (in 1990) was insomnia. My son was sleeping 7 hours (in his first 2 weeks home) and I was sleeping 1. This went on for 5 months until I was referred to my first psych dr. Over the years lithium did not work well for me, and in 1995 I was put on depakote, which calmed the mania and calmed me period (helping my sleep). The sleep never got much better until 1999 when I was put on Remeron (has a huge sleep component to it). So between that and the depakote, I've been highly functional and have a really good job (exec asst) that I love. My boss of 7 years doesn't have a clue that I'm bipolar. To address the anxiety ... I went through a stretch in my mid-late 30's (I'm now 48) where I was missing alot of work (and therefore losing alot of jobs). At the time, no one EVER mentioned anxiety to me. In 2001 I came to my current psych dr. She said, "Has anyone ever asked you if what you're feeling when you can't go into work is REALLY mania, or is it anxiety?" Wow, a light went on. So, she treated me with effexor (an antidepressant that helps with anxiety) and I took it for about 4 years ... broke the habit of me missing work and being anxious. I've been off of it for a long time now and my only meds are the depakote, remeron and klonapin at night as needed. So hang in there ... things will get better. I still have episodes of insomnia, but mostly now it's because I'm going through perimenopause (near the end of that) and working with my GYN dr. to take prometrium (bio-identical progesterone), which also calms me down and helps my sleep. Life is good, and it's gotten WAY better for me over the years once they found the right "mix" of drugs for me. Also, exercise helps alot. I walk about 4-5 miles each weekend day. I'd like to do that more, as I'm sure that would also help the insomnia. Not enough hours in the day :)
dreams in neon
06-27-2009, 05:31 PM
I also wanted to comment on insomnia and mania. I can tell I'm manic when I haven't slept for 3-4 days at a time. I don't feel like I need sleep and am able to function without any difficulty. During my manic/psychotic episode 3 years ago, I didn't sleep for 2.5 weeks and the attending pdoc had to inject me with high doses of mood stabilizers and antipsychotics to calm me down enough so I could relax. I was also given Ativan as well as Ambien for sleep. Once my sleep patterns became more consistent, I started to come down from my mania and felt much better. Sleep is very important when it comes to preventing mania. I don't always do what I should in maintaining a regular sleep schedule, but I do my best because I know if I don't, I will end up in a manic state.
strawberrysc
06-27-2009, 09:12 PM
Thank you everyone for the wonderful information. It really helps a lot to have people who know about bipolar and its symptoms. I have had really bad insomnia since I was in 5th grade. It has just continually gotten worse my whole life. I go weeks (sometimes months) where I get maybe 1-2 hours sleep a night, if that. I think I have tried every pill under the sun and nothing works. It's almost like it wires me and keeps me awake. I have taken seroquel, remeron, sonata, lunesta, ambien, xanax, klonopin, ativan, trazodone....you get the picture. When I was at the hospital and they told me that I was bipolar and was having a mixed episode, they gave me Zyprexa. It doesn't make me tired but it takes away my anxiety and my racing thoughts and I can actually sleep now. It's really weird, it still takes me a long time to fall asleep but I can get 5-6 hours now, which is way more than I have ever gotten.
I really appreciate everyone's comments. I have been living my life with such a high level of anxiety and not understanding where it comes from. I have OCD and have been on medication for it since I was a teenager and all of my doctors just assumed that my really high level of anxiety was due to the OCD. However, I had been taking antidepressants for the OCD and anxiety, and some of the OCD symtpoms were going away, but the anxiety wasn't. Every doctor would tell me the same thing, let's increase the dose of this, etc, but it never worked. Since this new diagnosis it already makes so much more sense to me. The Zyprexa is a miracle drug for me, I cannot remember the last time I didn't feel really high levels of anxiety. I am not throwing up anymore (when I get really bad anxiety it's like I have the flu) and I am not having to take my inhaler to help me breathe from panicking so much. It's in a way a sort of freedom. Has anyone else taken Zyprexa? The only bad side effect is that it makes me really hungry, but I am watching that. Other than that it's a great drug. Thanks again everyone for your comments, they are very helpful. :)
I really appreciate everyone's comments. I have been living my life with such a high level of anxiety and not understanding where it comes from. I have OCD and have been on medication for it since I was a teenager and all of my doctors just assumed that my really high level of anxiety was due to the OCD. However, I had been taking antidepressants for the OCD and anxiety, and some of the OCD symtpoms were going away, but the anxiety wasn't. Every doctor would tell me the same thing, let's increase the dose of this, etc, but it never worked. Since this new diagnosis it already makes so much more sense to me. The Zyprexa is a miracle drug for me, I cannot remember the last time I didn't feel really high levels of anxiety. I am not throwing up anymore (when I get really bad anxiety it's like I have the flu) and I am not having to take my inhaler to help me breathe from panicking so much. It's in a way a sort of freedom. Has anyone else taken Zyprexa? The only bad side effect is that it makes me really hungry, but I am watching that. Other than that it's a great drug. Thanks again everyone for your comments, they are very helpful. :)
dreams in neon
06-27-2009, 09:20 PM
I was put on Zyprexa back in November when I was hospitalized for a manic episode. From what I've been told, it is supposed to be a good mood stabilizer/antipsychotic for mania and works rapidly. If I remember correctly, Zyprexa leveled out my moods within a week. I don't know why I was put on Zyprexa to begin with, but I think it may have had to do with the fact that I had been manic for several weeks and had not slept in quite awhile. Since Zyprexa is supposed to be very good for treating acute mania, they decided to put me on that during my IP stay instead of increasing my Depakote. Perhaps putting me on Zyprexa would give me faster relief than raising my Depakote from 1500mg to 2000mg...I don't know.
strawberrysc
06-27-2009, 09:26 PM
Dream - Zyprexa was very quick in relieving my symptoms. They gave it to me at the hospital and I slept for 5-6 hours, which was great considering I hadn't slept in a while. The first time I was in the hospital (which was about a year ago) they had me on depakote which I really didn't understand because I was only told I had OCD, depression, and generalized anxiety disorder. They had me on so many different medications I couldn't see straight. So when I got out of the hospital I got a new doctor and cut down on all of the medications I was taking because I just wasn't myself. Then this episode happened a couple of weeks ago and they officially diagnosed me with bipolar which makes sense as to why I am taking a mood stabilizer.
dreams in neon
06-27-2009, 09:53 PM
I can see why they prescribed Depakote for your OCD. It was probably meant to reduce your overall anxiety level although anti-anxiety meds and SSRIs are a better choice when it comes to treating that symptom.
I'm glad Zyprexa worked well for you and that you now have an accurate diagnosis.
If you don't mind my asking, what type of bipolar do you have? (i.e. Type I or II)
I'm glad Zyprexa worked well for you and that you now have an accurate diagnosis.
If you don't mind my asking, what type of bipolar do you have? (i.e. Type I or II)
strawberrysc
06-28-2009, 04:57 PM
Hi Dreams. I don't mind you asking at all. My doctor told me that I have Bipolar I with the most recent episode mixed.
dreams in neon
06-28-2009, 09:43 PM
Hi Dreams. I don't mind you asking at all. My doctor told me that I have Bipolar I with the most recent episode mixed.
Thank you for answering my question. :)
Thank you for answering my question. :)