I am new to this board and would like any advice on living with Bi-polar

[Cowgirl79]

Hello, I am new to this board as of today 1-26-05. I was recently diagnosed with Bi-polar 1 disease. I am not sure what to think about all of it yet. Kind of scared I guess. But as I am reading this board I am noticiing that all the feelings that I have had (since I was a very young child) some of you have had. That definitely makes me feel better because I thought I was crazy and the only one that had so many different emotions and feelings like this.

I started the meds in October '04 when I was diagnosed and seemed to be doing really good. I got a really good job now, and my personal relationships are doing great for the first time in my life. My boyfriend and I have been living together for 2 years and things have never been better. He says it is becuase of the medicine and that I am not such a angry person anymore. However I have recently taken myself off the medice becuase I have gained nearly 20 pounds from the time I first started taking it. Is this a side effect to Depakote? Zoloft?

My question to all of you is, I have not told anyone that I am off of it. My family thinks that I am taking it as prescribed. I am scared to tell them that I am off of it because they will start saying that I am mean and say the wrong things all the time. I know my boyfriend deserves the best but I don't know what that is anymore. I want to be fit and trim and look good, but then again I don't think that is possible if I stay on the meds. But I don't want to be an mean and angry person again.
Any suggestions, comments? Please write me back.

[mudhound]

Welcome to the board!

[cujo25]

Check my thread "Girlfriend has bipolar - help"

Basically she is off her meds as of a month ago and you can read what has happened, not meant to scare you just some thought.

[princesspea]

Hi Cowgirl,

Welcome to the board. As you know going off your meds if they're working is never a good idea without your psyc's help.

That said I hate the weight gain side effect too. Depakote (an anticonvolsent that is used as a mood stabilizer)is know for a wg side effect. There was a mother that posted here recently that said her son went on depakote and was eating her out of house and home. I took depakote without the weight gain because I took up running.

There are some mood stabilizer that don't cause weight gain. I take geodon(there are others Abilify is one). It's an antipsychotic that is used for mood stablization. I was taking zeprexa (another big wg med) and gained all kinds of weight. Went on the geodon and I've lost that weight plus some. There are others out there that might not cause wieght loss but are wieght gain nutural so you can loose the extra weight on a diet. I suggest you look around for them and go to your psyc and tell him that weight gain is just not an option for you. This can be an important side effect for some people and you psyc needs to know it is for you. There is hope. Going in armed with info on what mood stabs you're willing to take will help your psyc choose what's best for you. Clearly not taking any meds is not in your best interest if the meds changed you that much.

Hope this helps. CALL YOUR PSYC!!!!!

Love,

Jamie

[Cowgirl79]

thank you every on for the warm welcomes! Princesspea, I am thankful for all the advice as well as everyone else. I just figured that all these meds are going to make me gain weight. I want to look good but I also don't want to feel pshyco anymore! I am also having a hard time with Dr.s I am on a state assisted medical program, and they keep sending me to Dr.s and pshycs that can not assist me with the Bp. Any suggestions?