Biplar disorder and drinking - Bipolar Disorder Message Board

SC guy · 07-30-2007, 06:11 PM

Hi, I just registered today. I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder a year ago and had a couple questions. Im 22 and just graduated from college. For the past year iv been working on my final year of school and trying to accept that I have bipolar disorder. As a member of a fraternity, I am a pretty big drinker. Even in the last year I have been drinking, up to 15 drinks in a night with no side effects. I was wondering how risky this behavior is and also what to do about stopping. Im not an alcoholic but all my friends drink and thats what iv done for fun the last four years of my life. It also helps to have a couple drinks when meeting women. I was wondering if any of you guys had some suggestings about ways to meet people that dont drink. Im not religious so I probably wont be going to church to meet people. I just feel that to stop drinking, I need to make friends with people who also dont want to just go out downtown and get drunk. Any thoughts?

liz49 · 07-30-2007, 06:24 PM

This is a good question and one I'd like to hear some answers on--my daughter inssists it's ok to drink while one her BP meds--2-3 drinks whenever the mood strikes, which can be on weekends or when ever she's hanging with friends. Evidently, she also smokes pot, on occasion, which she also says her pdoc say is just fine. Really? I've seen a few pics of her taken by friends where she looks totally wasted (not a pretty thing for a mother to see) and I can't believe a pdoc would endorse this kind of thing when somebody is already pretty darn unstable.
Liz

SC guy · 07-30-2007, 06:33 PM

Iv only been diagnosed for a year and Iv been very stable, but the two times I smoked weed just flat out screwed my head up for a couple of days. Didnt make me go manic, but I just felt horrible and couldnt sleep and felt like going to the hospital. The second time it happened It was real bad and I was to embarrased to tell my doctor that I had smoked so he just told me to use different medication, which actually worked out well b/c I like the new medicine much better than the old stuff I was using.

jendg28 · 07-30-2007, 06:46 PM

Probably not a very good idea to mix alcohol with BP meds. My doctor told me not to drink a drop.

hereinfla · 07-30-2007, 06:54 PM

pizza, can you please tell us what medications you take? my son is 21 and drinks with his friends sometimes and is taking topamax..im curious to know what you take? and how your drinking affects them?