Hi I've been diagnosed as having Bipolar disorder as of two weeks ago. For years the docs had told me I was suffering from depression so I've been on numerous kinds of antidepressents in which none of them seemed to work. They did however work for my anxiety attacks and clasterphobia but still felt depressed. I stoped taking them when my hubby and I decided we wanted to have a baby. For my whole pregnancy I felt great for some reason even without being on any antidepressents. After my son was born I decided not to go back on anything. About 6 months later I started to get signs of post pardum depression which only got worse in time. I started seeing a pshyciatrist who then put me back on Effexor and Zyprexa for severe insomnia. Well the Effexor seemed to work great at first but I think I only felt good because the Zyprexa worked as a wonder drug for me with helping me sleep. About three months ago things took a downward spiral. I started getting anxiety back and insomnia and sever bouts of depression. I also started drinking suddenly for no apperant reason and now I drink everyday. Some days I feel great like I can handle living and I think positively and it can be hours later and I'm severly depressed. It seems to come and go in waves for me daily. I don't get the extreme highs that alot of people get but I do get extreme lows. My highs are just me feeling normal for a short while. Does this sound like bipolar disorder to you? My doc said that she shouldn't have perscribed the Effexor to me as it can make me psycotic. I'm also not hypersexual at all. It's very rare that I feel 'in the mood'. I also don't feel like I would cheat on my husband. Right now my doc is slowly weaning me off the Effexor which hasn't been pleasent as I've been getting brain zaps coming off of it. She will be putting me on a new drug but I'm unsure of the name and I will be staying on the Zyprexa.
I felt like everything was a mess before because I've been so down for so long and I have a drinking problem and I'm desperatly trying to loose weight and it's not working. Now I have bipolar disorder, ugg. I think I need a brain transplant.
If anyone can relate or have any info please share. Thanks for reading.
The following user gives a hug of support to Jarcat: cri222 (10-11-2011)
When I was first diagnosed with Bipolar, I was relieved to know that there was a name and a possible fix for my problem. I knew that I had it. Yes, you will have a very hard time coming off Effexor and Zyprexa will put on the pounds. I tried that for a short time, then switched to Abilify, it causes little weight gain, if none, for me.
I started off with years off depression, being treated with antidepressants, taking them on and off over the years.
Then I had a stressful job which I say led me to a nervous breakdown, hence me being diagnosed with bipolar.
This was 5 years ago. I had a 5 day hospital stay to help straighten me out back then. I was a mess.
It took two years of treatment to finally get my meds straight. Today I am on disability for bipolar and depression. I think that helps with my moods, having extra money in my pocket to spend without going to a stressful job everyday. Plus my meds work great now. I finally have things under control with little ups and downs here and there.
When I saw the title of your post, I had to read it because sometimes I question myself whether or not I am really Bipolar. But I know for myself and my husband reassures me that if I were to go off my meds, I would find out fast that I am.
Glad you're posting for help. As far as I know, the absolute first priority is the drinking. No one can tell what disorder(s) you really have as long as the alcohol is a problem. You need to take care of that first, as alcohol can cause many symptoms of bp and other psychiatric illnesses.
So I would concentrate on that and get it out of your life. Also, meds will not work properly with alcohol in your system, and it's just not advisable to drink when you're on them. But again, you can't tell what meds you need until you get off the alcohol.
Please do whatever you have to do to get off it - AA, a treatment program, even inpatient. Then you'ree have an idea of what is really a disorder, or just the alcohol.
This is all new to me too... the whole BP, I was diagnosed with it only last Wednesday. I had no idea of what it was consiously, but apprently subconsiouly I did.
I knew no one with it, I felt alone, until I found your board. It all sounds so farmiliar and seeing the response that you have been given from others; gives me HOPE!
Oh girl, I'm so sorry all this has happened. I experienced what I believe was some post pardom since my son was born in Jan. this year. First of all, I'm sure you probably know this, but drinking will definitely exacerbate your depression, as alcohol is a depressant. Secondly, alcohol will not aid you at all in losing weight. It's high in calories and we tend to drink more calories than we eat.
After you get stabilized with whatever medication ends up working for you and balances you out, I would recommend .. (now I know this might sound trite) But I went on weight watchers. I had gained over 80 lbs during my pregnancy. I lost a bunch of it which was due to water weight gain, but being on weight watchers a couple months, I've lost an additional 20 lbs. I don't even go to the meetings. It's a reasonable way to do it and you can still eat the things you want.
I would recommend finding a good counselor to talk out some of what you are going through (you might be doing that) and journaling to get all your thoughts out on paper. Whether or not you're bipolar, a lot of times, these diagnoses are overlapping and mixed. Only you know exactly what you experience and what you feel. They need to give a name to these negative/ positive feelings people have, but everyone is individual in what they are going through.
I think I need a brain transplant.
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