BP or OCD?

[loopyturtle]

Human Child,

I have both BPD and OCD as diagnoses. OCD characteristically does wax and wane as well as, in my experience, can be triggered or influenced by my mood swings. From what you have said, it sounds to me that you also deal with both disorders. I also agree with what was said about overlaps between many diagnoses.

Interestingly, I have read about proposed bipolar disorder with obsessive features as well as OCD with bipolar features. One and the same? How much does it matter? Who knows . . . It depends which of my doctors you could ask which one should be my primary diagnosis.

For me the terms only matter as they function as tools to find helpful treatment options.

I currently take Lamictal and Klonopin. My doc wants to add a low dosage of Topamax for more mood stabilization and then, when (and only when) I'm good and stable mood-wise, try adding in Anafranil (sp?) for the OCD symptoms. Being stable is pretty important befor attempting to add an anti-d as they can trigger mania and/or cycling.

Keep in mind that anything anyone says on these boards is only a non-professional opinion. Although there is a lot of cumulative personal experience around here, and wonderful advice abounds. What a wonderful thing.

A book that has really helped me understand the nature of OCD is titled Over and Over Again. Good title, huh?

Good luck along your journey.

--Loopy

[bipolar vet-ren]

Try TRILEPTAL! the dr. will probably want to try depkote but, the newer version is trileptal. it bypasses your liver so drinking won't become I life threating disease unless of course you're an alcoholic, either way it is cheaper and no blood tests!

[madmac]

Human child- they should use your post as a template for checking for mania so they can diagnose manic- depressive rather than just depressive. I've seen two shrinks lately who say clinical depression. The only check for mania was one who asked "do you feel like you've won the lottery when you haven't?" Um no- I never have played the lottery, but I do pick up new hobbies or interests or contracts are live them 20 hours a day till I crash from exhaustion and weight loss, then let them slip away in a deep depression. The run up used to be 4-6 months, now its about a month, the depression about 3 months, now about 3 weeks.

I just hope when I go to the mental health unit next week that I find a doctor who doesn't pull the industrial "I know best, #73421. Go away", but may read a little, and think a little further.
end

[cat-be-known]

Originally Posted by Human Child

wasn’t going to post this because – well, I’ve been drinking and not sure how much sense it’s makes. Also, believe I’ve been hypo to manic the last two weeks. But, my curious mind won’t let it go.

I posted it on another BP board and it was suggested to me that it could be OCD (which, by the way, I have also been tentatively dx with - as well as BP). Then, I posted on an OCD board and they pointed me back to BP – the last post saying, and I quote:

-The only thing people with OCD are driven to do, is the repetitive actions or thoughts that ease their anxiety.

Being "goal driven" is classic of BPD. My friend who is BP is exactly like you --…., she gets totally obsessed about a subject, person or project (missions) and it CONSUMES her day and night.

Honestly Human Child when I read your first post, it could have been written by her. This is definately BP and not OCD.


So, I decided to post it here to see what you BP folks think.


I have these episodes where I get totally obsessive with a goal, a subject, a person, a project – something–and it’s all I can do, plan or think about to the exclusion of everything else.

Examples:

I go on writing binges (work on my novel) where all day long, all I do is write. If I’m not writing, I’m on the net researching info about what I am writing, or writing about what I am writing, or downloading pictures of my characters and making slide shows and photo albums. I become totally obsessed with it as my mission. I have all kinds of ideas and plans for stories, characters etc. I am in touch with my creativity like at no other time - so, it feels

The house doesn’t get cleaned, dishes don’t get done, sometimes, I don’t get dressed. My husband gets PO! I also have to buy everything that pertains to my obsession at the time. I don’t think about the money I’m spending. I have it in my mind that I have to have it and I buy it. I spent over 500 dollars on DVDs because actors I’ve chosen to represent my characters are in them. Bought a 1700 dollar lap top because as I writer, I need one (even though I have a desktop). I know the buying most likely stems form BP. Or, do OCD’ers do this as well)? I am convinced at the time that I am supposed to write this novel and start looking for, and, finding signs, to prove it (guess this is sort of delusional – do OCD’ers do this)?

One time, I got obsessed with Native American Shamanism and thought it was my calling. I bought everything I could find on the subject – books, audio tapes, rocks, crystals, medicine cards. Started burning sage around my house, conducted midnight ceramonies, gave colors meaning, hunted for my animal spirit, did medicine cards. I would spend hours outside in one spot listening for the universe to speak to me or show me direction. I would sometimes make up excuses at work so I could leave to go home and do the medicine cards. I started believing the trees were communicating with me.

So, there is a bit of delusion that goes along with it. Also, when it's happening, I don’t want it to stop. I think I am doing what I was called and meant to do. I am filled with ideas. And everything else is filled with energy, entity, inspiration. Of course, I also have this underlying feel that I could drive myself to the point of exhaustion and collapse, but this doesn’t stop me. What ever I am doing is worth the risk.

This actually helped me in nursing school because I became obsessed with studying and knowing every morsel of information on the lecture guides they gave us. I used to memorize them word for word – I’m not kidding. My husband told me I was abnormal – that no one studied that much. It’s all I did. I’d studied from the time I got home until I went to bed, then, got up at 3:00 in the morning and study until I went in. But I graduated top of my class.

So what do you think? BP or OCD or a combo of both?

Does any BP'er here get periods of goal driven obsessions like these?

Thanks for any input. And, sorry if I'm rambling. Drinking.


Board: Bipolar Disorder Post New Thread

[cat-be-known]

You sound just like me. I have bi-polar and OCD disorder. I had OCD when I was a child but didn't know I had a problem. As I got older some of the OCD symtoms went away and changed. I do what you do and I know how you feel about wanting family understand why you do the things you do. In my case, my husband. It has been a terrible stress on our relationship, although, I told him about it before we married. Either he didn't care or didn't believe it because now he in no way understands me and my behaviour. When I was first diagnosed with OCD, my psych prescribed Anafranil for me. It was one of the first drug to treat OCD and now you never hear about it. It was great, it helped me so much but I became so uninhibited and also at age 43 started drinking. Well that became a big problem although it was sure fun at the time. I got on the drug before I started a relationship with my husband and I told him if I ever have to get off Anafranil, our relationship would not be the same.
I was on it or many years and not only did it help my OCD it helped other problems I had as well. Several years ago, I started having seizures. Don't know why. I had to get off the medication because of the seizures. Things haven't been the same since. I have not found a medication yet that helped like Anafranil. Even being on the medication it didn't help the bi-polar. It didn't make me feel like a zombie, just the opposite. I don't take anything for OCD now because none of them I tried helped and I didn't like the way they made me feel. I miss the medication.