Bi-polar disorder.

[JanelleTaylor]

So I've been recently diagnosed Bipolar type II. Anyone else suffer from this disease? Any advice or ways to keep yourself on track? I've started taking Abilify and if I miss my dose, I sure feel it the next day. Obscene crying spells!! Oy vay.

[jwallbank]

My niece has BI-Polar disorder, there are times she has stretches where she can't even leave the house or go to work. I don't know if she takes anything for it because she just started a teaching job and has a wait period for medical but, as soon as she starts receiving her medical insurance she plans to go back for here medication. I don't know what she was on originally but, been on some type of medication before she switched jobs.

[kittyspams]

I don't know anyone except my mom's friend who has suffered bi-polar disorder but not type II.

Catherine Zeta Jones has Bi-polar Type II and recently, had to be treated for a couple of days.
http://m24digital.com/en/2011/04/14/catherine-zeta-jones-suffers-from-bipolar-disorder-and-was-admitted-to-a-psychiatric-facility/

[dawn21207]

My mom was diagnosed with bi-polar disorder quite some time ago..
I remember her staying up for 3 or 4 days at a time.. and just cleaning house like crazy

Although, at the time, I thought it was normal because it had been happening my whole life.

I know that she saw a therapist.. && now she has a couple friends that she keeps in touch with on a daily basis, and they help make sure she is ok.

[bradshaw25313]

my boy has been dinosed with bi-polar and one minute he fine the next he is very angry and destuctive does anyone have any suggestion on how to contol the whats going on he is on medicine for it keffor

[Ittai]

Well 1st of all am srry to hear that you suffer from  bi-polar! I was married to someone with bi-polar! So i know what it is and what people go through having it! Here is a link ttp://www.webmd.com/bipolar-disorder/guide/bipolar-2-disorder if you want or need more info on it!

[Bobbydragons]

My wife has borderline personality disorder. but you just have to try and control your mood swings..... and trust me its hard!!!!!!!!!!

[samrhett2]

I have suffered from bi polar II for over 20 years.  Mine mostly causes mixed bouts of anxiety and depression at the same time.  Not a good feeling.  Over the years I have learned how to cope with it and what medicines help and how to try to keep stress at a minimum.  I try to stay positive about it and often make jokes about it so that people will feel comfortable talking to me about it because many people suffer in silence because they are afraid to tell anyone.

I have always felt like I don't fit in the world that I live in.  Like perhaps I should have been born in a different time period, but the older I get the easier it gets to recognize when I am having problems and take steps to get myself back on the right track through medicine, activity, talking to someone or just taking it easy for awhile.

[celticstar]

I was diagnosed with bipolar 14 years ago.I'll tell ya,its been a trip.I took abilify once,doc took me off it to quick,every now and then I get really bad cramps in my legs.

[sarah_hollock]

Bi polar diagnosis was 6 months ago and it seems now there is a seriouse problem with my moods and when downs come im real down .

[charmaine56]

This is interesting.


Bipolar symptom
Symptom of bipolar disorder are characterized by recurrent episodes of depression, mania, and/or mixed symptom states. These episodes cause unusual and extreme shifts in mood, energy, and behavior that interfere significantly with normal, healthy functioning.

Bipolar Disease Manic symptoms include:
* Increased energy
* Severe changes in mood, either extremely irritable or overly silly and elated
* Overly-inflated self-esteem; grandiosity
* Decreased need for sleep, ability to go with very little or no sleep for days without tiring
* Increased talking, talks too much, too fast; changes topics too quickly; cannot be interrupted
* Distractibility, attention moves constantly from one thing to the next
* Increased sexual desire or high libido, increased sexual thoughts, feelings, or behaviors; use of explicit sexual language
* Increased goal-directed activity or physical agitation
* Disregard of risk, excessive involvement in risky behaviors or activities

Bipolar Depression symptoms include:
* Loss of energy
* Persistent sad or irritable mood
* Loss of interest in activities once enjoyed
* Significant change in appetite or body weight
* Difficulty sleeping or oversleeping
* Physical agitation or slowing
* Feelings of worthlessness or inappropriate guilt
* Recurrent thoughts of death or suicide

Bipolar medication treatment
A number of medications are available to treat bipolar disorder. The most common are mood stabilizers like lithium and anticonvulsant medications. Many people who have bipolar disorder keep taking these medications for years or decades after their last mood swing to stay healthy. This is called maintenance therapy. During a period of depression or mania, a person may need other medications, like antipsychotic drugs and sometimes antidepressants.

Bipolar medication and weight gain side effects
Obesity and weight gain in bipolar disorder patients are partly related to prescribed drugs with a strong effect by clozapine and olanzapine. Lesser but still relevant weight gain is caused by quetiapine, risperidone, lithium, valproate, gabapentin and by some antidepressants. Ziprasidone, aripiprazole, carbamazepine and lamotrigine do not seem to cause significant weight gain.

University attendance and stress
The rituals of college -- making new friends, studying until dawn, excessive partying -- can stress out any young adult. But students with bipolar disorder, or those at risk for the condition, are even more vulnerable in a college environment. Academic pressures, social concerns, and sleep disruptions can lead to bouts of depression as well as mania, the euphoric, revved-up state characteristic of bipolar disorder.

Smoking related to risk for suicide
People with bipolar disorder who smoke appear to have a heightened risk of suicidal behavior -- possibly because they are generally prone to impulsive acts. Bipolar Disorders journal, November 2009.

Having a family member who committed suicide increases the likelihood that patients with bipolar disorder will themselves attempt suicide.

Bipolar Disorder research
Prescribing anti-depressants alone to bipolar patients can trigger manic behavior and rapid "cycling" between mania and depression that could lead to suicidal thoughts.

Bipolar disorder, a sometimes misdiagnosed mental illness characterized by wide emotional swings, may be identifiable by chemical abnormalities visible in victims' brains. Detailed brain scans performed on 42 adults, half of whom had been previously diagnosed as bipolar, showed consistently different levels of five chemicals in areas of the brain that control behavior, movement, vision, reading and sensory information, they said. The Mayo Clinic study used a high-power magnetic resonance imaging scanner that had twice the magnetic field strength of scanners previously used to examine the brains of bipolar patients. Roughly 2.3 million Americans suffer from bipolar disorder, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.

Emails
Could you elaborate on the use of SSRI's and bipolar. 2 physicians (one a psychiatrist) told me recently that bi-polar patients should not use SSRI's - nor SAMe. I could not find this in your book. How about St. John's Wort?
   Both SAM-e and St. John's wort are strong antidepressants, and they can shift a bipolar person into a manic state, that is possible.

My wife has no sex drive at all and we are investigating herbal treatments such as Passion Rx. She has been under treatment for bipolar disorder for about 20 years and is very stable in that regard, and under the care of a psychiatrist to monitor her meds, which include Lithobid and Depakote. I suppose she should ask her psychiatrist first, but are you aware of any special issues for such patients with regard to herbal remedies?
   There can be unexpected reactions when herbal aphrodisiacs are mixed with pharmaceutical drugs. It is not possible for us to predict such reactions or possible side effects that could occur. Many herbs have stimulating properties, they can increase body temperature, and can increase heart rate or cause insomnia in high doses.

I suffer from bipolar disorder and take Geodon, Lamictal, Welbutrin and lorazepam to help my condition. I'm pretty sure one of the drugs is causing me to not have a sex drive. The drugs work well for me and I really don't want to change any of them. I was wondering if taking an aphrodisiac herb will help me even though I'm on medication?
   Sexual enhancing herbs are potent and could interact with the medications. With so many medications in the body it is difficult to predict the response to any sexual herb or formula. There are no easy answers when so many prescription drugs are involved.

I'm sure my son has bipolar disease, he has been diagnosed with depression, but the doctors hesitated giving him anything until he went to a psychiatrist, which he can't afford (no insurance) will taking the supplement fish oil help him?
   It is not possible for us to predict whether fish oils will treat his bipolar disease or depression, but fish oils do have a positive effect on mood for some users.

I have seen a few warnings against using rhodiola rosea herb if you are diagnosed with bipolar disorder. I’ve seen the warning on some labels and online.
   There are many herbs, when used in high concentrations, that can cause overstimulation, restlessness, and perhaps induce mania. Rhodiola rosea herb may theoretically fall in this category, along with ginseng, tongkat ali, horny goat weed, and others, but we have not seen, as of August 2008, any specific human research that has evaluated the role of rhodiola herb in inducing mania. As with many herbs that increase energy levels, it is best to use lower dosages to avoid side effects of restlessness and insomnia.