my interesting day.

By rubber duckie Tuesday, April 21, 2009

- A
- A
- A

i am very tierd today. i have slept somewhere around 4 four in 4 days. my doctor gave my sleeping pills but it seems like something always keeps me from taking it. not to mention my boyfriend has me all stressed out. my stomach is in knots, i went to the doctor last week they did blood work as always. then they reduced my medication and stopped my OCD medication (it wasnt doing anything for me) when i go back to the doctor they are supposed to give me a different medication for it. and let me say i am ready for that. well i have to go to class so im done talking.

has this happened to you?

Comments (7) | Add comment

ctrygirl

4/21/09 4:56pm

you need to remember nothing is more important than your health honey.

You can't function at your best at class, nor in concentrating or focusing on anything to your fullest ...especially when off medications AND SLEEP DEPRIVED>>>

oh that is SUCH a big thing for bps , and a very big struggle for almost all of those i know with the disorder.

I of which am one.....I too have gone literally days on 3 to 4 hours TOTAL sleep so i know exactly where you are coming from.

MANIA is a huge part of your drive at this point and it really is delusional thinking to believe that you can continue in that state of mind. I can NOT believe that the pdoc took you off your meds AND didn't replace any of them at all for you.

How long until your next visit? Do you keep a sleep journal?? or a mood journal??? Anything you can document what is going on at this time, i keep one monthly, every day at end of day i write down ins and outs and if took meds and monitor mood (helps my pdoc who actually READS it for it is kinda in a chart form) (helps my therapists to know the coping skills i need to incorporate and things i need to talk about)

for trust me, come time to face the doctor we can NOT remember everything we NEED to tell them

...this not sleeping is definetly something that needs addressed

...I can't believe they didn't give you an optional sleep med just because the first one didn't work!!! I think you need to call them or go to a new pdoc personally, and that is just my opinion, yet i know of NOT ONE that would let sleep deprivation go without help of some kind.....even if only verbal advice on ways to achieve sleep!

I'm so sorry that happened to you.

Sometimes meds just stop working or just don't work on everyone the same way...I personally was on 63 different kinds of medication in a 3 year period...for i'd start with one and it may work or work opposite of what is supposed to, or it would stop working after a few months and have to be changed either in milligram or in kind, my pdoc calls it medication resistant(still dealing with that but must realize that is the way it is with my system and take the meds after becoming knowledgable on them KNOWLEDGE is a biggie)

....it is possible that they just gave you a sleep med that wasn't meant for your system..perhaps they need to increase the dosage or change the type?

I don't understand why after the blood test they cut it all out......was there something that was in the blood from self medicating that you didn't share...that's okay if so...just asking for that makes no sense you don't test BP and mania and sleep deprivation through blood work...ya know.
Honey, all I can offer is get to a doctor and SOON and take that as your PRIORITY not time schedules and things you have planned to do....YOU have to be healthy to do any of those things, at least stable.....

I know i sound harsh, but i'm worried about you and so been there, too many times to not be worried for you....

know that you are going through so much right now, therefore you need something to get you through it, and that doesn't include an environment of dissention with the boyfriend either honey. Sorry but that only makes the situation worse....

you must find time to take your meds and take care of YOU that isn't selfish it is self preservation.

KNOW we are all here for you, you're on the best site ever....and we do care....

TAKE CARE and let us know how you are,

with great concern and prayers,

ctrygirl

rubber duckie

4/22/09 10:28am

the blood test were for some issues i have been having with the bp medication. they did the test to determine if it was my medication causing me to have little sleep, stomach aches, migraines, and other sympotoms. if they ruled out the medication they would know that it is from to much stress and anxiety. i go to a new pdoc on may 4th and i am going to start a new couinciler soon also.... being as mine helps me in no way at all. i keep a daily journal/chart. i have a chart that i fill out and then i write about the day. the difficult part is remembering to do it. i did good for a week or two on writhing in it everyday.... tonight i have to catch up on the last few days.

thank you for keeping me in your prayers.

take care.

tabby

4/22/09 7:49am

Sleeping only 4 hours within 4 days - well, isn't real swift for someone with Bipolar.

I get that after having bloodwork that a doc may want to discontinue a med and exchange it for another. Often times, in order to do this, they reduce you down to a point or completely... before they start titrating you up on another. In the meantime, you will go through a transitioning phase and well... sometimes, those aren't too pleasant.

You are basically losing the drug your brain has been living off of and then replacing it with another the brain has to get used to - before it may or may not accept it for residency and live off of it. While the brain is basically losing a tenant and gaining a new one.. it sometimes can throw fits.

If your pdoc prescribed sleeping meds (according to your post) and you are choosing to not take them... then you are setting yourself up for the hypomanic/manic symptoms you may or may not be experiencing. If you are also experiencing stressors and triggers or perceived stressors and triggers (ie., bf, school, etc..) then not sleeping or sleeping only barely - will make the issues you may find more pronounced.

I get that we would all love to feel the good energy and rush of having the hypomania/mania to return. Yet, if it is causing dysfunctioning in your life and in your relationships with others... you really may need to re-think the not taking the sleep med if your doc actually prescribed them to assist you.

If things get worse, symptom wise - you might want to consider calling the doc before your next appointment. Just a thought.

rubber duckie

4/22/09 10:36am

i have been takinkg the sleeping meds. its hit and miss when they actually work. for example i took it last night, i was up till around 12:30 when i finally went to sleep i was rolling over and changing pillows all night (i have a bit of an issue with the pillows i am currently using). yet two days ago when i took it i woke up in the middle of the night and couldn't even tell you my own name if you ask. i am a very light sleeper so this is not the usual for me. i did bloodwork becuase i have been having migrains, stomach pains, and other "symptoms". by the doing the blood test the doc discovered that the cause of those sympotoms was a combination of medication and to much stress and anxiety. i take my medication as i should, i know without it i will be a wreck.

tabby

4/22/09 11:00am

hopefully they can figure out some meds that won't cause any of the physical side effects

I am quite aware of meds causing adverse effects for which can sometimes be quite dangerous.

In your post you had said that, or alluded to, you had been prescribed the sleeping meds but couldn't get yourself to take them so, I'm glad that you've been trying to. Unfortunately, they do often times - like ADs - don't work especially if the anxiety is more prevalent than the sleep issue itself.

even though your appointment isn't until May 4th and that isn't too terriably far from now... if things worsen, I know you won't have trouble calling the doc beforehand.

wishing you luck!

Janise

4/25/09 6:50am

Last May i went to see my psychiatrist, a newbie from university i since discovered, and she decided i should cut my meds completely in order to have bloodwork done. This was one day after my sister had been found murdered, but she still thought it was ok to have me without my meds. i was so angry, but didn't make a fuss. I couldn't sleep, and found that i could go for four straight days without sleep, which didn't help my moodswings. I finally got a new doc around three months later and she was very angry that this previous doc had left me with nothing in a time of considerable distress. I got mood stabilisers and sleeping tablets, and although my moods are very stable, my sleeping tablets take longer to work now. I am still awake for up to six hours after i take them. I'm still suffering from unexplained stomach pains and migraines, and i don't know if it's down to meds or jist a part of being Bipolar. I don't know what my next steps should be as i'm still quite new to all this. Does anyone know what i should do next?

rubber duckie

5/ 1/09 10:34am

well i have been to the doctors and there is still no concrete reason for my migrains and stomach pain. always always good for you to explain to your doctor how your feeling. that way they will know if it's something they can help with. my sleeping medication works one day but not the next. its a hit and miss kind of the thing for me. and they can absoultly do blood work while you are medicated!!!! thats how its supposed to be done! to check you levels and what not! i do it all the time. they never take me off meds to that. it's good that you found another doctor. what to next, well all i can tell you is to tell your doctor. other than that i don't know what to tell you. sorry.

good luck with everything.

my interesting day.

Ask a Question