The most rewarding part of living with a chronic illness is gaining the true understanding of all the different types of symptoms - that way, we can know what we need to do to relieve it. It's like how the Eskimos have 50 different names for snow (which has been important for them to know, in ...
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So True
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Wednesday, September 19, 2007 at 02:06 PMre: So True
su1
Wednesday, September 19, 2007 at 02:46 PMBut yes, it is quite challenging trying to keep up with all the factors and symptoms & a lot of times, there's no way of predicting until you're already in the middle of it, unfortunately. My husband said it's like trying to predict the weather and not knowing for which city! How true!
Thanks for your comments!
Sharon
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G.J. Gregory
Wednesday, September 19, 2007 at 07:53 PMI've always said that self-awareness and knowledge of what is happening with me has been just as important as my medication in keeping me well. Great reminder.
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nurz
Saturday, September 29, 2007 at 04:55 PMLike you I also handle back pain and BP. What you so eloquently said about symtoms and their possible coresponding relief. Earlier this
year my PB and hypomania and thyroid were out of wack|! It took the doctor and me 7 months to balance them back again! My symtoms are so mild but go out of wack fast!| I embarass my husband alot! Me too! Thank God he can tell me when I am out of
balance too far. It is easier when I am the head of my BP tear-myself, husband and doctor!
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su1
Sunday, September 30, 2007 at 05:02 PMThanks for your comment! Yes, with both my back and my Bipolar Disorder, it feels like being on a tight leash at times. With time, I have learned better methods of managing both - for example, Pilates has done so much for my back pain (though the benefits really depend if you have a good teacher or not) & now I have a 'longer leash' with my back pain, thankfully. Still learned about my BD & it can get frustrating at times, but my experience with 4 yrs of back pain (at its worst, I could barely walk & needed 2 cortizone shots & now I can exercise very well & I'm usually pain-free) has taught me 'Little Steps' really do make a difference - so I believe we will get there eventually! Good luck with finding more relief for yourself!
I'm wondering what meds you take, since I heard Lithium can affect your thyroid function. If you are on Lithium, how do you find it? I am considering going on it very soon. I'm already on Lamotrigine & it has been very helpful (especially for the depression side) but because of its interaction with the birth ctrl pill, I thought I would try a lower-dose birth ctrl pill & already I notice a difference in the first month, so maybe I won't need the extra stabilizing help of Lithium after all...
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nurz
Sunday, September 30, 2007 at 06:39 PMI have been on Lithium for some 20 years. The Thyroid off and on, but on for the last 10 years! I have lab work for both Lithium and Thyroid and these keep me balanced. I usually kn ow when I am off, suttle changes and my husband is good about letting me know when I am off kilter! MY Lithium level is normally 0.9 to 1.10. Although norm is .6-1.4! Lithium has a very shallow window to toxicity. I have been toxic twice! I am also Hypomanic! I am so cranky, lirritable, gritchy and sarcastic! In short I am ugly! I did find a book that can outline your symtoms when you are off kilter as LI call it. It helped my husband, and I , a few friends and the doctor.
The Bipolar Workbook tools for controlling your mood swings by Monica Ramirez Basco, PhD I got mine at Barnes and Nobel for $19!
This helped my husband to input what he sees, usually what I can't. See, I react very suttlely. If I am not daily aware, I go out of kilter FAST! You already know yourself and quite well I might add with your back. Will write more on my back later, it is screaming at the moment! Time for the heating pad.
Nurz
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su1
Monday, October 01, 2007 at 10:43 AMGreat, I have ordered that book from the library. I noticed it was written very recently, in 2006, which is always good. I actually read one of her other books, called "Never Good Enough: Freeing yourself from the chains of perfectionism". Found it to be quite good, if perfectionism is an issue for you.
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Hi,
What you say makes total sense. Sometimes we have to slow down and analyze the symptoms we are having to see exactly where they are coming from. Medication, the illness, or a specific other problem can all lead to symptoms that can baffle the mind if you don't take time to learn specifically what is causing them. We all know that this can be tough at times especially when the mania sets in and we can't slow down or concentrate enough to figure it all. However, as you suggested, we can try to help ourselves by trying to find the source. I am going to try to write stuff down when I am having something going on and then hope that I can go from there to find a way to reduce it. I was having the most horrible nightmares and couldn't figure out why. This has contributed to my lack of sleep. Yesterday my doctor suggested that I stop taking the Lamictal at night and just increase it during the say. He said vivid nightmares and dreams can be a side effect of the medication. I am willing to give this a shot to see if they go away. If it works, it will be one symptom that I can control. I know when everything gets all jumbled up and more than one symptom is present at the same time, it is very difficult to figure out what is going on so we do have to slow down and try to think. I like the suggestions you have given about giving thought to those specific symptoms and how we might be able to help ourselves by doing certain things. Very good thoughts for the mind and body. Glad you posted your ideas.
--Mary Lou--
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