I have recently been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and I feel like every medication has been pushed on me, and honestly is that all that can help me? There has to be other ways, right? I don't want to rely on medications - I am afraid that I will miss a dose or go on vaction and be stranded without it. I am not a consistant person.
Are there any other options for people with Bipolar?
Hi Thejamesgirl,
Welcome to Health Central!! You will find there are alot of resources here on Health Central that will be helpful. While online sites are not a substitute for a doctor's advice, you can get information here that will help you ask all the right questions of your doctor. Only you and your doctor can determine what the best care for you is. You might also find some useful hints and tips here from members who live with the same issues that you do.
Since you are newly diagnosed, it might be good for you to read some of the information here. You might have heard it all before already, but it never hurts to read it again to remind you of things you want to ask your doctor when it's time.
First of all, there is a great overview for folks who are newly diagnised here. Then here are the basics of being bipolar, what causes it and how it can affect us. If you are seeing a doctor and have been prescribed medications, you can read about them here in the drugs database. Then if your doctor has discussed treatments, you can read about the various treatments available here. if you are having symptoms that you think might be related, you can check them here in the symptoms database. You might find you are having symptoms that you thought were bipolar that aren't. Likewise, you might find symptoms you didn't think were bipolar and they are!
Finally, there is a great community here of resident experts and community members. You can read about all the resident experts here. John McMaNamy is an expert patient and does a column twice a month from questions asked by people like you and me in addition to his regular posts. GJ Gregory is also a resident expert here who is a writer but also a caregiver. His unique outlook on life from the outside is helpful.
I hope you find something useful here. Please do stay in touch and let us know how you are doing. If you are having a good day, great!! Tell us about it! Perhaps something you are doing that works for you will help someone else experiencing the same thing. Likewise, if you are having a difficult day, let us know that too! Perhaps someone here has some advice that will help you get through the day.
Take care and let us hear from you!
Vicki M
Bipolar is hereditary, has surgically identified DNA & physiological components.
Therefore it runs in families. I have tried two prescribed (by different shrinks) pharmaceuticals. Neither worked nor was cheap. The best advice I've gotten came from relatives (and one treasured bipolar friend).
Sleep 8+ hours daily, use Melatonin or 3 oz red wine if brain too active.
Exercise to sweatiness 1/2 hour+ daily.
Talk to somebody or write to people 1/2 hour+ daily.
Eat salmon, walnuts, avocado, other sources of omega-3 fatty acid several times a week, and 6 servings highly pigmented fruits & vegetables or red wine***(to aid digestion of Omega 3) every day.
omega-3 fatty acid (NOT "fish Oil) 4 times a day. (For the "moods") Meditate daily
Hello! Hope you get lots of information here. Do read as much as you can, that helps firm up in your mind what kinds of treatments are out there. I am 51 and bipolar 2. I have tried without medications personally and for me it doesn't work. I get rageful and very angry. However my doc and I have found 3 meds that help me the most (I have seasonal affective disorder as well). The good thing is I am on the lowest dose possible for all 3 meds so I feel fine, alert and no side effects for me. EVERYONE is different so if you need any meds if that is what decision you come to it may take a while to find the right med.
In contrast I have a 21 year old son who is bipolar 1. He is a recovering addict and just out of a horrid destructive relationship. Let me just say he had not been stable from ages 12-20 even on 4-8 meds. Very ill. His p-doc kept telling him he needed 5 things to stay stable. 1) exercise-good exercise to get him really moving 2) good nutrition-dump the fast food and eat healthy meals with fruits/veggies 3) medications 4) good sleep, bed at a regular time and get enough sleep. Stop any mania where he wants to stay up all nite because he can get worse and last 5) STAY out of destructive relationships. IF you do the first 4 things and you are in a destructive relationship you will eventually decompensate and for 3 years he did that over and over. Once he left her and came home he got into ji-jitsu training, he runs, he lifts weights, he eats SO well, he is not dating, sleep is late but he at least sleeps 6-8 hours per night. the only thing is he stopped all meds for the first time in 8 years. I keep waiting for the "shoe to drop" but all those other things are keeping him stable for now.
So, I guess I would look at how severe is your bp, does it interfere in your life. If it is pretty mild then of course it is easier to manage. Try the exercise, regular sleep and all that. if it doesn't work you can always try a med then. It is a biochemical disorder so there may be times you need a med. If you are in therapy you can ask your t if cognitive behavioral therapy would be appropriate for you. You can also try some consumer type group in your town like DBSA where you can talk to people with bp. I go and find it helpful plus they now have a program emphasizing wellness which is about ? 8 weeks long I think. I learned a lot about what makes me trigger to get worse.
Mucho info but just take what you need and good luck!!! Pay
My mother had bipolar 1 & committed suicide & I had my first suicide attempt at 15. I am now 54. I take 6 different medications to treat my bipolar & my doc has told me it will be necessary for me to be on medication the rest of my life--with some adjustments as I do still have some cycling. Medication helps, but it is not a "cure." In fact, I had a major relapse about a year & a half ago when I was hypomanic for about 5 mos. & didn't report it to my doc as I felt really good & didn't realize how dangerous it could be. I was only sleeping about 1 1/2 hours a night & felt great! But then I had a sudden & dramatic drop into depression & overdosed & I'm still trying to recover from that & regain some stability.
My doc has also emphasized what the others have said regarding exercise, diet, sleep (I have a very hard time sleeping), stress, etc. She has actually told me that for me exercise is as important as the medication & to treat it as such--helps with my physical health, weight control (gained weight on meds), reducing anxiety, improves mood & hopefully will help me get some sleep.
Another thing that has been stressed for me & is quoted in the literature on bipolar is that therapy in combination with medication (if prescribed) is the best course of treatment. You need to examine your thought patterns & learn how to evaluate situations & people in a realistic manner. I tend towards paranoia, which the medication helps, but I've had to work on it in therapy as well.
So welcome to "the club that no one chooses to join."
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Here is the scoop,
The majority of people diagnosed with bipolarism do not take medications unless it develops into what is termed crisis mode. It is very much like everything else in life in that too much of anything even good things leads to problems. If you find that it is very hard to function, are hospitalized, doing thing that put you or anyone else in harms way and that also includes financially…medications are about the only thing going with the exception of ECT.
The scientific community has made great stride in the area of this illness in recent years and are getting close to being able to cure it. My suggestion is to just hang in there, do your best and take the medications if you find it helps. The other little known fact is that no one including doctors or hospitals can make you take anything against your will.
Thank you for your response. Everyone on this site is great.
The doctor I was seeing made me feel as if I could not survive without mood stabilizers - and I can't really accept that - It is hard for me to function right now, but I'm not currently in a crisis.
I guess I was just looking for a temporary fix, so that I can finish my semester at college - but I guess there really isn't a Band-Aid I can put on the situation, is there?