Health Expert Marcia Purse shares health management news and commentary at HealthCentral.com. HealthCentral.com is one of the top health destinations on the Web, with more than 35 condition-specific, wellness and general health Web properties. http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/687619/index http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/687619/rss self application/xml en-us 15 120 19 http://www.healthcentral.com/images/hc_logo_sm.gif http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/687619/index http://www.healthcentral.com/bipolar/c/687619/153438/bipolar-symptoms Thu, 31 May 2012 16:41:17 -0400 Marcia Purse The onset of bipolar symptoms can happen at almost any age. In nearly two-thirds of patients, symptoms leading to a Bipolar I diagnosis appear between the ages of 20-35, tapering off after that. Patients diagnosed with Bipolar II were found to have their first symptoms spread over a wide age range, with more than 10% appearing after age 50.   Since the publication of The Bipolar Child by Papolos and Papolos more than ten years ago, it's... http://www.healthcentral.com/bipolar/c/687619/153438/bipolar-symptoms http://www.healthcentral.com/bipolar/c/687619/153424/body-mind-mood Wed, 30 May 2012 22:26:00 -0400 Marcia Purse A month ago I was in my psychiatrist's office talking about my depression. It was bad, and we decided to add Wellbutrin to my medication cocktail.   There was a glitch with the prescription, though, and I didn't even get a chance to pick it up. The next day I was transported by ambulance to a hospital emergency room, passing blood from ischemic colitis and feeling pretty damn awful. I was there for most of five days, hooked up to IV fluids... http://www.healthcentral.com/bipolar/c/687619/153424/body-mind-mood http://www.healthcentral.com/bipolar/c/687619/153378/hypomanic Tue, 29 May 2012 14:13:00 -0400 Marcia Purse It was 18 years ago, and I had hit bottom. Paralyzed by depression, ridden with guilt over being unable to get out of it and suffering high anxiety because of the guilt, I told my counselor that I really didn't know what to do. Over the years I'd developed a slew of tricks to get myself moving again - but this time they'd all failed. I was in trouble at work, too. She asked me if I thought it was time to try antidepressant medication, and I... http://www.healthcentral.com/bipolar/c/687619/153378/hypomanic http://www.healthcentral.com/bipolar/c/687619/153332/things-depressed Sun, 27 May 2012 16:52:00 -0400 Marcia Purse This is for mild to moderate depression, not severe. That's where I am right now, and I've been running into things that keep me from doing things that will improve my mood - like housecleaning and washing my hair.   1. Don't look in the mirror! This is huge. Even if you're absolutely gorgeous - and how many of us are? - you won't like what you see. There will be circles under your eyes, your face may be sagging, your hair a disaster, your... http://www.healthcentral.com/bipolar/c/687619/153332/things-depressed http://www.healthcentral.com/bipolar/c/687619/153310/prescriptions Sat, 26 May 2012 17:01:00 -0400 Marcia Purse A study at the Penn State College of Medicine says that "reducing the non-FDA-approved use of antipsychotic drugs may be a way to save money while having little effect on patient care." The researchers determined that 57.6% of antipsychotic prescriptions were for illnesses other than schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.   While the study itself may go into greater detail, the article talking about it seems to me to be kind of misleading.... http://www.healthcentral.com/bipolar/c/687619/153310/prescriptions http://www.healthcentral.com/bipolar/c/687619/153202/depression Tue, 22 May 2012 16:29:00 -0400 Marcia Purse What a year. I've had two serious illnesses and a significant depressive episode. I think once my body recovers from the second illness my mood will improve significantly, because I had one day - just one - when I felt really good physically, and was happy all day. Unfortunately, the amount of work I was able to do that day led to exhaustion for the three days following. I'm not well. My body needs more time - probably another 3 weeks. In the... http://www.healthcentral.com/bipolar/c/687619/153202/depression http://www.healthcentral.com/bipolar/c/687619/152534/notes-hospital Mon, 30 Apr 2012 16:28:00 -0400 Marcia Purse Thursday night I started into an attack of what turned out to be colitis, which is very nasty indeed. Friday morning I called for paramedics, then spent hours in the ER before being admitted.   I keep a file on my computer listing all my medications and supplements, when I take them, and how much I take. But just the day before I'd been given 3 new prescriptions for other conditions, and I hadn't added them to the document. So I just threw... http://www.healthcentral.com/bipolar/c/687619/152534/notes-hospital http://www.healthcentral.com/bipolar/c/687619/152529/tested-bipolar Mon, 30 Apr 2012 13:52:00 -0400 Marcia Purse A reader told me he had been reading up on bipolar disorder and felt he had all the signs. He said, "How can I get tested for bipolar?"   At this point there's no medical test for bipolar. It sure would be nice and handy if someone could do a blood test or a throat culture but... it's not that simple. In the future a blood sample may be used to run genetic tests. Brain imaging scans such as MRIs and PET scans show promise.   But right... http://www.healthcentral.com/bipolar/c/687619/152529/tested-bipolar http://www.healthcentral.com/bipolar/c/687619/152514/depression-post Mon, 30 Apr 2012 08:03:00 -0400 Marcia Purse If I were to put up a post-it note every place a job is neglected during a bipolar depression, I think my home would quickly be papered with them.   The first three: brush hair. Brush teeth. Wash face. Oh well, I'll have to do those later. Let's see if I can't do better in the bedroom.   Well, no. No clean underwear means we stick "do laundry" on the hamper. I barely notice anymore that there are two empty bags of cat kibble on the... http://www.healthcentral.com/bipolar/c/687619/152514/depression-post http://www.healthcentral.com/bipolar/c/687619/152302/meds Sun, 22 Apr 2012 17:38:00 -0400 Marcia Purse Cheryl's question: "I have suffered from depression my whole life and have been on the meds and finally lithium carbonate. Will I ever be able to get off this type of med?"   Major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder are lifelong illnesses. While some people have found it possible to live well without medication, I don't personally know any, and people who stop taking meds generally begin showing severe symptoms before... http://www.healthcentral.com/bipolar/c/687619/152302/meds