Living with Bipolar

[Akash75]

Hi ter, Im living outside of Australia. I have know about this website through my uncle who lives in Australia. I have been diagnosed with bipiolar disorder since 2010. Since than, I have been visiting the psychiatrist in my country. Several medications have been tried on me but nothing seems to comply with my situation. Almost every year I will have the depressive mood rather than the manic stage. Im stiil confused if Im on the right medication.  I have no interest in my daily routine. Most of the time I feel very tired and nightmares. If anyone could share their medication history, it would be such a grateful to me. 

Regards, 

Akash75

[NikNik]

Hi @Akash75

Welcome to the Forums.

Both the good and bad news is that many members have been in a similar situation with their medication. Often members talk about how much work and patience it took to find the right medication and dosage. While members aren't able to discuss specific medications or dosages (see more in the Community Guidelines), many members have some great tips and strategies they used while persevering to find the right medication.

Does anyone want to share their experiences?

Nik

[kristin]

Dear @Akash75

A very warm welcome to the forum! Thanks for your courge in joining the conversation and sharing something of your journey. I hope you will find it is a very supportive and encouraging community here, whilst also being very real about what it's like living with mental illness.

I have bipolar too (and complex PTSD), and have struggled with bouts of depression (mainly) for the much of the last 40 years; with occassional of bouts of mania - which for a very long time were periods that I thought I was really well! I am not medicated. Most medications either seem to not help at all or they make me very ill with side-effects. So I have had to learn to manage my condition without medication. This has been very difficult, at times I have tried meds and they seemed to help for a while then they had horrible side effects. There have been times when I thought I would end up in hospital or worse. Somehow I've got through.

Some things which have helped:

therapy - growing insight into why I have bipolar (self-diagnosed in 2011) and what helps me to be well

my faith - which helps me in knowing I am never alone however much it feels that way

accurate diagnosis, which gave me some "handles to understand and manage my illness better

a growing sense of purpose - in being able to reach out and encourage others with MI to keep going

self-compassion

mindfulness

seeing in the longer term things have improved, though sometimes it is hard to see - especially when I'm depressed

I hope some of this might help. You are not alone, and are very welcome here. I wish you well in your journeying, we are all on our own journeys. We have lots of common ground here. Feel free to browse or search on the forum, and be welcome to join the conversations.

Hope for wellness endures...

Kindest regards, 

Kristin

[Rosie]

Hi @Akash75

For me, medication took many years to get right. There were some that gave me horrible side effects, such as tiredness, lack of interest in anything and gaining weight. There were some that didn't sit right with me, but the one I am on now tends to.

It's kind of a case of trial and error, but its also lots of other factors. I think this one sits a bit better with me partly because I was ready to actually take it consistently as I wanted to get better. Although both the doctor and the pharmacist warned me about gaining weight on this one - I knew I had to get better, and I would have to try to remain physically active even though I felt tired. It's a challenge, but not impossible.

Hope this helps.

Rosie

[Akash75]

Dear Kristin

I am much happy to hear from you and also how you go about dealing with ur issue here. I have tried these methods many times throuhout the past 5 years but there is no improvement. I have done so much to improve myself by not falling into the depressive mood or manic stage but its happends at least once a year. With the depressive stage I have had so much conflicts within me and also people around me. I lost many good friends in my life and only those whos stay with me are my parents who understands my situation well. I try to avoid talking to others when i have my episodes because I really dont know what I am saying. In my country, the people are not aware or maybe I would say that they are ignorant over mental illness. Its a taboo and they always consider these people as mentally instable and should be hospitalised. They dont understand the ways to help them out or even liveb with them. I have encoutered this problem in my life until I was thrown by my dearest friends and family members. 

Sometimes the doctors do not know how to handle their patience. They prescibe medicines through their knowlege of the book but fail to understand the side effects of the patience who takes the dose daily. I went through this in my life whereby I have been treated in a bad manner by these psychiatrist. But what to do, I still need my medications on and need their supervision and treatment.   

[Snuffles]

I had my diagnosis of bipolar confirmed by a psychiatrist on Friday. I've been on two ADs so far, and one of them triggered a manic episode. It also caused extreme hunger and drowsiness, so I was glad to stop. My GP prescribed an atypical antipsychotic, but after looking at the potential side effects I decided not to take it. Then the Psych gave me a choice of two to try, so I'm giving one a go, starting on a low dose. Lets hope that list of side effects doesn't eventuate!

[NikNik]

Best wishes @Snuffles - I know that finding the right meds can be challenging. I hope this one works out for you!

[NikNik]

Hi @Snuffles and @Akash75

Just wondering how you're both travelling.
How are you going finding the right treatment?
Nik

[Snuffles]

Actually, I'm going great! Switching to bipolar medication has made a world of difference. The anti- depressants were never really effective. I haven't been depressed once since being on the new meds (though I am frequently a bit high) it's wonderful!

[Akash75]

Hi Nik....

Just to share my experience here with the bipolar treatment and how I'm going through it. In Gods grace I am given sebbatical leave to continue my PhD for three years. It started early this year. I am a teacher by proffession in high school for the past 17 years. After being diagnosed with BD I was not able to concentrate on my work and everyday dealing with students made my situation worst. My admin was not able to understand my situation eventhough my doctor gave a certified medical report. Now, Im on study leave and able to concentrate on my studies fully. I am not into any preassure. If I feel that I need a break, i'll just go for holidays a week or two. What I would like to share here the most is, not many peaople are able to understand what are we going through. People are always people and of course not GOD. So what I do is,  I seldom share my issues with anyone around. I keep on with my medications and do what makes me happy. Thats the best policy.

Talking about the right treatment, I am still on the modern medication on BD but very recently I have opted to Ayurvedic medicines as well. I trust that somehow in the future I will recover. Trust in GOD....