Hypomania and Depression: The Go & Stop of Bipolar Disorder

Today I have been thinking about the lack of moderation in the (my) bipolar experience. "Slow & steady wins the race," although a good policy for getting things done over time, is not something that comes easy to me.

Charlie Sheen (not confirmed to have bipolar, but certainly acting maniacal in recent stint of crazy-ass interviews), he may have, "One speed. One gear. Go.", but bipolar has "Two speeds. Two gears. Go & Stop."

Most of the time, I am either hypomanic and racing through life (ideas coming faster than I can act on them) or severely depressed and not able to function (depression feels like moving through an atmosphere of molasses...everything is slow and exhausting).

Thankfully right now I have some of the hypomania going and am accomplishing a lot every day, with accompanying feelings of anxiety and pressure, because I can't keep up with my mind. Hypomania is kind of like a bubble of frenzied activity that eventually pops.

How do you experience bipolar disorder? Leave a comment!

Today's Bipolar Stats:

• Level of Mania (on scale of 1 - 10, with 1=none, 10=practically levitating): 3
  
• Level of Depression (on a scale of 1 - 10, with 1=none, 10=can't get out of bed): 0
• Medication Compliance (0 = not taking, 5=taking some, 10=taking all): 10
  

I am recording my mania and depression bipolar data separately because I often have mixed episodes where manic and depressive symptoms occur at the same time.

This blog is for informational purposes only, it is not intended to be used for the treatment of mental illness. If you are having emotional troubles, please see a mental health professional, not a computer. 

My Current Bipolar Disorder Medications

I have been slacking on my daytime meds this week, and am having more problems with depression. I even have a little pill holder for my purse, so that if I leave the house, I have my meds, but it is not in my purse right now. *sigh*. I know better than this! Tonight I will make sure that the pill case goes with me wherever I go. Also started coming down with a cold yesterday. Seem like I always become more depressed when coming down with an illness.

Current Bipolar Medications I Am On: 

• a.m.: Wellbutrin ER 300 mg (have Prozac as backup, but have not been taking lately, and typically don't in summer, because risk of hypomania).

• p.m.: Seroquel 200 mg. Also sometimes take Ibuprofen pm at night 200mg.

Today's Bipolar Stats:

• Level of Mania (on scale of 1 - 10, with 1=none, 10=practically levitating): 4
• Level of Depression (on a scale of 1 - 10, with 1=none, 10=can't get out of bed): 5
• Medication Compliance (0 = not taking, 5=taking some, 10=taking all): 5
  

I am recording my mania and depression bipolar data separately because I often have mixed episodes where manic and depressive symptoms occur at the same time.

This blog is for informational purposes only, it is not intended to be used for the treatment of mental illness. If you are having emotional troubles, please see a mental health professional, not a computer. 

Medications That Manage Bipolar Disroder

...or, at least medications that finally manage mine. I am finally on a medication regimen that is working. Here it is:

AM

200mg Wellbutrin (bupropion)

PM

200mg Seroqul ER

and one non-prescription ibuprofen PM

Finally out of depression! A little freakazoid-wired and anxious (although almost completely off caffeine), but I am functioning. Currently I am able to:

• get up at some point in the morning
• take care of my family throughout the day
  
• go to work teaching college
  
• work on my blog and other freelance writing projects

BTW, What Not to Do: The other night (after a few glasses of wine, which I should not be imbibing with bipolar), I accidentally took my daytime meds instead of my nighttime ones. I was awake all night long. Then I figured out what I did and, at 5am, took a half dose of my nighttime meds and slept a little.

Now all was well.

Hope you all are out there balancing too!

- Moodie

This blog is for informational purposes only, it is not intended to be used for the treatment of mental illness. If you are having emotional troubles, please see a mental health professional, not a computer. 

Bipolar Disorder and Depression: A Patients Experience

I have been recently posting updates on The Manic Depressive Blog about my current quest for bipolar medications that actually manage the depressive side of my disorder. I was diagnosed about 20 years ago, and had a very long period of good mental health with Seroquel + various antidepressants on board.

This July major depression set in ... days in bed (or as much time as possible, while working and raising kids), random and copious crying ... It's been unrelenting, for four months! This total apathy for everything is getting old. Does that mean I am becoming apathetic about my apathy? Anyway, tomorrow I have another appointment with the shrink to continue trying to find an antidepressant that works for me.

I know that we are all unique in our experience of this disorder, and different meds help different people, but I am curious to know what you have used to successfully manage your bipolar depression.

Shouting out a "Help!" to my bipolar peeps. What works for you?

Mood-ie-meter

Manic 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 depresseD

This blog is for informational purposes only, it is not intended to be used for the treatment of mental illness. If you are having emotional troubles, please see a human mental health care professional, not a computer.

Bipolar Medications: A Patient's Perspective

Went to a new psych last month. He changed my meds from when I originally posted my bipolar medication regimen.

I was taking, daily:

- Seroquel 100mg

- Prozac 40mg

Also, had also been taking Zoloft, a drug that was never nice to me. The doc reminded me that Prozac and Zoloft work on the same pathway, so it is redundant to take them together. Plus...Prozac makes me feel happier. Zoloft makes me feel crazier. Easy choice.

My new daily combination of medication to treat my Bipolar are: - Seroquel ER 150mg

- Celexa 5mg (which I upped to 10mg because of continuing depression.) Still don't feel great, but out of the black hole at least. Not even close to what I consider my "normal". Bleh. I'll update as things change.

Mood-ie-meter

Manic 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 depresseD

This blog is for informational purposes only, it is not intended to be used for the treatment of mental illness. If you are having emotional troubles, please see a human mental health care professional, not a computer.

Biploar Disorder and Pregnancy

How should a woman manage bipolar disorder while pregnant?

Every woman is different, and should work closely with her OBGyn and psychiatrist, during and after pregnancy. Together you and your doctors can determine how your disorder should best be managed.

So I am writing about my pregnancies, not as advice for how you should manage your disorder during pregnancy, but in the interest of sharing experiences and information that could be potentially helpful to someone.

First Pregnancy (30 yo): I didn't know that I was bipolar at that time, although I had been treated in the past for depression. I do not recall which medications I was on, if any (other than prenatal vitamins), during my first pregnancy. I also don't recall if I felt any postpartum depression. I was going through a divorce, while my first child, a daughter, was a newborn. Then she was hospitalized at two months for a mysterious health problem that almost killed her, but from which she fully recovered. I think that I was just kind of stunned that whole first year.

My Second Pregnancy (37 yo): By my second pregnancy, I knew that I was bipolar and it was being managed with medication (Depakote for bipolar, Wellbutrin for depression, and maybe more, don't recall). But, my OBGyn and I decided that I would to go off meds for the duration of my pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Probably should have gone back on meds right after delivering. After three months of breast feeding, I really bottomed out, and for the first and only time in my life, went in for day hospitalization. The hospitalization was mainly helpful in that it got me in front of a doctor who prescribed Seroquel for me for the first time. It was a miracle drug for what a huge difference it made in my mental health. The hospitalization also gave me a chance to have my first group therapy with other bipolar patients. Very educational. Even at my worst, there were people way sicker than I was.

Third Pregnancy (39yo):

With my third, last pregnancy, I stayed on meds the whole time, and didn't breastfeed, because I didn't ever want to get as sick as I did after my second pregnancy. I was disappointed about not breastfeeding, but felt that I would be a much better mother by taking my meds and keeping my mental health, and that my baby, like many babies, would do fine on formula.

For an article on the medications I am currently on, see "My Current Bipolar Disorder Medications".

Mood-ie-meter

Manic 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 depresseD!!!!

This blog is for informational purposes only, it is not intended to be used for the treatment of mental illness. If you are having emotional troubles, please see a human mental health care professional, not a computer.