luckymom Posted October 8, 2015 Share Posted October 8, 2015 Please share everything/anything you can about Bipolar 2. Diagnosis for my DD has me heartbroken. Advice? Experiences? Stories? Alternatives? Meds? Please let me know. Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starr Posted October 8, 2015 Share Posted October 8, 2015 :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: I'm sure someone will have some info for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted October 8, 2015 Share Posted October 8, 2015 We have 1 with bipolar 1 here and one with Mood Disorder NOS. Alternative measures help but MEDICATION is the first line treatment and it is very important to realize that medication most likely will be a life long thing. The biggest issue with treating bipolar is that people take their meds, feel better, decide then that they don't need the meds (as they are feeling better), go off the meds, crash, and then when they restart meds it is harder to get that stability back. I would seek out a top notch psychiatrist, even if you have to drive 1-2 hours or more to find one. It can take time and trial and error to find the right med combo but once you do, life is much better. 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthwestMom Posted October 8, 2015 Share Posted October 8, 2015 We have 1 with bipolar 1 here and one with Mood Disorder NOS. Alternative measures help but MEDICATION is the first line treatment and it is very important to realize that medication most likely will be a life long thing. The biggest issue with treating bipolar is that people take their meds, feel better, decide then that they don't need the meds (as they are feeling better), go off the meds, crash, and then when they restart meds it is harder to get that stability back. I would seek out a top notch psychiatrist, even if you have to drive 1-2 hours or more to find one. It can take time and trial and error to find the right med combo but once you do, life is much better. Mood stabilizers were life-changing for my bipolar 2 relative. Meds + counseling and they are now leading a very stable, happy, and productive life. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mergath Posted October 8, 2015 Share Posted October 8, 2015 I think dh has the mixed kind of bipolar (different doctors always seem to have different opinions on that :glare: ) but for him, it's all about staying on the meds. Bipolar disorder is NOT something you can treat with a few supplements and some exercise. And like Ottakee said, the biggest problem is getting the person to stay on the meds once they find the right combination. At least a couple times a year, dh seems to think he doesn't need meds anymore because he feels great, tries to stop taking them, has a really bad week or two, and goes back on them. Substance abuse seems to be a problem with bipolar people, so that's also something to watch out for. A lot of them seem to like to self-medicate with booze or drugs. And a bipolar episode plus booze is not a good time, believe me. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlcricket Posted October 8, 2015 Share Posted October 8, 2015 Yes, meds are very important. A regular routine of eating, sleeping, etc is also essential. No caffeine, alcohol or illegal drugs. Most people with bipolar struggle with substance abuse. I definitely second the counseling. Our godson, 23 years old, lives with us and has bipolar 2. It is manageable. People with bipolar are usually very creative. Look for ways to engage the creative part of the mind. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrairieSong Posted October 8, 2015 Share Posted October 8, 2015 Someone very close to me has this. She does not take meds at this time but does have a good counselor. I would be happy to talk to you about it via PM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fdrinca Posted October 8, 2015 Share Posted October 8, 2015 Is your DD very attached to her manic periods? My older half-sister* suffers from BP. Emphasis on suffers. She is the poster child for "stay on meds, don't abuse drugs (alcohol and pot for her), and get a reliable routine." I have a sense her trouble come from being very failed in her late teens/early adult period as to getting the stability she'd need to manage herself *and* a life with others. BUT: she is very, very, very attached to her manic periods. It's the reason she won't stay on her meds. And the times when I'm particularly productive, I have a small taste of what it might be like for her, and I can see why it's a desirable feeling. *I say "half-sister" only because I pray the genetic component of her mood disorder is in the different branch of the family :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmyontheFarm Posted October 9, 2015 Share Posted October 9, 2015 Please share everything/anything you can about Bipolar 2. Diagnosis for my DD has me heartbroken. Advice? Experiences? Stories? Alternatives? Meds? Please let me know. Thank you. My DD was diagnoised Bipolar over a year ago. You will get through this. Here is my DD's blog: www.defyingshadows.com I found help from other parents here (this group is mostly Americans): https://www.facebook.com/groups/276692175692925/?ref=browser Because I'm in Ontario, Canada, this Ontario group was helpful since our health care system is set up differently. https://www.facebook.com/groups/332143846966104/?ref=browser Also, please feel free to message me. Just knowing that someone else is there to chat with will help. https://www.facebook.com/Amy.on.the.Farm 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Entropymama Posted October 9, 2015 Share Posted October 9, 2015 I think dh has the mixed kind of bipolar (different doctors always seem to have different opinions on that :glare: ) but for him, it's all about staying on the meds. Bipolar disorder is NOT something you can treat with a few supplements and some exercise. And like Ottakee said, the biggest problem is getting the person to stay on the meds once they find the right combination. At least a couple times a year, dh seems to think he doesn't need meds anymore because he feels great, tries to stop taking them, has a really bad week or two, and goes back on them. Substance abuse seems to be a problem with bipolar people, so that's also something to watch out for. A lot of them seem to like to self-medicate with booze or drugs. And a bipolar episode plus booze is not a good time, believe me. :iagree: My mother is bipolar and ended up a meth addict when she didn't have insurance for her meds. Thankfully, she got clean and healthy and is doing very well now. She lives a very happy and productive life. Meds are vital, but for her diet and exercise, a good support network and good routine are also very important. She has found that if she's willing to put the work in and stay on top of things, life is really good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luuknam Posted October 11, 2015 Share Posted October 11, 2015 How old is your daughter? Psychiatrists are very divided on childhood bipolar. You may want to consider getting a second opinion if your daughter is young (I do think kids can be bipolar, but mental health disorders like that in children are more complex to figure out than in adults, from what I've seen). Anyway, my wife has sort of bipolar 2, sort of mixed state kind of bipolar, and meds make a huge difference. Actually, she's just on one med (Depakote). But everybody is different... some people will thrive on the first med the doctor throws at them (my wife, though 'thrive' is an overstatement, but she does okay), and others need a combination of 3+ meds that's only found after a lot of trial and error. And yes, she was one of the many bipolar people who believed her diagnosis was a mistake, felt better, went off her meds, did fine for a while (during which time I met her), went back on meds, went off meds, and now is back on meds and is finally convinced she needs to stay on them. Also, there are medications that can cause mania (incidentally in normal people, but more likely in bipolar people). IIRC, they include prednisone, painkillers (some people claim OTC painkillers increase the risk of mania, others say it's just prescription ones), and SSRIs. Your daughter's doctors should all be informed that she's bipolar before prescribing medications. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted October 11, 2015 Share Posted October 11, 2015 Medications can make a huge difference. It will probably take time to find the right combination, especially when younger. Counseling is useful for learning how to cope. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeghansMom Posted October 11, 2015 Share Posted October 11, 2015 Bipolar 2 do not have mania, they have hypo-mania. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penny_P Posted October 11, 2015 Share Posted October 11, 2015 My dd12 was misdiagnosed with bipolar in May. During the appointment she pretty much just agreed to whatever the doctor asked her, but he also didn't require any initial paperwork by me. Upon doing research I felt that it was incorrect and spent a month waiting for an appointment with another psych. I never saw the manic side, only the depressed side, which became her new diagnosis- depression. Choose your psychologist wisely. My aunt is bipolar. She's been on disability for years because of it. Once legally changed her last name to Winn, because she was a winner! She's self medicated with alcohol. However, we have a close family friend that is bipolar that is a great dad and husband. He carefully manages his meds and goes to group therapy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie12345 Posted October 11, 2015 Share Posted October 11, 2015 I'm familiar with two people, both on and off medication. The tricky part is that both have been okay off meds... until they weren't. And, by the time they're not, it's difficult to coax them back on. When they're consistent with treatment, they're fully functioning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momof4babes Posted October 11, 2015 Share Posted October 11, 2015 My Dh was diagnosed over 15 years ago. He was under a lot of stress at the time, was abusing drugs, and alcohol. He had also been prescribed an SSRI by his family doctor. He stayed on his meds religiously for 4 years, and it was like living with a zombie. He was too scared to go off of them after what the doctor had said. Finally we halved his already low dose, and it was so much better. At this point now, he has been clean, sober, and off meds for 5 years. He's had no unusual ups, or downs since his original diagnosis. I would express caution, and seek a second opinion. It's nearly impossible to get lifted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luuknam Posted October 11, 2015 Share Posted October 11, 2015 Bipolar 2 do not have mania, they have hypo-mania. I know. My point was that certain meds can trigger mania, sometimes in *normal* people, and more likely in people with *any* kind of bipolar. ETA: And when I was describing my wife's bipolar, I wasn't saying that bipolar 2 is a mixed state kind of bipolar... I was saying that for *her*, she tends to end up in a mixed state, but I'm sure there are bipolars who never end up in a mixed state. She's never had a manic episode. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Elf Posted October 11, 2015 Share Posted October 11, 2015 I have bipolar 2 and am on medication. It took a few months to get the meds right though. I didn't like experiencing side effects so the doctor had to prescribe different ones to find some I was compatible with. What they do is balance my moods so I don't experience the highs and lows to such extremes. I am lucky that I am stable. I haven't needed to change my meds, but I understand that sometimes the body gets used to a med and it affects you differently. Then the doctor will have to find a new med or combination of meds. I dread that happening. I don't ever want to experience those highs and lows again. I also developed a good sleep routine. I turn off the tv or computer at 9:00pm and read. My doctor said it was okay to use my Kindle. Unfortunately, I have insomnia. Before being medicated it was super bad. I had to try several sleeping medications to find one that would work for me too. Without it, I wake up in the middle of the night and am wide awake for 3 or 4 hours. As others say, being consistent with the medication is so very important. I've wanted to go off my meds more than once but my doctor always talks me out of it. I'm very lucky that I have never gotten into drugs or alcohol because abuse of those things is very real for bipolar people. I absolutely hate this is a lifelong medical condition. My doctor tried to explain that it was like dealing with any other condition where meds would be needed. It's the fact that it's mental that bothers me though. I did talk to a counselor about it and learned to feel a bit better about it. I no longer have a counselor because we exhausted things to discuss. I worked out a plan for daily lifeskills and then all we did was discuss the same stuff repeatedly. But I'm still under the care of my psychiatrist. I see her every 3 months for a checkup and med refills. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Veritaserum Posted October 11, 2015 Share Posted October 11, 2015 My 15yo has what appears to be bipolar 2 (but that could change as she ages). I've seen unstable mood for many years. We've tried lots of meds. Some of them helped somewhat, but nothing worked well enough for full functionality. A little over two weeks ago we ended up in the ER because my child was in a bad low with scary behaviors. After two weeks in the hospital (intensive adolescent mental health), my child is stable and functional. We got rid of the anti-depressant, which was likely causing problems. We increased the mood stabilizer and added Abilify. The treatment program also focused heavily on coping skills and healthy processing of unpleasant emotions/situations. The days were highly structured. The combination of meds, skills, and a schedule are making a huge difference. I'm rather amazed, honestly. The right meds are a key piece to the puzzle. Coping skills, therapy, and such were ineffective without the right meds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted October 11, 2015 Share Posted October 11, 2015 Please share everything/anything you can about Bipolar 2. Diagnosis for my DD has me heartbroken. Advice? Experiences? Stories? Alternatives? Meds? Please let me know. Thank you. :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: It is not uncommon for people whose thyroids are out of whack (or who are undermedicated) to be diagnosed as bipolar. Has that been tested? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted October 11, 2015 Share Posted October 11, 2015 :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: It is not uncommon for people whose thyroids are out of whack (or who are undermedicated) to be diagnosed as bipolar. Has that been tested? I agree with this. Meds for bipolar are CRITICAL..........but a good psychiatrist will look at other issues and rule them out as well as some things can mimic or go along with bipolar but need different treatment. Our psychiatrist does blood work every year (more often if indicated) and she did an EEG on my daughter and other tests before starting meds. We found dd was anemic, had a bladder infection, had seizures, and was hypo-thyroid. Now, she STILL has bipolar and needs meds for that but those other things needed treatment as well and helped the pdoc determine the best course of treatment. For example, her mood stabilizer is also a seizure meds so we hit 2 issues with 1 med. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mergath Posted October 12, 2015 Share Posted October 12, 2015 My Dh was diagnosed over 15 years ago. He was under a lot of stress at the time, was abusing drugs, and alcohol. He had also been prescribed an SSRI by his family doctor. He stayed on his meds religiously for 4 years, and it was like living with a zombie. He was too scared to go off of them after what the doctor had said. Finally we halved his already low dose, and it was so much better. At this point now, he has been clean, sober, and off meds for 5 years. He's had no unusual ups, or downs since his original diagnosis. I would express caution, and seek a second opinion. It's nearly impossible to get lifted. If he's been off meds for five years with no bipolar symptoms, he probably wasn't actually bipolar in the first place. There are a lot of other conditions that have similar symptoms, as others have already mentioned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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