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Lamictal And Bipolar Ll Information

Lamictal And Bipolar Ll Information in Q&A

will lamictal show up on a school drug test? i just started taking pre ion lamictal for my bipolar disorder and i was wondering if it will show up on a school drug test. i want to know so i can tell them in advance so they'll know what it is if it shows up on the test. i go to an uptight christian private school. they do random drug tests and i think that i had to sign that i'd be willing to do the random drug tests when i signed the contract for school

Chris B replied: "Lamictal is not going to show up on a drug test unless they are looking for it. But they will not be looking for it because it is not a controlled substance. I would also like to know what school you're going to. Drug tests in schools are an unconstitutional violation of privacy. Unless you're participating in certain sporting events, then they can get around that. And even if you do get harassed about it, you have a pre ion, so you should be just fine. Don't sweat it. Good luck!"

Susas replied: "There are only a few drugs that school drug tests will test for. Lamictal is not one of them, because there is nothing legally wrong with taking it. The mentally ill are not targeted by the tests."

x_x_wonder_woman_x_x replied: "you shouldnt have any worries about it at all. shouldnt show up in the drug test, like the first guy said unless thats what they're looking for, and I doubt it, they're looking for marijuana, speed, cocaine, etc."

When/How Do I Take my Abilify & Lamictal? ? ? As Of now, what time should I be taking these meds? Im feeling drowsy in the morning and hard to wake up...thanks a lot I was prescribed seroquel but that turned me into a zombie like everyone knows...nows for my diagnosed bipolar disorder, i have been prescribed Abilify 15mg (cut it in half for another week) along with lamictal 25mg for another week...then it'll be 12mg of Abilify and 50 of Lamictal..

Andy replied: "That's not something I think that can be answered here. You'd have to ask your prescribing doctor how he/she wants you to take the medication."

Ms Cat replied: "You need to ask our doctor....... they should have told you when to take it. Typically if a med makes you sleepy you should take it before bedtime, if it keeps you up, take it in the morning."

Could this have something to do with my bad reaction to Geodon with Lamictal? I hadn't thought about this until just now. When I was diagnosed with Bipolar II the psychiatrist prescribed Geodon (80mg) and got me started on Lamictal, beginning with a low dosage and working my way up to a full one. After my reaction (which I'll get into in a moment) I read that people often work up to my dosage of Geodon. Could part of that be because the mood-stabalizing drug is starting off low, so it's important to keep them similar on level lest a person be flung into mania or something? I might be totally off...just curious. The reaction involved majorly excessive sleepiness, nausea, blurred vision, and after about 4 days quite high blood pressure and anxiety, dialated pupils and stuff like that. I ended up in the ER because I thought I was going to die--it was an AWFUL experience. Coming off of the meds was very rough even though I'd only been on them for 4 or 5 days. Should my Geodon dosage have been worked up to or was it probably just the wrong drug for me?

petra replied: "Ask your doctor all these questions. Geodon is a great medication for whom it works. Unfortunately it may not work for everyone. Since Bi-polar disorder is a chemical imbalance in the brain, the meds give for it are prescribed bny trial and error. You may go through several meds before you find just the right one for you. The good thing is that once you found the right meds for you they will work for you for a long time. Hang in there and let the doc know of any side effects immediately."

Bob R replied: "Just get yourself an herbal treatment. All that bipolar , tripolar & crap is a way to get more medications out and make money. They will affect your BP and you will end up having a heart attack or aiver damage. Relaxation, yoga, excercise(mild), eating right, taking plenty magnesium, and an herbal treatment is what you need. Bob.R"

medical bracelet for bipolar disorder? I take lamictal and lithium for bipolar disorder. They work well but if I forget to take them even for one day, I start getting seriously dysphoric and start having suicidal thoughts - which I NEVER have since I started taking meds. (I thought withdrawal side effects were't supposed to happen that fast, but I no longer believe that.) It's very disturbing and makes me worry what might happen if I were unable to take my meds for a longer period of time. Not to mention things like the risk of seizures from suddenly going off lamictal... I spend a lot of time traveling alone overseas for my work, and I've take to wearing a MedAlert bracelet there so that if I'm incapacitated for any reason, doctors will know that I need to take these meds. I also wear it when I go running. Sometimes I think maybe I'll just wear it all the time: it gives me a sense of security and (very important) reminds me to take my meds. Is this a reasonable thing to do? Do other people do this? Or am I overreacting? It has just been a long road to get this far, and I don't want to take any chances with my current, unfamiliar sense of stability.

David replied: "Of course it's reasonable. Anything you can do to alert medical authorities of your condition, especially if your incapacitated, is a wise precaution."

shekilledhim replied: "This is a VERY reasonable thing to do. It's for your own health and safety - you're definitely not overreacting if you get so ill when you forget your medications for even one day."

loveparkinson replied: "hello, i am bipolar affective too, and I believe that anything that stops you having the dark thought process is helpful. I have chosen to tell all my friends about my condition, and they will often remind me to take my medication. I think that you are being sensible without sounding patronising and totally reasonable, after all who wants to get ill, bipolar ill. My medication, Lithium and Citalopram are my lifelines to well mental health which I would not compromise at all. Good luck and i wish you all the best, but most of all thank you, as you have inspired me to get a bracelet (must ask CPN). Take care..... B"

Erin B replied: "Yes, definitely. If you want to be a little more discreet about it, you could also put a card in your wallet with your ID simply stating you are bipolar, and include your meds and their dosages and frequency. This could also save you from being arrested too."

legulize_it_420 replied: "FYI....Lamictal remains in your system for up to forty-eight hours so that's not the culprit. Lithium levels will vary slightly but will not travel below therapeutic levels (assuming you are at the typical .75) for thirty six hours. I put my meds on the toilet seat. It's the first place I go in the morning so it's impossible to forget. After I take them in the morning I put them on my pillow."

Bipolar and wanting to get pregnant? I am type 2 bipolar. I am on 100mg of Lamictal, 10mg of Lexapro, 1mg of Xanax as needed and I'm not sure how many mg's of Remeron at bedtime. I recently went off my meds for about 2-3 weeks due to loss of job, insurance, etc. I felt like I was loosing my mind when I was off these meds, I came to work everyday but I just was not myself. I went to my shrink to get s adn he actually said "I think u should go to hospital" due to the mania I was expirencing....On meds, I'm just fine as can be. What is your opinion on me having a baby? Do you think I I'll make it through a pregancy? I am aware that I can not take my s. I am also aware that I may pass this onto my child, my mom passed it to me, I still want a child. I am a 29 y/o professional with a long term bf. Throw me you 2 cents, please. BTW, I am gainfully employed and insured now. I lost my previous job because I live in Michigan (HA). Also, I don't want to get pregs tomorrow, about a year from now. Thanks.

Tara A replied: "WITH ALL DUE RESPECT i WOULD RECONSIDER HAVING A CHILD. UNFORTUNATELY IT SEEMS TO BE HEREDITARY AND ASK YOURSELF...DO YOU LIKE LIVING LIKE THIS? wOULD YOU WANT TO PASS THIS ON TO THE ONE PERSON WHO YOU WOULD LOVE MORE THAN ANYTHING IN YOUR WHOLE WORLD? Now is your chance to break the cycle. Being pregnant is stressful enough, but to be pregnant with your condition and not being able to control it could lead to alot of complications. Please rethink bringing a child into this world that will have to face all of the daily agonizing troubles that you do. You should know better than anyone that it's not a way to live, so don't make someone else have to live the same."

elsie replied: "I think you need to discuss this with your doctor. He was concerned enough when you were off for a couple weeks, let alone for 10 months or more. You may need to prepare yourself first. Perhaps you can try getting off the medicine again before you are pregnant to see if you can handle it. Maybe with additional non-medicinal resources (like more frequent visits with your doctor) you can stay off the scrips for a long length of time. I do wish you luck. I believe that there will be a way for you to be successful at becoming a mother."

Lacey G replied: "Go to your OB GYN doctor. Discuss this with them. As you know, bi polar isn't the end of the world when a person is properly medicated. I wouldn't let that stop me from having a child. Your OB/GYN can help you decide which medications will be safe for your baby. There are some medications you can take. If the two doctors work together, it's possible for you to get thru a pregnancy, I think. They are the experts. You probably won't do as well on different medications but you could make it thru if this is something you really want to do. There are always consequences for any action; sometimes good consequences, sometimes unpleasant ones. You know your situation and what you are willing to sacrifice."

sharon19833 replied: "Hi I know how you are feeling,I am bipolar type 2 myself,got diagnosed when i was 18.I too would love a child or 2 but being single and lack confidence in finding a partner it is becoming impossible!DONT be put off having kids just because it is hereditry!When i was diagnosed noone in the family had heard of it-it was only when my mam was having similar problems they found out she had it too-So she did pass it onto me!BUT i have 2 sisters and they dont suffer with any sort of depression,So dont think just because you have a baby he/she will become bipolar too!It could skip a generation! I cant say it wont be easy for you being pregnant and not being able to have the drugs to help you through it!But you have a long term partner and i am sure your family will help and support you throughout your pregnany until you can get back onto your medication! I wish you all the luck and success!x"

psychiatrist_in replied: "Heriditory does not mean that every member or every child born in the family will suffer from your type of mental problem. you may have your own child but under strict supervision of your treating Psychiatrist / Gynecologist"

tangerine replied: "I think you should really ask yourself if it's a really good idea to have a baby. For one thing, as you mentioned, bipolar disorder has a genetic component, so you run the risk of passing it on to your child. Not only that, but your doctor may suggest that you go completely off your meds during your pregnancy. If that happens, how would that affect your moods and day-to-day functioning? Also, you just mentioned that you lost your job and your insurance. Is it really a good idea to have a child during such an unstable situation?"

Kel replied: "I am also bipolar, but rapid cycling. Times when I've gone off my meds are like a nightmare. I also want a child, but I don't think I will survive if I stop my medication and my dose isn't even that high. If I were you I'd be concerned. Remember what you feel the baby feels. I don't think it's a good idea. I know that does nothing for your wanting a child. But since I am also in your place I know where you're coming from."

SportsGirl replied: "I agree with the posters above that recommended speaking with a health professional. Is a pregnancy out of the question, no. However, make sure that you are in a stable enough to undergo pregnancy & a child. I would talk to your doctor, but I assume one would recommend at least 6 or 9 months of being stable without hospital admitance before becoming pregnant, if not a year time span. As you know, bipolar is treatable & controlable. You don't have HIV or a life threatning illness of a similar nature. Please just make sure that you speak enough with your doctor to prepare yourself before the pregnancy happens. Enough mothers without mental problems struggle with their emotions and post pardum depression. Get all the facts together first so you are prepared. Good luck!"

Is quitting a symptom of bipolar disorder? I was diagnosed with Bipolar I awhile ago.. I'm seeing a therapist, on lamictal, etc.. but I was wondering.. is quitting ANYTHING a symptom of bipolar disorder? I can't seem to stick with anything for very long. I quit school all the time, quit jobs, etc. I get OBSESSED with quitting these things before I actually quit. I'll get a job, stay a few weeks and then sit and cry in my bed thinking about quitting for days and days. Is this just part of my personality or could bipolar disorder be making this worse? Will the lamictal help with things like this?

Rick replied: "Quitting in your depression phase of the disorder could feasibly by a symptom of bipolar. Especially to the extent of getting as caught up with it as you seemingly are. However, if your quitting both during the manic and depressive stages of the illness, it is just your personality and something you need to work on as an individual."

Levi Cristopher . replied: "It could be..People with bipolar dont have the longest attention spans. They tend to get bored and fed up with things quite quick. Thier tollerance level of things they find uncomfortable is very low. My mother was affected by bipolar and she was like this after spending many years getting fired from job after job because of the difficulties related to her bipolar. So to answer your question.. yes it is possible that this problem is related to the bipolar... You might consider talking it over with your dr and explain the feelings and thoughts that you experience before hand and see if maybe he/she can shed some light on the issue so you can figure out a way to overcome it."

puzzled replied: "I think that we might be carbon copies. If I plan to go somewhere, I make up excuses why I should or shouldn't go. Keeping jobs was never a plus for me. I too quit (in my mind first, over and over again) my jobs fast. I have trouble learning, unless it's hands on, and written down. I get bored too death even at the easiest jobs. Bi-polar for years and years. I'm now on SS/DI because of it. Good luck to you, and God Bless"

doug k replied: "Using good judgment has never been a strong point for most of us with Bipolar Disorder."

Fondy Shotgun 28 replied: "I am bi-polar, and I lost my job of 15 years because of my illness about 5 years ago, and as of right now I am having a difficult time with my present job because of my bi-polar + paranoid schizophrenia,hearing customers talking trash about me behind my back, or talking in code in front of me;all because I take my job greeting customers positively seriously.(I work at a supermarket.) All I try to do is to pray to Heavenly Father that this crisis,like all others, will pass with time... I don't know too much about Lamictal,but give it a chance to work. It usually takes about 6-8 week before any long-term medication starts to be fully effective. Also, keep seeing your therapist on a regular basis. That can help you out tremendously... but only if you let them help you. If you don't, the cycle will never stop-in fact, it'll pick up speed & fly out of control,and you will crash-hurting yourself, and possibly others along the way! I know where you are. I'm taking Zoloft for my bi-polar, and Abilify for my para-schizo disorder, and they've helped me, but talking with my counselor(and my wife) has helped me out the most. I really don't know where I'd be w/o Jim & Susan in my life! So keep taking your meds, keep seeing your counselor, and don't give up on yourself! Good Luck & God Bless!!"

Bipolar Moms and Moms To Be: How did/do you deal with bipolar meds while pregnant? I want to have a baby SO bad, but I want to go about this the RIGHT way. I am on Lithium and Lamictal (Lamotragine) and I'm a smoker. My first goal is to stop smoking! I'm going to thedoc in a few days to try Chantix. Hopefully with that and motivation I'll succeed soon. Next is the meds. I understand that I shouldn't take Lithium AT ALL during pregnancy, and that I can take Lamictal at small doses after the 1st trimester if the benifits outweigh he risks (I got this info from an OB/GYN when I got pregnant while on Lamictal. Ended in miscarraige at 6 weeks). I want to know your experience with meds while pregnant. Also, what did you do to deal with your bipolar without meds (or in small doses). My man understands what I'll be going through, but he has a 7 y/o son who will not understand. The last thing in the world I want is for him to be a victim of the ***** I can be while not on meds. Any advice or suggestions are appreciated.

meganx72790 replied: "I'm bi-polar! I took lithium and lamictal I had to be taken off of them as soon as i found out! My doctor told me to get off of the ASAP! it sucks the first month because of withdrawls. I was very moody, and like a emotional timebomb afterwards, I felt better than I did before I had taken them."

Bipolar Disorder...Questions? I'm new to this mental illness stuff, and I'm concerned about my diagnosis. To start, I'll give a bit of background. I was in a relationship for over a year "first love/fairy tale blah blah" and the guy cheated on me. I became depressed but didn't know it because I had never been depressed before. I began to randomly start crying and finally went to the doctor. I was put on an Celexa which worked great minus a 3month side effect (slept constantly), and then I began to want sex a lot and became irritable. I went to the doc to get the medicine adjusted and was then told i have Bipolar disorder type 2. He said that the antidepressant commonly reveals the disorder in people. After some switching up on meds and doses steadily increased, I'm now on Lamictal 150mg, and Welbutrin 150mg twice daily. I've been fine for quite sometime. But recently I'm having issues again. Can't sleep, panic attacks, irritability, and depression. I know it sounds like Bipolar but more information....I'm an extremely stressed individual. Full time student (18 credit hours) Chem major, Resident Adviser, I've got huge debts, and my hours were cut at my job. I don't know if I'm just unhealthy because of my stress load or if I really am bipolar...if I am why aren't the meds working?? I've been on them for 3 months now and have been okay. But now with exams coming up I'm a mess. Is there anyone that can give me any insight on this...especially people with bipolar disorder. Are you taking similar meds??? How are they working for you?? Does stress cause the disorder to flair up?

phillip b replied: "masses of insight resd on There are a few very important points that I would like to cover on the subject of drugs and research and treatment At present the system in England and much of the western world is this , all treatment recommended by the doctors should be tested and approved and quite rightly so. Obviously it costs vast sums of money to test and approve treatments because of the possible damage to people and the subsequent litigation costing millions of pounds. The point is this Where does this money come from to test and approve treatments? By far the biggest source is the drug companies. So take for example a researcher might go along to his local drug company and tell them his findings about this treatment he has been working on which is of outstanding value but needs testing further or approving, you might think they would be falling over themselves to know more right, you could not be more wrong. By and large only and I mean only treatments, which show the promise of good deal of a profit, will even get examined. Because they are in business to make a profit, not for serving the people. So many of the thousands of therapies which they see as having no profit potential do not get approved or even looked at . and thus by and large do not get recommended by your local doctor or hospital. You wont hear a word about them from your doctor in the main Despite The fact that some of them do have overwhelming benefits some, which have saved needless operations, needless amputations, needless pain and trauma, needless kidney failures and much loss of life. This will apply to any country where most research is being done by drug companies they would probably laugh in your face if you went there with a promising therapy which was so cheap anyone could get it. Do you really think they would invest thousands of pounds in any therapy which did not show the promise of good profit. Your local G.P/ doctor is not a researcher, do you clearly understand that in the main he is told what to prescribe . he does not even have the time often to look at research. In fact some G.P .s doctors have had action taken against them for prescribing simple supplements. They are in a difficult position in a way many would like to prescribe many different therapies but many feel they cannot for action could be taken against them. This does not help you does it though. In 2004 approx 5000 Beds are being taken up by people in the UK who have had adverse reactions to drugs. Some will die others will be maimed .A serious amount of suffering is taking place on a scale that makes some wars look like a minor infringement. That is a fact So Mr/Mrs patient in 99% of the time because of this system you will probably only get recommended drugs. Primarily because of deliberate government policy not to fund research into other therapies. Have you heard your local doctor recommend, Massage, Spiritual healing, Knieisiology Herbs, Light therapy, Colour therapy, Regression therapy, Osteopathy, Zappers, Magnetic devices, Electrical Frequency devices.has he mentioned detoxing , reiki, massage, colonics, enemas, sweat baths , accupuncture, tai chi, yoga, hypnosis.not to mention castor oil packs epsum salt packs etc etc. Has he ever mentioned the power of nutrition what you eat how much protein, carbo, vitamins, water you take in etc. Has he ever recommended a detox .. All of these have shown their inherent worth with thousands if not millions of testimonials. As you can see this system in its present state is inherently flawed, and is criminally negligent Until the day comes when most of the research and testing is done by an agency with no vested interests attached and a very clear agenda of being ive. Acting for the people. Printing and revealing all results good and bad. What also clouds the issue further is the fact that some of these drugs work well but that is not to say that there isnt something more natural better. Moving on to a more positive note .One of the biggest problems we see when giving this material is that a lot of people do not have good evaluation skills. They rely on a white coat, a hospital building, the sound of a persons voice to sway their thinking into accepting treatments when they are ill. Like lambs they are taken down so called drug healing paths some of which will lead them into untold suffering . Of course this is what some of these drug companies rely on the vast sums of money which can be generated are enormous. So as the wise among you will see a little investment in time over your health could be a very wise move indeed. So what do we recommend ---well we get very beneficial results doing these therapies .i am writing a book on this subject but here is the general principles Depression protocol Hi well I do quite a bit of research and practice the art o"

Mismobismo!(Alan Partridge Aha!) replied: "I'm not convinced you are bi polar, the drug can actually have side effects that look like bi polar disorder and what you are feeling now may be a side effect induced state Stress will make you feel unhappy and panicky Get a review of all meds"

Sasha replied: "well im not bipolar but i do know about it because my boss went through something similar. He is a 47 year old man, he was fine untill his wife stole from him and left him, after that he started going through weird symptoms like being irritable, angry, impatient, and i know this first hand because he took it out on me. well he went to see his doctor and he was diagnosed with being bipolar, his doctor prescribed his celexa and Lamictal...celexa was making his sooooo drowsy that he didnt even want to work, so his doctor switched him to lamictal and it seemed to make better but once it wore off he seemed to be worse. After struggling with several other meds and not finding a good solutiong he consulted with another doctor, and that doctor said he was not bipolar and that his previous doctor had misdiagnosed him. he told my boss that it is natural for someone to go through all these symptoms after what happened with him, and he said that having to work all the time made it worse. well i dont want to make a book here but my advise to you is to seek another doctor for another opinion, to see if you really are bipolar. You might just be extremely afected by what happened to you, some people handle stress and betrayal stronger than others, and some people have a harder time letting something go. regardless good luck :)"

sandra c replied: "My husband is bipolar and on meds. We found some great books on it that taught us a lot about bipolar disorder. By the way, this is a DISORDER,you are NOT mentally ill. It just means your brain does not handle stresses as well as another brain would. We are all different. Yes,extra stress will increase the problems of bipolar and you are under some major ones. Since you don't seem to have time to exercise, try to turn your brain to thinking of things that do calm you down such as looking at the stars at night,winning the lottery(ha ha) or just thinking of something funny. It CAN work.Also,see your doctor about maybe increasing or changing your meds. Go to a bookstore and get some good books on bipolar.Living with bipolar disorder" is a good one.Take a walk when you can,and at work,take a breath when you can and laugh with your customers. It is great for them and you. Good luck and great health. By the way,most important, "Don't let the stress control you,you control the stress!""

ros replied: "Hi Adam, If you truly have BiPolar its because someone has attributed you with certain behavioural traits - and maybe you were diagnosed by blood tests which gave you the classical indicators. However, you are still like everyone else. You have stresses, sadness, happiness just like the mainstream. Its better for you if you don't push the boundaries to extremes - and yet there are many famous bi-polars in history that have achieved great things because of their determined personalities. See how you feel after the exams. Most people with bipolar don't have a worldly physical reason for their mood swings. Good Luck in the exams!"

Cassie T replied: "I am not only any medications. I take Omega-3 every day though, which you can buy in the vitamin isle, and I find it does me a lot of good. They're only starting to do research on it, but it has a lot of potential benefits for people with depression and bipolar (obviously it may or may not help for you). Since I started taking it, I feel better than I have in years. Stress is a major factor for me. Negative stress (relationship problems, moving, medical issues, etc) tends to make me depressive obviously. But positive stress (I have a very fast-paced job that I enjoy) can make me manic if I don't make time to relax myself. I tend to get caught up in the rush, and I can get pretty wacked out pretty fast. You may also notice you have mood shifts according to the season, or in certain patterns. I would recommend keeping a mood chart so you can try to identify any trends in your moods. For me, a combination of diet, exercise, writing, self-awareness, and therapy in times of crisis keeps my life pretty much in order. I still experience mania and depression, but I ask for the help I need early on, which prevents it from getting as bad as it did when I was younger. I also try to channel my moods creatively, which gives me a positive outlet and helps me learn from my experiences. I am not closed to the idea of medication if I should need it, but I want to avoid putting that stuff in my body if I can."

Jenny replied: "i used to take lamictal, but i had to stop because it made me itchy (one of the side effects). now i don't take any meds and i'm off the wall. stress definitely caused more mood swings (screaming, crying, cutting, then depression)."

whatsianyway replied: "I have a mild case of bipolar disorder. I'm on Lamictal, and it does help me. The thing is, it's not a cure-all. Every time something stressful happens, my life is a roller-coaster. I'm learning to take on less responsibility and to tell people "no, I just can't do it now" without feeling like I'm letting everyone down. Because the truth is, you have to know for yourself how much you can handle. Sounds like what triggered your disorder was a ton of stress, and you're keeping a pretty stressful schedule. Obviously, a lot of this can be contributed to the stress level and you should think about cutting down wherever possible. On the other hand, just because stress is a factor doesn't mean you got the wrong diagnosis. I felt that way myself, but then I had really "quiet" times, when there wasn't much going on in my life, and I'd curl up and cry, stay in bed all day... I wasted my vacations a lot that way. So yeah, stress aggravates the situation, but the situation is there."

gardensallday replied: "You may or may not have bipolar - just because you got mild mania from an antidepressant doesn't mean you have bipolar - it means you got mild mania from an antidepressant. I would suggest a second opinion. It sounds to me like you are under too much stress and your meds still are working, or are unneeded because you don't have bipolar. I think you need to have your doc fit you in to his schedule and see if you can increase your dosage to 200 mg of lamictal or maybe a bit more just in case. If you do have bipolar, it will take you a long time to figure out how YOUR bipolar is - there are many genes that cause it, in combo, and it appears that everyone gets bipolar in a unique way. If there are other family members with mental illnesses, that makes it more likely it is bipolar (bipolar IS a mental illness, I dunno what that other person was saying there). For me, what happened was, I didn't get diagnosed, the bipolar steadily got worse, but I thought it was depression & PTSD from sex abuse I suffered as a girl. I ended up being disabled, after a few years in a PhD geophysics program. The drugs have not really helped me thru the years. My psychiatrist swears up and down that is rare, however, that almost all patients get significant relief eventually. Lamictal is the #1 choice for bipolar predominated by depressions, lithium is for pure manias, and depakote for mixed moods (agitated depressions). Most people add on other drugs. Stress is a killer. If you really have bipolar, or any other mental illness, you need to learn to manage stress better than other people. Learn meditation (guided imagery is good, or progressive muscle relaxation). For now? Breathe slowly. Be very aware of your breathing, consciously slow it down. Do that for a couple of minutes (not so slowly you feel like you are drowning). Bipolar is disabling for many people - if it does turn out that you have bipolar, you must avoid swing shifts and stressful jobs. You will want to keep options available in case you relapse a few times in your life (such as can't work for a few months). Some people can't work at all. You have to find out how it is for YOU, assuming you are diagnosed correctly. Only time will tell. Good luck to you!"

How can I cope with bipolar II? I have suffered from depression on and off since I was about 13 (I'm 25 now). Just last year, I was diagnosed as bipolar II. The problem is that I seem to keep having mood swings, even though I'm being treated for it. I am currently taking Wellbutrin, Lamictal, and vitamin D. I eat well, get plenty of sleep, and exercise 5 times a week. I have also tried several other antidepressants and fish oil. Nothing seems to be working, and I'm really getting tired of feeling this way. The depression and anxiety are particularly bad. Sometimes I feel like I'll never get better (after all, I've been dealing with this for over 10 years). I feel like there's no one I can talk to. I'm in counseling, but I can only afford one session a month. My parents are tired of hearing about it, and I don't want to bother my friends with my problems when they have their own to deal with. What should I do? Is there anyone out there who has experience with bipolar II and can give me some suggestions? I really would like to hear from a health professional, someone who has bipolar II, or someone who is close to someone with bipolar II. I could really use some ideas or even just some encouragement, because I just feel like it's all too much right now.

Beau Brown replied: "I have bipolar. I've had it for 7 years. I used to suffer from depression years ago (when I was 15) and I even tried to kill myself 3 times but failed obviously. I found the best way to cope is by talking about my problems to people around me family and friends. Keep in contact with your friends and family keep taking your medication. Don't come of the bipolar pills but when your ready you can come off anti depressants. I took anti depressants and I found they made me more violent. I used to be very violent and angry all the time and my schizophrenia I suffer from is worse then bipolar because I hear voices too. Try to get on the right meds with less side effects and try keeping yourself more occupied by working etc.. Working helps keep your mind off from it and just start there. These things just take time so start there and you have any more problems just let us know you can email me though me profile if you wish Ok."

spazzy replied: "i have bipolar 2 and have similar symptoms to you and what has helped me is the self help group i go to and still go to and now run. anybody that come will get real advise from people with bipolar and not the text book stuff from the professionals. the group is run by the mdf bipolar organization ( ) who also do self management courses which help you manege bipolar your self, this course helped my immensely. hope this helps email if you want more info"

Recently Bipolar II, how do i deal with life? hi, just recently I was diagnosed as Bipolar after my 3yr long depression got so bad, i went to the hospital for suicidal thinking. Anyway, i now know what I have, i can stop hating myself for not being able to control my emotions. like my family would like me to do. so thats good. Other than that its been really hard for me to not get depressed about the fact that I have this illness and have to be so carefull everyday and ot live carefree like i used to. its exhausting to say the least. Currently I live with my family that sets me off contantly and am looking for places to live on my own. Just wondering if I'll ever get my old self back and if i'l feel stable again? i was put on Lamictal and currently upping my dose. Probaly will be put on others soon. Does anyone have any ways they deal with their bipolar and can i recover, with meds offcourse?

~~Birdy~~ replied: "It takes years to "get used" to the idea of being bipolar. There is also a lot of denial to go through and finally, acceptance. You should feel stable again, but it will take a while. Be patient and stay positive. I am on Lamictal and it works well for me, but I have Bipolar I so I have to take other meds as well. The worst thing I had to go through was not knowing what was happening to me, so now that you know, that is a real big step to recovery. Good luck and God bless"

strongsister replied: "Wow! I think you are dealing very effectively considering that you are trying to digest this info about your mental state. You know what sets you off, and want to make life less stressful. Your 'old' self? As humans I don't believe we are stagnant. You are defining yourself right now by your illness. What I've found that helps is to remind myself what a trickster depression can be. It makes us forget that we can love, laugh, be social, enjoy just being. I let the depression run its course, but I also keep a close network of family, friends, and a great therapist and fiance. I know that Im lucky with all that stuff. But I would not wish the illness on my worst enemy. I also realize that because I have Bipolar, I am a better listener and friend to those who suffer. I bet you are too...we are just more compassionate when faced with adversity. I'm on Lamictal, and a few other meds, and I have some lovely, happy days...and then the dark ones. But the lovely ones come back. I assure you. Think about therapy. There are such broad spectrum's, but of course you need to air your worries. You have been diagnosed with a chronic condition, and you are grieving, and that makes perfect sense. I think you are pro-active. I've had it for over 13 years and its been a fight. But life is. You are doing well by figuring out what environments don't work for you. I can't be in a job that involves a hectic pace. It's too much. But I'm a singer lol. You will continue on your path to seek places of comfort. Only you can find those. I think you are treating yourself with dignity. So all the best. x"

peacelove replied: "God can help you if you let Him. You can have a personal relationship with God by saying the sinner's prayer below. God is our Creator, all-knowing, all-powerful, eternal, holy, love. God loves us and sent us His Son, Jesus Christ, so we can go to heaven if we know and follow Him. Forever means without end -- time on and on without death. Forever is what happens after we die. Either we go to heaven and be with God forever, or we go to hell which is very bad and painful forever. The good people who are saved believers in Jesus Christ go to heaven. The bad people go to hell. We need to know and follow God in this world to get to heaven in the next world. Jesus Christ, God's Son, is our bridge to God. Jesus died on the cross to cancel our sins. We need to accept Jesus into our life as our Lord and Savior forever to receive God's blessing and forgiveness plus go to heaven to be with God forever after we die. This is about being a born-again Christian. Faith in God is a gift from God. You can pray for faith in God. Just speak out and ask God for the faith to believe in Him and to follow Him. Some people find faith in God when they realize the beauty in the world is made by God. Evolution can't explain the world's natural beauty, for example, the parks in the world, animals, flowers, peacocks, sunsets, butterflies, rainbows, etc. After you have your faith on, you can pray a sinner's prayer to be a born-again Christian. This prayer is very important and should be said with a sincere heart and faith in God. This is the prayer: "Dear God, I know that I am a sinner and that Jesus Christ is the sacrifice for our sins. I have done the following sins (state these out) and I pray to discontinue these sins. I pray to receive Jesus Christ into my life as my Lord and Savior forever. In Jesus' name, amen." You could find a Christian church and try it out. I'm Lutheran and I like the Baptist churches. Some churches do a weekly Bible study group and these can be a fun way to make friends and learn about God's will for your life. God bless."

butterflyboy replied: "many people out there have bipolar and live normal lives some are married no one would know they were bipolar their condition is clinically in recession controlled by the medication they tack for the person with that condition some times there is a stigma attached to it.i would say try to avoid stress in your life and relaxation exercises really do help just live your life have as much fun as you can and dont focus on it to much.at the end of the day you are a human being not a second class citizen."