I was recently diagnosed with bipolar disorder in late may and since then (and before) i've had a hard time coping. There is no one really to talk to around here, i live in a very closed-minded area. I just graduated from high school and i have to put off college for a year because my bipolar is so bad. I take lithium and it doesnt seem to be working at all. Anyway.. i've spent a lot of time making this website in an attempt to distract myself from my thoughts.. and i dont think hardly anyone has visited it. So i guess i thought maybe bipolar people would want to read it more than other people would and i figured i would post it in case anyone is bored enough to read it..
if you have any comments or suggestions feel free to sign the guestbook
thanks! and if anyone else has any sites of their own i would love to see them
Hi Kt
I'm sorry you're having such a rough time of it. It always takes some time for meds to take effect and Drs. don't necessarily get the meds right on the first try. There is alot of trial and error involved. Lithium is effective (usually) and cheap but it doesn't work for everyone. It's possible that you may end up with a med change. Theres sometimes alot of that in the beginning. Everyone reacts to the meds differently so what works for one doesn't always work for someone else. Often it takes more than one med to get the disorder under control. Don't let yourself become discouraged by all this. It's all part of the road to stability.
Hang in there. This is a great place for support.
Take Care
Ellie
Good judgement comes from experience and alot of that comes from bad judgement.
Unknown
Hi Kt: I also have been recently diagnosed with bi polar (April, 2006) I am on geodon, a fairly new med and I have had excellent results. I started out on topamax but it made me stupid and I couldn't function at work with the med or without it! I had to drop out of school because of my bi polar and I am just now feeling like I can get back into it. There was a time when I thought I would never feel good ever again and what a downer that was. Ellie is right, you just have to try a few different meds before you find the one that is right for you. Make sure you have a psych doc who listens and will try you on something different. Sometimes YOU have to take the initiative and tell the doc you can't tolerate the side effects or the med isn't working. I have learned that psych docs don't say a lot so you have to! Best of luck...Lazy
Hi Kt,
I'm sorry you've not got people to talk to where you live -- but lots of people here who you can talk to, and who *do* understand. The others are right about the meds taking a while to really kick in (I've read it can be up to 12 weeks). Maybe make yourself a log for each week, so that you can jot down how you've been, what symptoms, etc., for that week. Then you can review and see if there are any small changes that mark improvement (or not!). That'd be a good thing to take to your doc too if you want to discuss whether or not a chage to different meds would be better.
I've been reading up on meds for bp recently, and, whereas lithium used to be the only thing to take, now there's so much more out there. You also want to make sure that your prescribing doc is "up" on more recent developments in medication for this condition, or is willing to explore them.
I'll certainly visit your website!!
Rosie x
Hello again Kt. Just reading your site -- wow, it's brilliant -- and such a constructive thing to do. I have bookmarked it already, because I just know that I will learn a lot from what you write there -- all the stuff you can't learn from official studies -- and I really think this will help me in understanding and supporting my ex (who's in the process of being diagnosed but pdoc has already indicated that one of the forms of bp is likely). So a huge *thank you* to you.
I've just got to the bit about you wanting to learn how to blow glass. I think you should make it your mission over the next few days to find somewhere for you to do this. -- I await images of your creations!!!
Looks like actually your doc is very good, and I'm sure will be more than happy to discuss your anxiety about the lithium with you. And you're already doing the journal thing, so in fact you're miles ahead of the advice I gave!!! Well done you!!!
Thanks again Kt.
Rosie x