i am a 23 year old single mom with my own medical problems and we found out that she was bipolar in may and she is still in deep depression and they have not got her meds figured out and she is now at the point that she can not function at all on her own i am at my wits end with all of this i don't know how much more i can take if any body has any suggestions about how i should handle all of this please let me know i don't want to put my mom in a mental hospital but i am at the point that i think i might have to.
Paula
Oh, sorry to hear that. She was just dx in May? What type of meds is currently on? Is she suicidal? Does she see a psychiatrist, a therapsit? I really think it is kinda early to institutionalize, BUT I do not live with her. If she has not shown any signs of improvements from any medication, something else has to be going on. I am only going by the info. you wrote. Can she physically not function as well? I guess I kinda need a little more info. Really she needs something, if she still is thst severly depressed, adjustments to meds, or maybee she neeeds to e admitted for her own safety. This might need to be answered by the nurses. ( pyschnurse and nrs2b) Can't forget their names either, it's the same Shannon. They probably would be more informative. I am soory to hear that, this can be an " ugly" illness. Nickie
Hi, pboathouse,
I'm so sorry this is happening. It's not typical for bipolar symptoms to show up so late in life; it's a disease that we're born with, it doesn't just develop. Usually signs are in childhood, teens and early 20's.
I really need some other info. I understand she's depressed and can't function, that is defo one side of it. But in order to be diagnosed bipolar, the patient has to have had at least one manic or hypomanic episode lasting more than 4 days, otherwise it's clinical depression.
Here is a list of the symptoms of mania/hypomania, and they aren't slight. You will know if she has had them.
Signs and symptoms of the manic phase (Bipolar I):
- euphoria, feeling "high"
- agitation, edginess, irritability, restlessness
- racing thoughts, talkativeness
- increased energy, sleeplessness
- inflated self-esteem; grandiosity; poor judgment
- reckless spending sprees or other activities with high potential for painful consequences
- delusions or hallucinations
- drug or alcohol use
- increased sexual drive
- aggressive behavior
- inability to concentrate well
Hypomania (Bipolar II) refers to an episode with less extreme symptoms than full-blown mania.
Let us know if she has been like this; either this or the depression will have been present her entire life.
Post Edited (psychnurse) : 8/8/2005 2:45:53 PM (GMT-6)
from what my dad has said she has always had problems with depression and i know for a fact that she has had some mania eposodes and they have also said that she has ADD always before the doctors just put her on antidepression meds and anxity meds it was not untill she became suicidal and she spent 14 days in a mental hospital that they decided that it was bipolar not just depression. the big problem right now is that when i call her case worker counceler or theripist and tell them what is going on and then they talk to her she tells them that she is fine but she is not fine she can not function mentaly or physicaly she still talks about wanting to die and even admitted to me the other day that she tried to strangle herself with a belt. they have her on several meds such as depakote atavan lamental zyprexa and lexapro
Paula
Paula
I am so sorry to hear about your gramma. How old is she? That's a lot of meds, sounds like she may need some reevaluation. Keeping records of her moods and what she says helps, b/c then you can take that to the therapist and say" see, things are not right" and it gives them some direction. I would think they would want to see her-when family says things aren't right, as a student nurse I sit up and listen, because her judgement is most liekly impaired. When I am not doing well, it is usually my fiance that notices first...keep pushin hard for that help!
S
It's your mom, or did I read it wrong? Anyways, well sounds like she has bipolar, and sheis on the meds that are used to treat patients with bipolar. Strangle herself with a belt? Oh my god, get her to a hospital right away, if you want to HELP her that is my suggestion. She's asking for your help by telling you this information. Suicidal people sometimes ask for help, she is by telling you things like that, otherwise she wouldn't tell you. I lost 2 friends this year who never showed any signs of depression. I was shocked when they commited suicide. With myself, I could see myself doing it over them because I am the one with Bipolar. Of course I am not going to ! She's telling them she's fine and you the truth on how she really feels, will she willing go to the hospital? Somethings not right with her meds if she still feels this way, this is common to feel at times , but not healthy and she is not safe! Please get her some help let me know, sending (((((( cyber hugs))))))) Nickie
Oh jeez, I'm sorry, your mom. My concentration is so poor these days from all the meds, BLUSH. Nickie has got the right message,fast help is imperative.
s
Shannon, I didn't mean to point ya out, I wanted to make sure I actually had it straight. Because omy meds!
she says that the hospital is just a bandaide and she don't want to go when i mentioned it to her caseworker she had a fit and she gets mad when i check on her all the time like when she is in the tub i check on her every couple of min and she yells at me for it. she sees her mental health doctor thursday and i am going to see what she says i just want her to get better.
thanks for the support
Paula
thanks for the support
Paula
Not a problem , stay with us, because you need the menatl support as well. It is not easy dealing with . Trust me, I think it is safe to say, at times we ( bpers) don't like ourselves either. Honestly see about getting her meds adjusted. No SSRI, if she is already talking abpout suicide. Am I right Shannon? I think so, it made me want to die. SSRI's , wait is she on one right now? NO prozac, effexor.... um can't think let me look it up. I am sorry coming off a really bad day! Be right back!
Sorry I looked she is taking one, zyprexa. I was thinking that was one. HMMMM ..... But someone seriously needs to adjust her meds take away , give a different one, increase , decrease.... She needs re-evaluated. I know you are trying all you can, I commend you for that. Do you have anyother siblings that could help? Maybe give you a break?
no body but me cuz my dad is a truck driver and is on the road and both my brothers live way to far away and they don't think there is anything wrong with my mom. what is ssri's i am new to all this so i don't know all the abbrivations for this.
Paula
Paula
Hi, sorry it took so long for me to write back, pboathouse.
It does sound like bipolar. If she is suicidal, and has attempted the other day, GET HER TO THE HOSPITAL!
I don't care if she doesn't want to go; none of us do. Her meds are okay for mania, she does need to be on them. Depakote is great, lamictal is good, but the dosages might need adjusting. Also, the zyprexa may be too much - can be way too sedating in a depressed patient. Can you tell me the mgs? The only thing is the Lexapro - very bad idea. BPs should never be taking antidepressants of the SSRI class which are: Effexor, Prozac, Lexapro, Celexa, Zoloft and others, but those are the most common ones. These cause mania and anxiety, many times panic attacks, and don't do anything for depression in us. Welbutrin is a better choice to try. The Lamictal usually helps not to go so low, but needs to be around 200mg or so.
I believe you can have her go whether she wants to or not, given her attempted suicide just recently.
Does she live alone?
BP depression is different than other people's depression in that it doesn't make us so much sad and teary, but moreso is the brain and body slowing, it's excruciating. Can't hardly move, much less do anything because the brain and body has slowed to a crawl and even taking a bath is a struggle. Thinking is out the window. It's kinda like being a prisoner in your own body, and that will definitely make you mad, after a while, sad.
Does her caseworker know about her attempt? Does she understand the severity of her depression? If she can't even function, what does the caseworker say abuot it? Nickie is right, any one of us can tell you, don't have the patient talk to the caseworker. We don't always know how we feel for sure, but I am surprised since you say she can't function that she would tell the caseworker she is fine. How can she hide it? You need to call her and have a talk, tell her what has been going on.
I am sorry she is suffering so, it's so hard on family members, esp when it's a parent. I wish I had more ideas, it's 4:15 a.m. and I have only slept a few hours, can't sleep but very tired. I will write more later today when I can think, OK?
Hang in there, everybody here will help you as much as we possibly can.
Shannon
Selective Serotin Reuptake Inhibitors, ( SSRI) is what that means, Shannon (psychnurse) explained why your mom should not be on those types of meds. I was on effexor, and prozac, and I think one more... Anyways, those meds threw me into mania. Making intensified thoughts and feelings of everything! I felt like a hyper , crazy , mad , woman, who was trippin on some weird drug and didn't know when I might come down. It was SCARY!!!! 
My thoughts were completely out of control and I wanted to die. This was something I don't think I had ever experienced to that extent. Those types of meds in BP 's can do that. Reaaly talk to Shannon about this, get the dosage she requested, she can help you more than I , I am fairly new to BP myself. Well the dx part. I fight the .... I always thought this was normal cause I've done this all my life. I am tired, confused and frustrated . Best wishes, brothers in denial huh? Or maybe it's just because they live so farand don't se the symptoms on a daily basis. I can see how that can happen. Are your mom and dad still married? Sorry, hope that's not too personal! Nickie
My thoughts were completely out of control and I wanted to die. This was something I don't think I had ever experienced to that extent. Those types of meds in BP 's can do that. Reaaly talk to Shannon about this, get the dosage she requested, she can help you more than I , I am fairly new to BP myself. Well the dx part. I fight the .... I always thought this was normal cause I've done this all my life. I am tired, confused and frustrated . Best wishes, brothers in denial huh? Or maybe it's just because they live so farand don't se the symptoms on a daily basis. I can see how that can happen. Are your mom and dad still married? Sorry, hope that's not too personal! Nickie
yes mom and dad are still married dad is just out on the road all the time. moms casewoker came by this morring and got to see a little of what i am saying about her inablity to function and speak clearly and we don't think it's her day meds that are making her this way because she was in the process of takeing them when the case worker arrived and within about 10min she was incoherent and falling asleep. i am just glad that the case worker saw her this morrning when she was getting bad. she seemed fine when she got up but then she got bad
Paula
Paula