Anyone Bipolar???

Hi everyone If you'd like to skip the long version, my questions are at the bottom.

I have a couple of questions about being bipolar and a nurse or nursing student and was hoping maybe someone could share their experience.

I was diagnosed with bipolar II 8 years ago when I was only 18 years old. I was living with abusive parents and rebelling as a teen. My doctor said I was bipolar after treatment with an antidepressant caused some aggressive/irritable behaviors. I was on medication for a few years and felt the "cure" was worse than the "cause". I have been off meds for three years and am stable and going to school living a drama free life. However, I haven't seen a pdoc in three years. I stopped the meds after getting fed up with side effects and deciding to take control of my life and just kind of disappeared. I'm not interested in taking medication for symptoms I don't have. Understandably, my situation has changed now that I am an adult and have a family of my own.

Now, reading about the sxs of bipolar, I feel like I may have been incorrectly diagnosed. I don't think having a past diagnosis of bipolar disorder removed would be easy, does anyone know about that? How do you get certified as healthy?

I'm in Texas, and here the BON requires that you disclose treatment, diagnosis or hospitalization for certain mental illnesses, bipolar disorder included, in the past five years. It has been three years since I have been treated. If I finish the program I have applied to, it will be five years since treatment when I graduate and I don't think I would have to disclose it. I've read the BON rules handbook (here's a link to it), but it's in lawyer-ese (attorney speak) and is about as clear as mud to me.

I was wondering if anyone knows if I'll be required to disclose my past dx to be accepted into an ADN program (I have been conditionally accepted already), or if I'm only required to disclose at the time of application for a license? when do you do that anyway? at the end of your education? or must you apply for some kind of temporary license to be a student nurse and disclose mental health hx to the board while you are still in school?

I am leary of going to an adviser for fear they will deny my application into the program on basis of a past diagnosis. I'm also worried they'll just tell me to write to the BON for a declaratory order and I don't want to do that unless it is necessary. If I don't have to disclose it to them, then I prefer not to, but obviously if it is required I would not lie. I've wanted to be a nurse since I was a little girl, and had I known a past diagnosis of bipolar disorder might bar me from getting a license, I would have fought it, but at the time, I didn't know any better.

Whew! Sorry to write a novel. I hope someone will be able to share their experience. Thanks in advance

my questions in brief:

*Did you have to declare past mental illness while in school, or only after graduation to apply for your license

*When do you apply for a license? And how long do you have after graduation to take the nclex-rn?

*Has anyone been misdiagnosed as bipolar and had the misdiagnosis corrected?

Hi I didn't mean to take so long to answer! I wanted to have time to think about your questions and just now came across the post again! Anyway - WELCOME to the thread - did you have a chance to read the other posts that came before this one? Also check out "nurses with disabilities" forum for other answers to your questions. There are lots and lots of threads on mental illness, PTSD, depression, bipolar, you name it! Go to: http://allnurses.com/forums/f296/

Hope all is well! Look forward to reading your future posts!

Ex-spouse refuses to go back to psychiatrist or take medication for bipolar. The kids are too young to explain why they don't want to go back with other parent after parenting time is over. Does anyone have the same situation? This forum also gives all information about bipolar.

Thank you for sharing information with you.


Bipolar Disorder, Bipolar Patients, Bipolar Symptoms, Bipolar Community, Manic-Depressive, Mania, Mood Swings, Mood Stabilizers, Mental Health Evaluations, Episodes

You mean they don't want to leave the bipolar parent? or don't want to leave you?

I had a similar situation for some time and my ex just had to live w/ the fact that when he was bee zarre, he didn't get ds - it was just common sense. I didn't make a huge deal of it.

I also knew there were times when I was not the better parent - and sometimes ds went to be w/ ex. Poor kid. He is surprisingly normal

How does one get diagnosed with BiPolar?

I have been going to my family MD for about 5 years for "depression" and the like. Usually, when I'm in a manic state, (which I didn't even know I was in for, well, ever) I don't go in to the MD complaining. It was when the depression hit hard I would go in and c/o depression sx's, so naturally I would get tx'd for the depression. Lately, I had been feeling increasingly agitated, (persistently, with inappropriate angry responses to situations that did not warrant the reactions I was having). So I went to the MD and he finally dx'd me bipolar. I had read some on bipolar disorder, and had always thought that mania meant that someone had to be in a state of psychosis, literally bouncing off of the walls, etc. I have since learned that a persistent, angry, always short-tempered, unable to relax EVER feeling that culminates in inappropriate anger responses is a form of mania. When I finally told my MD about that aspect of my life, he dx'd the bipolar. That, along with the fact that every single time I ever take an antidepressant it shoots me to the moon (intense mania, it seems). I honestly thought that it was normal to not be able to sleep at all on antidepressants and that they were supposed to make you feel like you are crawling out of your skin. Who knew? Most of the sites I've visited on the web have a very narrow range of sx's for bipolar, while others are more informative. It helps a lot to know the sx's so you know what to tell your MD. After receiving the appropriate meds, I've been able to relax and not be mad at everything for the first time since I can remember. I've a long road ahead of me, but at least now I know what's wrong. Off to my therapy appt!

What a great post. THANKS. I am hardly on AN anymore and I just happened to come by and see your post.

I describe my hypomania/mania as the "too toos". I am "too" happy, angry, horny (well... I am!) or too sad, too enthused, too excitable, too full of too many ideas, too inspired, too moved, too involved, too alert, I could just go on forever. "Hyperbole" is one word that describes mania - everything is the bEST, the greatEST, the moST, the cutEST, etc...

The other thing, really a tool, is to help describe where my moods are at. Either I am walking on the bottom of the ocean, WAYYYY over my head, drowning, and barely giving a crap! - or I am walking on TOP of the ocean (yes, implications of a bit of a Messiah complex!), and "above it all" in so many ways.

My goal is to stay somewhere in between - my feet able to touch bottom, my neck and head well above water level, I am comfortable, floating, not scared, not EEEEEEEELATED - able to function - but aware that I could drown - or float for that matter - myself out of existence, if I do not keep myself right with God. Yep for me that is the extra added and necessary - to be right with God means to be in balance in all areas (somewhat!)

xo and thanks again, nice to hear from you!




Luvbug, the way one USUALLY gets diagnosed is for their life to become so unmanageable they end up losing jobs, relationships, family, money, or even end up hospitalized. I don't know where you are at but you don't need to wait for it to get that bad. Ask around of those you know who see a counselor or psychiatrist, people that you know who have depression/anxiety/and or bipolar, ask where they go for counseling/psychiatrist, and whether they are any good. I think that a great church/pastor/pastoral counseling is essential - but you also need someone objective (that you can trust not to overwhelm you with meds!) who can prescribe and assess! I no longer need meds - but I am no fool - I know that I could shoot up a post office and not be aware how sick I am when I do it! So I still see my good shrink and counselor, one of them each month (alternate). Just for GP's (General Principles). Learning to live according to Biblical principles has been my mainstay and my "cure". But I am not stupid.

Also you might want to go to some DBSA (Depression Bipolar Support Alliance) meetings in your area (call your local crisis hotline # for info on meeting times) to hear what folks have to say. They provide excellent education and support for the person w/ the illness as well as family/friends of the person w/ illness.

You probably pretty much know inside whether there is a problem. EVERYbody has "bipolar" to some degree, not as a diagnosis but as a life characteristic. It's how far you swing from one extreme to the other (depression, to mania) that lends one the diagnosis of bipolar.

I definitely recommend you check it out if you are wondering.

Main treatment to me is AT LEAST 6 hrs of sleep a night! and if I don't get 6 hrs 3 nights in a row, I take some benadryl to hit myself over the head!! I also think it is extremely important you work with someone who truly knows you and can give you good feedback - a great friend, a good counselor or pastor, SOMEone who will DARE to tell you - honey, you need to CHILL! and then can give you evidence of why they are saying that!!! Honestly is so important in this - honesty w/ yourself and honesty from those who love you!

Phlox did you delete your post?

re your ? that people are not responding re the Texas organization you mentioned, this is a national and worldwide site and very few of all THOSE members admit to or share about being bipolar - so I imagine you are the only TX'er on this thread.

Just a thought.

xo

I describe my hypomania/mania as the "too toos". I am "too" happy, angry, horny (well... I am!) or too sad, too enthused, too excitable, too full of too many ideas, too inspired, too moved, too involved, too alert, I could just go on forever. "Hyperbole" is one word that describes mania - everything is the bEST, the greatEST, the moST, the cutEST, etc...
Oh how I do agree! It's all or none, never "in between". (Whatever that is). I've been up up UP lately, so haven't spent too much time in one spot. Too busy trying to remodel the entire house all at once... Never fear, I have a med review in 4 days so I'll just ride the tide until then. Maybe I should lay off of the caffeine?

I'd lay off the caffeine, sure! lol... and when it's me revving up, I find some way to get at least 8 hrs sleep! I take benadryl for that. Once you start revving up it is hard to get back down, or even WANT to - so I make myself get that sleep! I wouldn't wait for an appt, if you can't get it under control - you don't want to fly off the handle (maybe literally).

Just my humble opinion, I don't know exactly how revved up you are - but I'd use caution! And if you have prns for sleep or mania I'd use them!