Bipolar and Depression

CHATSDALE · Sep 7, 2004

BI-POLAR is like diabetes m. there are varying degrees but you must control the disease and not let the disease control you...you have to admit that you need the medicine even if it makes you feel bad...you have to recognize the s/s that you may need to be reevaluated per md..probably the hardest things to do...a good compassionate SO is a blessing at these times..the most important thing is you have to live your life...you won't get a chance to come back with all things fixed...just thank God for the strides that have been made in mental health

NurseyBaby'05, BSN, RN · Sep 7, 2004

BI-POLAR is like diabetes m. there are varying degrees but you must control the disease and not let the disease control you...you have to admit that you need the medicine even if it makes you feel bad...you have to recognize the s/s that you may need to be reevaluated per md..probably the hardest things to do...a good compassionate SO is a blessing at these times..the most important thing is you have to live your life...you won't get a chance to come back with all things fixed...just thank God for the strides that have been made in mental health

AMEN!

leslie :-D · Sep 7, 2004

is lithium still the drug of choice for bipolar?

sometimes i wonder if i'm bipolar.

i'm being dead serious.

but i would hesitate to take lithium as it is so damned sedating, from what i've observed, and the therapeutic level is a bit too close to the toxic level.

i remember one time i didn't sleep for 4 nocs in a row...literally up 4 days/nocs straight.

now i'm going to start reading this thread from the beginning and see what i can learn.

peace to all,

leslie

explorer · Sep 7, 2004

I get the impression that there are several posters on this forum that don't have a full understanding of bipolar disorder. It really is a serious disorder but one that can be managed and one that has varying degrees of severity ranging from folks that have a one time only episode to people who have ongoing relapses of either mania, hypomania (milder and much safer form of mania), and depression.
It is not a laughing matter nor should the term bipolar be thrown around casually to describe nursing instructors. Finally, as I said before, you have a patient who suffers from bipolar, NOT a bipolar patient. To use such language to define a patient who is a "whole" and define him/her solely by a psychiatric diagnosis is highly unprofessional. I sincerely hope that you do not engage in this type of conduct while at work or at nursing school.
I am a licensed Master's degree mental health professional and embarrassed by this discussion thread.

If I a bipolar am able to laugh about myself, ROSS1 you should be able too.

CHILL OUT!

begalli · Sep 7, 2004

We all understand that bipolar disorder is a serious condition, but PLEASE we're not at work here and nobody is trying to denigrate any medical dx. This profession is very demanding: physically, emotionally and mentally. A way to ease some of the stress is to kid around a bit and try not to take anything TOO seriously.

I'm just wondering.

If I came on the boards and started a thread asking for advice about becoming an RN and stated that I was HIV+, or that I had breast cancer in remission, or I had a heart condition, would I get answers that included ancedotes about other nurses with the same condition?

eg: That nursing instructor who had her left breast removed in a radical mastectomy can teach just as good as someone with both breasts...but she gets off task and can be nerve-racking at times. OR You'd think all nurses were, or should be, like Betty who has that condition of recurring a-fib where her heart just races and she gets really anxious...but as nurses don't we all suffer from anxiety from time to time?

I think I understand what Ross1 is saying. He/she makes a very valid point. I don't think other medical diagnoses get the same "just joking around" treatment. Mental health illness is no different from any other medical diagnosis and it's US nurses who need to let it be known that's it's not a joke just as breast cancer or a diagnosis of a-fib is not a joke.

Thanks for reading!! :)

Fly4Life12 · Sep 7, 2004

is lithium still the drug of choice for bipolar?

i didnt like how lithium worked for me, so now im on 5mg of zyprexa and 225 of effexor XR. seems to be a pretty good combination as my rapid-cycling is not so severe. although i do still think of suicide often, still have my battles with food and eating, and i have to talk to a councelor. i understand that bipolar is a disorder much like any other medical disorder. i really cannot help how i feel and my meds cannot be controlled. im not a bad person for feeling the way i do. some days are just tougher than others.