jd64848704

True! Unfortunately, mental health is a hard thing to diagnose! The human brain is so complex. The way we really found out that I was bipolar (besides general questions) was doing a blood test to check my lithium levels. My levels were pretty low. Now that the meds have balanced them, I feel much better! I still have a little trouble, mostly adjusting to not being able to get as much done as I used to! I have many family members with different diagnoses! From ADHD to Depression and even paranoid shcizophrenia! I can't believe how common these things are! Almost makes you wonder if there is something in the water...LOL!:lol_hitti Jessica

hi everyone! i know this isn't quite the topic, but i was misdiagnosed with add in high school. i just went to a psychiatric hospital in july for partial hospitalization, where we found out i am actually bipolar (manic-depressive). it has been a scary road for me-luckily the meds have been working and i didn't need to do the ect (electroconvulsive therapy-i think?). i am starting my pre-req's in january and told my advisor of my history with the disease and the meds i take (lithium and effexor). i was warned to read through the school bulletin and look at the physical and emotional requirements for nursing to make sure that i can really handle all of it. now i am very nervous about going and not sure if i should??? the lithium can cause mild hand tremors, though i have basically gotten through that issue and they rarely happen now. even more, i hate the way people treat me when they find out. like if they see me take my medicine and i explain what it is for (i am not ashamed to be bipolar-it is more common than people realize), they treat me differently. i am very normal! i am a mother, a daughter, a best friend, a soon to be student, an employee, and even a registered voter! nobody sees me that way now though, all they see is the girl who has the mental illness. if i don't take my meds, i get very frustrated at everything. also, one week i will be on the go running around so much and taking on so many tasks that i don't even sleep! i finally crash after a while, and don't want to move out of bed and cry and sleep the days away. now that i am taking the meds, i am very level and enjoying it! the only problem is that lithium can do some major damage and i have to be on it the rest of my life. it can cause hair loss, kidney failure, and extreme acne to name a few. almost makes you wonder if it is even worth it??? thanks for listening to my long winded self tell my story! jessica :selfbonk:

hi! i am new to this site and am starting school on jan. 9th at iusb. just was wondering if there is anyone around me who goes there and would like your opinions of their program! i am really nervous about starting, and hoping i made the right choice with schools! especially since brown mackie college (went there when it was michiana college) ripped me off so badly! thanks! jessica

I am a student for the BSN program at Indiana University South Bend (IUSB). Just getting ready to start my pre-req's January 9th! Anyone else who goes there, please let me know how it is going for you! I am pretty nervous about going back to school.

Thank you! And I am starting pre-nursing at IUSB on January 9th! I am new to this site and just saw that you are faculty there!