Straight Talk on Managing Bipolar Disorder

Five Bipolar Mood Swings in One Day!

I wrote this post four years ago….. It’s hard to read something from that long ago and realize it still happens today! But that is the nature of bipolar disorder. My mood swings are managed daily. I’ve made a lot of lifestyle changes- such as not dating or partying at night, etc that have helped. (Boring, but more stable.) But I know that though the illness may stay, I can always be a step ahead and keep myself well.

Here is the post from 2008…..

Five mood swings in one day!

I doubt that is a record, but it sure wears me out. In that past week, I’ve had at least 20 mood swings. They are mild, but certainly strong enough to chart. Yesterday I had three distinct upswings. The day before that, I had a few upswings and an intense hour long downswing where I immediately started crying. I’ve also been twitching a lot which means there is something not right with my Lamictal dose.

What is causing this rapid cycling? Though I’m glad it’s on the manic side instead of being constant depression, I know it’s not good for me. I can feel my adrenaline pumping and I feel like jumping out of my skin. The chemicals are racing through my brain much faster than they normally do. I feel like talking to strangers.

So, what’s going on? I have to be a detective to figure this out. Here are my ideas:

– The fall weather here in Portland, Oregon has been exceptionally beautiful and sunny. We had a dark summer, so this is fantastic. But it’s mania inducing.

– Maybe my Lamictal isn’t working correctly.

I’m sure it’s a combination, but I’m leaning towards the Lamictal problem. This has happened to me in the past. I took some extra Lamictal last night to see if I could calm down and stop the Lamictal twitching. I may have missed a dose.

(2012- It turned out to be the Lamictal. When we don’t know what’s going on- detective work on our mood swings helps.)

Julie

We have to keep going no matter what!

PS: Please excuse the picture. I was having a bad hair day.

He blew a glass jacket….

Bipolar Manic/Psychotic Talk

“He blew a glass jacket. The walls were mayo and I was chewing all of the dirt off of the vegetables.”

The above is known as a word salad – the sayings are close enough for us to understand them – but overall, they just make no sense.

A psychotic friend of mine said the above during an episode.

Psychosis is a fascinating topic- it’s horrible to experience and horrific to see someone go through it- I have been through both. But after it is over, you can certainly be fascinated by what was said.

Julie

A Note on the Health Cards Treatment System for Bipolar Disorder

Dear Julie,

Thank you for helping me to understand, as a parent, exactly what the cognitive pieces are of bipolar… and as well, the self awareness that a BP person needs in order to ultimately help themselves. When I used the Health Cards and listed out my daughter’s symptoms- I was shocked when I saw years of patterns so clearly in one place. We know where to start now. I have asked her to read certain parts of the system I thought she would understand. Her favorites by far were the pages and pages of your symptoms. She used her yellow highlighter to mark what matched hers.

AS she grows and as she is willing and able to listen and to take over her own management, this will be the first method we use.

N.L.A.

Santa Barabara, California

PS: To read more about the Health Cards click here. They are for all ages and they work.

I’m Focused on Work, Not Jerk!

My friend Roberta is going through relationship trouble with her very stressful ex. When I asked her how she was, she said, “I’m focused on work. Not jerk!” That is a good one!

I’ve made that same decision in my life. I have no space for jerks. They jerk my brain around too much! If there is a jerk in your life, focus on work and let the jerk ride off into the sunset. You are worth it.

Julie

PS: Jerk refers to men and women of course!

Bipolar Disorder Euphoric Mania Quiz

The sun is coming out all over the US. Are you ready to prevent summer mania?

Here is a quick mania quiz you can use to check for euphoric mania.

Have you:

– Slept less but felt more energized? Jumped out of bed excited for the wonderful day ahead?

– Had the thought- “Thank god the depression is gone, I feel SO much better.” ?

– Felt like spending more?

– Drinking more?

– Do you feel more sexual than normal?

– Are you eating less than you normally do?

– Does your body feel light and buzzy?

– Do the problems that sometimes weight you down feel less important?

– Are you overly and oddly creative?

If you answer yes to any of these, you know what it means. CHECK FOR MANIA.

NO MANIA THIS YEAR has to be your motto.

Julie

PS: I am having trouble with euphoric hypomania. Yes, it feels wonderful as I am normally depressed. BUT. All mood swings are the same no matter how good they feel. Euphoric mania has to be treated and stopped just like any other less pleasant mood swing.

Bipolar Disorder and ECT Treatment for Depression

Here is a reader question from Patricia on the topic of bipolar disorder and ECT.

Hi Julie,

This is off topic. Has anyone had any experiences , good or not so good with Electroshock therapy?
One of my friends tried it and it was a ten day hospital stay and entirely covered by insurance and the best
news is so far she seems so so much better than before. We’ll see how she does.

But what I read about ECT is that its very much safer because of lower currents, and the positions
of electrodes on the head and because the patient is given muscle relaxers so no bones are broken anymore.
(OK, I know One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest, but some people need a better treatment than drugs. Drugs
do not work for about 50% it seems or even 60% of bipolar spectrum disorder patients do NOT get better on drugs at all) Patricia

Hello Patricia,

Many people think that ECT is Electroshock Therapy- it’s actually Electroconvulsant Therapy. There is no shock involved.

I had ECT in 2010. My depression had been so severe for so long, I knew I had to try the procedure. It has a huge success rate for major depression. Some statistics say up to 70% of people benefit.

Unfortunately it didn’t work for me. If It had worked, I would keep doing it.

The procedure is VERY intense and the memory loss is BAD. But, I would rather have memory loss than go through such terrible depression.

Here is a link to my blog on ECT that I did for BP Magazine.

Most of the information is in the comments section. Most of your questions are answered in the comments section.

Julie

PS: I do recommend ECT to people who are suffering, but wow, you have to really be ready for the change in your life while it’s happening. It’s not something to be taken lightly.

Here is another amazing thing. ECT did NOT help my depression at all. But I have not had any psychosis since the treatment. Interesting.