ANy one recoverd from BP II ??

[Malaksharif]

hi
i am BP II for two years now and when my Pdoc and my family say am stable i do not feel like it,,i feel somehow depressed ,,,am not my old self,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,i thought recovery means that you go back being yourself again,,gaining your confidence back.

my question is did any one of you reached full recovery ?? how can you tell?? does full recovery patients stay on meds all their life?

i heard that some BP after a long time recover and stop taking meds.

plz wish to hear recovery stories and how did they happen??????

thx

[Malaksharif]

thx a lot,,,,,,,,,,,,,reading ur post is helpful as i felt am talking to myself

[farraway]

Interesting! - I guess I knew about the various types of BP (ie: cyclothemia), but was not aware they had been categorised like BP1 and BP2 (I am 2 btw).

Obviously there are generally different treatment approaches for each type.  

Thanks

[adel_ezz]

When discussing the types of BP, there are six, the most common 1,2,3. 3 is mild bipolar called cyclothemia , i.e. mania induced by antidepressant only. G.Kleman mentioned some as i said as well the famous researcher in bipolarity Akiskal. I am referring you to a site:

http://www.psycom.net/depression.central.lieber.html

aside from this link the no of non-specified BP are endless permutations and combinations with comorbidity with other symptoms, Schiz-affective, OCD, ADHD, ...I didn't keep the reference but probably google under "depression central" given to the group by ILADVOCATE, i remember to have read in BP 4, 4.1 and 4.2 etc..

it doesn't matter much the types so long as in most of them you handle them by mood stab... mainly

[farraway]

adel
Maybe I'm in the clouds.
I know all about bp1 & bp2.
But can you elaborate on bp3 & 4 and maybe provide references?

[adel_ezz]

your question is straighforward to answer. The majority of BP are 2 not 1 or 3 or 4. 1 is the worst (mine) and 3 is mild, so statistically most of us are 2. For according to Benazzi and Akiskal in 2003, 50% are BP2. Again do there exist BP pt who recovered, indeed plenty of them, so if you add up both statistics, you find that in the millions worldwide of BP2 who recovered.

The important issue what do you mean of recovery, what is crucial NEVER stop your meds because it happened to me in 2006 and am still stumbling with larger doses and bad diagnosis. Keep going with your pdoc under his supervision and stick to your meds.

Always there is light at the end of the tunnel

[hell1971]

I am right were you are, I am BP2 and had a major episode last year I was depressed and overwhelmed for about 6 months, I could take it anymore and went for help, I was given an antidepressant and it sent me into hypomania I then was diagnosed and after stopping the antidepressant I went back into a mixed state, I have only had two weeks x 2 since then where I thought I was back to normal whatever that is, I know its better than before but I am not my old self and do not know if this is what stable is or not, if it is it stinks, I am crying one day and then happy the next. I guess I will know when I am back because this wont happen I guess, in the mean time when I feel that energy I am resisting it and when I feel low  I am resisting that also, this is part of the problem for me I think, it doesnt feel natural as I used to go with my moods before my dx. Anyway sorry I know this isnt helpful to you except to know you are not alone.

[Germur]

Like all human beings have mood swings but not like bp persons.  So when I feel my mood starting to go either up or down from the center that I call my everyday behavior, I get on it right away.  I do it with my mind and know how to settle myself down.  Also, my wife is aware of what to look for so if I don't address it first she will.  For example, I am bpII so my depressed days could last for months in a row.  Now I have cut that time back to hours.

You can have a great life inspite of being bp once you hit stability.  I let my bp control me for way to many years and now I control it.  I hope that this helps you.

[Malaksharif]

thx a lot for taking the time to replay

but what did you mean that when you feel mood starting to shift in a bad way , you get back to center......how do you do that exactly??????!

i have never been good more than 21 days and this going back to center, never been able to do it

would you please explain more
thx again so much

[Germur]

Hi I recovered about five years ago.  You will know it when you no longer have harsh mood swings and you can fuction at the same level as someone without bp.  I no longer get depressed or euphoric for long periods of time.  Also, when I feel my mood starting to shift in a bad way, I know how to get back to the center quickly and not let it overwhelm me.  Being bp no longer bothers me, but I am still on the meds for maintenace purposes.  I hope that this helps you.