What do you do?

[AshleyBaker]

What do you do when it seems like your meds aren't working for you as well as they used to? I'm struggling. I don't know really why. I have very very few stressors in my life. Honestly. I have a very supportive husband. I love him very much. I have a great job that I enjoy with excellent benefits. I have a wonderful team of doctors that work with me with my other medical conditions. I have a good relationship with my dad again. I have no kids. No other stressors other than financial, which is about to clear up. So what's the problem? Why do I feel so terrible? I'm bipolar type II. I've been rapid cycling a lot more frequently lately. I'm really concerned. I don't want to call my MD, but I guess I should. The next time I will be able to get in will be months from now, I'm sure. Will I be alive then? Will I have to suffer that long?

I guess I need to break down and call...

Thanks for letting me type this out.

I hate this.

Ash.

[Venora Moonwind]

It is Never a good idea to dose yourself.The side effects from the depakote are awful including thyroid disease. Keep and eye on your thyroid with regular blood tests to check your thyroid hormone levels (TSH)
There are so many better meds available to control bi polar.
I dont mean to sound preachy but I have honestly been there, done that and it never works out for good to mess with your meds like that.
Healthy diet ,exercise regular reat and meds with therapy are the besst ways to control bi polar\ the medtations is sooo helpful to slow your mind down.
Alwasy work with your doc as a partner in your healthcare and if that doc wont then get another one till you find one that will work with you.
Love Venora

[Venora Moonwind]

Please please dont dose yourself.Everyones meds need tweaking now and then. as we grow older.
Being throidless and bi polar I have to get mine adjusted every so often.
I have lost some weight so I think my throid med is making just over the line of normal to borderline manic.So I probably need a med dose adjust ment.
alos cut out the caffiene and sugar. These are 2 of the most legally addictive substances in the worl.

and they REALLY affect bi polar folks.

Try giving themup for a while and see how much better you will feel.

Stay in touch and we will get you through this.
Love Venora

[erbill]

im soo sorry about ur current bad cycling...for the rapid cycling...the 'experts' ( DR'S PHOOOY!) say zero treatment.....when i swivel to rapid-cycling...i will take an additional 500 mg of my depacote(2000mg at nite currently and rising) and will sit in a quiet room( i as u all know happens, run off family and friends during this stage) and will ATTEMPT to meditate...there r soo many kinds....i often have to try several untill i can get even a feeling TWORDS a shift of calm......and , as U KNOW, a TINY_BIT OF PEACE in the middle of hell, can seem to last forever and help u get thru...NOW...if ur dr' is a reg general pract....get a referal to a PSYCH DR, and if u have PSYCH NOW!!! CALL THEIR NURSE, and tell them HONESTLY of ur changes, rapid cycling, depression hitting bottom, and yes,,,u must admit that u at least THOUGHT of sucide while u cycle...i KNOW i do, and the other dozen or so of my'bi-polar-FRIENDS admit it , on an honest day....Ashley For gods sake take care of urself...there r 30,000 sucudes every year....thats enough every 2 years for a fresh Vietnam Memorial.....dont fall prey to ur own mind...use this site, and ur comp..and above all....READ ABOUT THIS ILLNESS..it seems to me to be alot like my alcoholism 'Cunning, Baffeling, and POWERFULL!!!' i had to have a fuduciary, the VA DEMANDED it for my SSD and Disibillity money and YEAQRS of back-pay.....so i have ALL my bills paid w/several lifetime income-streams that r directly to me...so i HAVENT and money probs, like u, but, i still WORRY....im doing one-on-one to change my core-belief that i actually NEED to WORRY about things like this.....as i can cycle in just a few minutes when i DO let them IN MY HEAD!!! SO although i still have only had someone paying all my bills(*still working on BACK PAY from VA, and bills to get paid so we can move to a house w/land in the country) the VA DR'S ( yes i fought it for as long as possible,like we do, and L<OST) and they made a fuduciary thru the state courts MANDATORY.......In my more 'Middle' times i totally UNDERSTAND why...to relieve me of AS MUCH STRESS as poss.....i know u THINK urs (stressors) r few, BUT u have them LUMPED-UP inna mountain....they cant be dealt with that way...u have to break them into tiny, easiely manageable parts...i use paper or comp 'notebook' to do this, and then i do 'BABY-STEPS' towards where i want to take that stressor! to DELETE IT FOREVER!   1. Contact ur DR's Nurse for an Emergency ( yes they have an hour or so a day UNSCHEDUALLED JUST for  PROBLEMS like this...dont be SHY....LIVE... ps i sent u a note... Please Help-urself, as noone but ur hubby could even have a CLUE ur in DISTRESS! remember the depressive phase of our disease will kill us if were not prepared...and with rapid-cycling we just dont have the chance to PRE Pre-pare, so to speak....Good Living hunny... Go and live Better..! U DESERVE A LIFE Thats HAPPY

[Dylanf84]

Hi,
If you've been noticing these changes lately in your moods, etc, the best thing for you to do would be to call your doctor and try to make an appointment to see him ASAP. Make sure he/she knows that it is an emergency and that you need to have the appointment as soon as humanly possible. Also, is your doctor just a general practitioner? Or is he a psychiatrist?