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539549 tn?1315981662

does anyone else with bp have this problem

I get distracted easily or sometimes even confused or disorented and I loose things or forget stuff....
Is this a symtom of bipolar??? It happens to me more frequently than your avrage person but sometimes when I'm manic or really busy it starts happening a lot
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Avatar universal
I have the same problems with racing thoughts, losing things and impulse buying at times. I have found over the years if I get into the habit ( it takes time and a lot of force of will) to put my keys in my purse every time I don't use them, write complete notes about things I need to do - I sometimes don't write complete notes and go back and cannot understand what in the heck I wrote! And make myself return impulse buys that I don't need. I put my purse in the same place in the house when I come in, stick receipts in my pocket so that I write them in the register when I empty my pocket, etc. I have developed these habits over the past 40yrs so keep up hope for yourselves. I think we are all kindred spirits. BP *****!
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Avatar universal
i haven't been formally diagnosed cause everytime i make an apt to see a psych i chicken out, but im the same way. i forget everything, and loose everything. my husband doesn't understand how i can always be so unorganized and forgetful, but i can't help it! i also have found making notes (for everything!) helps.
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675923 tn?1296238011
I too have racing thoughts more often than I'd like to. I will walk into a room and forget while I was in there. People have told me this comes with age and I agree. But why was I doing this 20 years ago? I have been told by a professional that this is a common trait with bipolar. One doctor put me on medication for ADD and it actually made my symptoms worse. I didn't even get the benefit of losing weight! Sticky notes have become a good friend of mine. Yes, even if I'm going to another room to pick something up. I have made this a habit of mine. Yet, when I am in the depressive cycle I forget to use my notes. May I suggest you talk to your doctor about this? I take mood stabilizers but I will not take anymore medication for this issue. For me, since I don't want to take any more meds, I have learned to accomodate some of bipolar symptoms in other ways.

~El
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539549 tn?1315981662
It happens to mew more regularly
even without the racing thoughts going on much....
possibly its just my meds bringing me down a bit
when I do have racing thought its much worse tho
maybe I have ADD or something
what you experience with spending all that money
stuff like that has happened to me before too
Helpful - 0
585414 tn?1288941302
Yes before my current recovery frequently. That is common for bipolar because when people having racing thoughts and loss of judgment its hard to concentrate on anything. One of the few standard medications I take is Clonidine which is used (as well as on my physical disability) as a mood stabilizer. The strange part is yesterday I went on a walk that extended several miles, bought a lot of food (a bagel, then Chinese food) and stopped in a store and bought several cd's which is not good because I am on a budget. I honestly had no idea what was going on. I hadn't experienced rapid cycling in years. However, as it turned out the Clonidine patch had come loose (highly dangerous, will speak to my psychiatrist about how to keep in place). But when I was on more common mood stabilizers and known antipsychotics in the past I had that all the time. As well as other people I know with bipolar. What medication can't treat coping skills to help keep things organized can. And for some people cognitive behavioral therapy is good for learning coping skills.
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