meaning of untreated

[adel_ezz]

Often they say bipolar disorder progresses with age if "untreated".

My question how can a person determines whether he is being treated properly or not. For example in my case my diet is AP's only, i am stable "almost" for a few months after a long mania of 6 months. Does it mean i take correct medications. Right now i function nearly well. I think any person calls himself being treated because he is under some meds of any sort.

i.e. when does a person being called untreated ??

ezz

[Unpredictable1]

Thanks that was a simple explanation. Hadn't heard it that way but it makes sense. It's true the more episodes the more progression and usually the worse the next episodes will be if left to their own device, because of the progression. Hunh which is why being stable as possible and staying that way is so important. Once I finally understood that for myself I never wanted to go off of my meds again! Especially after that last hellish bout. Thank you for sharing that. Made sense.

[run4you]

The way my doctor explained it to me (she's a dual neurologist and psychiatrist) - is the more swings you have, the more difficult you are to treat and your bipolar progresses.

***** for me, I am *rarely* stable, rapid-cycling, mixed episodes, etc. Even on proper medicine, this is the best I can do. I'm much better, but not stable.

Stability = slower progression of the disease. So, if your treatment is making you stable (regardless of what your treatment is), you're slowing the progression. The more ups and downs, the more progression of the illness.

Hope that made sense and helps you some :)

[Unpredictable1]

Treated looks different for different people because each of us responds differently to treatment. For example some people have very few break through symptoms when taking medication as prescribed by Dr. Others like myself still have break through symptoms periodically like hypo mania and depression but to a far lesser degree than when going untreated. The contrast is startling. When I am UN treated I progress from hypo mania to mania with psychotic features especially with paranoid features. When I am UNtreated I can sink into depression so low that it's a miracle I survive through them. When I'm treated I can become embarrasingly and sometimes dangerously hypo manic in the sense that I'm slightly wreckless but still manageable though exhausted. The cycles are much shorter usually a few weeks and do have a plateu. The depressions also level out sooner and I can still rationalize through them fairly well. I can function. So I am treated though not completely symptom free. Each time I stopped my medication when I resume and stop the episodes become more aggressive and worse in nature especially as I age. This has finally scared me into consistency. I treat myself with consistency, but to answer your question this is what treatment look likes for me - less than perfect but far from out of control! Phew

[sleepsound]

Hi I'm rapid cycling bipolar  and am very seldom stable and live an unpredictable life ...but thats me

being "treated" does not always mean with medication.....I don't take bipolar meds but am "treated" by other methods

very much depends on the person and the illness

[ILADVOCATE]

  It depends on the response rate to a specific medication or combination of medications and how a person is doing in general that is stability and there are many issues a psychiatrist monitors for. Also this is in combination with the specific side effects of the medications and whether a person can tolerate them. If breakthrough episodes of mania occur then it would be essential for a psychiatrist to further address this by adjusting and/or changing medication as appropriate. If a person has been stable for a period of time it depends how long it lasts and what else is going on in their life in general which is measured by a variety of issues ranging from interactions with people to sleep patterns and many other factors within a psychiatrist's discretion.

[carabeara]

if you are on meds and they are effective, you are "treated."