Anyone who knows anyone/is bipolar?

My ex was a diagnosed, non-medicating bi-polar (well, unless you consider Vicodin and beer 'medication'). Most of your questions can be answered by google. Here is a good place to start.

My ex stopped taking meds because Vicodin and beer were more fun.

Several members of my family are bi-polar and their number one reason for not taking their meds is because the meds make them gain weight.

Zyprexa is indicated for bipolar disorder and weight gain can be a problem with using it

waylander said:

Zyprexa is indicated for bipolar disorder and weight gain can be a problem with using it

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That's the one. I couldn't remember the name. (incidently when my cousin went off the meds without supervision, she got something called "zaps" that felt like electric shocks to her tongue.)

tilt190 said:

I'm doing research for my WIP, in which a character has bipolar disorder.

I have some questions (please help and answer as many as you can):

1. What kind of medications do bipolars take (name)?

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I was offered lithium for the highs and prozac for the lows.

Eventually I settled on citalopram (sp?) for the lows. I enjoyed the highs too much to give them up.

tilt190 said:

2. Do they take a "cocktail" of medications, or just a few at a time?

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See above. Either/or, really.

tilt190 said:

3. Why would bipolars want to stop taking their meds (it's a main problem in the WIP)?

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Most common reason? You start to feel better. You think, "I don't need this." You get worse.

Because it wasn't you making yourself feel better; it was the medication.

tilt190 said:

4. What type of bipolar (I, II, rapid cycling, etc.) is it when you can feel fine one minute and hallucinate/be manic/be acutely depressed the next?

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That's what bipolar disorder is. That's the nature of the beast.

tilt190 said:

Thanks in advance, everyone.

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Pleasure.

scarletpeaches, your friendly neighbourhood mentalist.

tilt190 said:

I'm doing research for my WIP, in which a character has bipolar disorder.

I have some questions (please help and answer as many as you can):

1. What kind of medications do bipolars take (name)?

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I have a friend from high school who was diagnosed bipolar, ADHD and PTSD. She takes depakote for the bipolar, which is supposed to be hell on your internal organs; I think she has to get a special checkup each year.

2. Do they take a "cocktail" of medications, or just a few at a time?

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My friend just takes the depakote (as far as I know) but I've also heard of bipolar medication + antidepressant, for people who get take depakote (or something else) and find themselves depressed.

3. Why would bipolars want to stop taking their meds (it's a main problem in the WIP)?

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Two main reasons that I know of. First, the depression phase of bipolar disorder is miserable, but the manic phase apparently feels gorram terrific. Mind you, your judgment is lousy in a manic phase—people come up with grandiose schemes and blow fortunes on impractical stuff—but in a few professions, it can actually be an asset. I've heard that Jim Carrey films his wilder comedies while in manic phase and the shoot schedule is actually arranged around his cycle. I bet that some kinds of musicians and artists can also make it work for them. And even if it's not an asset, if you could get a week-long high by not taking anything and letting your natural brain chemistry take over, wouldn't you be tempted?

That actually wasn't why my friend went off medication, though. She lost her job at a call center (PTSD was the biggest factor; she's slightly crowd-phobic). Naturally, she lost her insurance. She said that keeping herself medicated without insurance would cost her about five hundred dollars a month, and of course she was having trouble finding a new insurance program (not to mention a job) due to pre-existing conditions, so she was unmedicated the last time I talked to her. I told her to look into some of the special needs programs run by the pharmaceutical companies themselves—I get my meds at a discount directly from Wyeth—but I don't know how it turned out. My friend tends to withdraw for long periods of time; she has my number if she needs me, and that's the important thing.

4. What type of bipolar (I, II, rapid cycling, etc.) is it when you can feel fine one minute and hallucinate/be manic/be acutely depressed the next?

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That, I'm not so sure of. I think it's rapid cycling, but you'd have to look it up. I don't think you hallucinate with plain old bipolar, either; you've got to have another disorder in the mix. I've also been told that there's something called a "mixed cycle," which is like the manic phase in terms of mental energy but without the euphoria, so you can be manically angry or aggressive rather than happy. So if you want to scare a secondary character out of their pants (especially if they've never dealt with this sort of thing before) a mixed cycle might be the way to go.

Also, just because you don't have honest-to-goodness hallucinations does not mean you're thinking straight. Seriously. You try to convince a manic person that she shouldn't try skateboarding down the banister, or some other hair-brained notion. Odds are, reasonable arguments like, "You've never actually skateboarded in your life, have you?" are going to go in one ear and out the other. There were times in high school when I flatly ordered my friend not to do something because I knew logic wouldn't make a dent. I'm still not sure why she let me do that, since she's actually slightly older than I am. Maybe she knew on some level that I generally kept her out of trouble.

Izunya

tilt190 said:

I'm doing research for my WIP, in which a character has bipolar disorder.

I have some questions (please help and answer as many as you can):

1. What kind of medications do bipolars take (name)?
2. Do they take a "cocktail" of medications, or just a few at a time?
3. Why would bipolars want to stop taking their meds (it's a main problem in the WIP)?
4. What type of bipolar (I, II, rapid cycling, etc.) is it when you can feel fine one minute and hallucinate/be manic/be acutely depressed the next?


Thanks in advance, everyone.

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1. Medications:

Well there are a ton that are tried. Some things work for some people, some not so much. It is not uncommon for sufferers of bipolar disorder to have other issues (OCD for instance). Thus meds then become a discipline of trial and error (possible combinations) in order to determine that which will work across the board - or at least not compromise another possible med taken. And, side effects also play a role. Seriously? There are a ton used in treatment:

Abilify
Adapin
Alprazolam
Amitril
Amitriptyline
Amlodipine
Amoxapine
Anafranil
Apo-Alpzar
Apo-Amitriptyline
Aripiprazole
Asendin
Ativan
Atretol
Aventyl

Benzodiazepines
Bupropion
Calan
Carbamazepine
Carbolith
Celexa
Chlordiazepoxide
Chlorpromazine
Cibalith-S
Cipralex
Citalopram
Clomipramine
Clonazepam
Clopixol
Clozapine
Clozaril
Dalmane
Depakene
Depakote
Desipramine
Desyrel
Diazepam
Divalproex Sodium
Doxepin
Duralith
Effexor
Elavil
Elavil Plus
Endep
Enovil
Epitol
Epival
Escitalopram
Etrafon
Etrafon-A
Etrafon-Forte
Fluanxol
Fluoxetine
Flupenthixol
Fluphenazine
Flurazepam
Fluvoxamine
Gabapentin
Geodon
Halcion
Haldol
Haloperidol
Imipramine
Isoptin
Klonopin
Lamictal
Lamotrigine
Levate
Lexapro
Libritabs
Librium
Limbitrol
Limbitrol DS
Lithane
Lithium
Lithobid
Lithonate
Lithotabs
Lorazepam
Luvox
Manerix
Moclobemide
Nardil
Nefazodone
Neurontin
Norpramin
Nortriptyline
Norvasc
Novo-Alprazol
Nu-Alpraz
Oxcarbazepine
Olanzapine
Oxazepam
Pamelor
Parnate
Paroxetine
Paxil
Permitil
Pertofrane
Phenelzine
Prolixin
Prozac
Rivotril
Serax
Serzone
Sinequan
Symbyax
Tegretol
Thorazine
Tofranil
Topamax (Topiramate)
Trazodone
Tranylcypromine
Triavil
Triazolam
Trileptal
Valium
Valproate
Valproic Acid
Venlafaxine
Verapamil
Wellbutrin
Xanax Ziprasidone
Zuclopenthixol
Zyban
Zyprexa

2. Both - some take one single med dosed as perscribed per day - some take cocktails. Some take a single dose, some take several per day. Depends. There is no standard across the board when dealing with mental health issues and treatment. There are guidelines for things that seem to work best or in many cases and are tried first, but no one thing works for all people. Nor all levels of mental disease are the same - even with same diagnosis in two people. Thus, their treatment could vary vastly.

3. That is NOT bipolar diagnosis specific. Many mental health disorder sufferers will cease meds when they start feeling better. For, some it is conditioning. We take antibiotics for infection and stop when symptoms disappear. Thus, it is not a leap to think one would/could stop a mood med for feeling better as well. Though, some sufferers find side effects worse than the disease and stop for that. Some prefer to self medicate (meaning alcohol or other drugs not prescribed).

4. By definition bipolar is mania - highs; depression lows. Those things you cite are just levels of compromise of the diagnosis. Just like some schizophrenics are paranoid type, some are violent type, some are both, etc. Bipolar used to be called manic depression years ago. Bi-Polar - for this disorder - means just that. They have symptoms that are polar opposites in extremes of each other. Two hard hitting emotional phases. Highs (mania) and lows (depression). And, it is typically cyclical. Periods range from hours/days/weeks in different people affected differently.

This is one disorder you really need to do a ton of research on to get right in your story. For, there are a lot of people affected. And many other people know someone who is affected.

Thus, your research really will have to be more indepth than if you picked a rare disorder that would be unknown to a reader.

Good luck!

Christine

Paroxetine! Thank you for that list; I knew there was something I was on years ago, beginning with P and I could never remember the name.

scarletpeaches said:

Paroxetine! Thank you for that list; I knew there was something I was on years ago, beginning with P and I could never remember the name.

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Any time.

I have all sort of mental health info just laying about and bookmarked on my puter. With a son who is schizophrenic (early misdiagnosed as ADD, ADHD, Adjustment Disorder, Conduct Disorder, Autistic (PPD), Bipolar, and on and on and on) it pays to have a ton of info handy in any time of need.

For a mom?

Even with medical professional advice - even SOUND medical advice?

That mom?

Best know as much as the people talking to her. Even not having a degree like they have. She best know as much.

For, there are times a mom will need to make a decision that is right for the kiddo and maybe not what the doctor ordered. So, really, she best become informed and know as much or more than the doc (if possible).

Mom's instinct saved my son when coupled with my research efforts. (They wanted to give him a med for ADD - Ritalin - it is CONTRA-indicated for schizophrenics. Very contra-indicated. Can cause severe psychotic episodes. Not good. And, I just did not believe ADD indicators as a diagnosis, but felt they were a symptom of something larger. Luckily, my doctor conceded to testing and my instinct. For my kid? NO ADD or ADHD. His actions were mimic of ADD/ADHD for his auditory and visual hallucinations.)

Christine

There's another one; Seroxat. Banned in this country now because of the high rate of suicides amongst takers.

Worked like a charm for me, but no go. Banned. So I had to suffer because of a governmental judgement. Seems to me that those who did commit suicide would have done so anyway, because let's face it, we're all bipolar and not fully present in every moment given our condition.

I don't mean to sound uncaring, but...Seroxat helped many more people than ever had a bad reaction to it.

Sheesh. Put like that, it does sound cold. I don't mean it that way. I was just really, really disappointed because it gave me my life back, years ago.

The thing to keep in mind with the meds is that because we're constantly changing, you can't just find the magic medication at the magic dosage and assume that it's going to work forever. A lot of times you have to constantly tinker with what you're taking and how much.

The most important thing you can have is a friend who knows you well enough to know when you're starting to get a little off, and who you trust enough to believe them even if what they say doesn't match up with your perceptions.

I've taken Epival, Lexapro and Lamictal for bipolar disorder. Right now I'm taking Epival, only half a tablet every day. It works okay.

I've gone off my meds because they make you feel sort of empty. The best way I can describe it is that I feel like freaking Buddha all the time: serene and calm. I personally hate feeling like that, because it's just... empty. So I convince myself that I can do it without the meds and go on 6 months to a year without them until I have an 'episode' and am convinced to take meds again.

Also, is it true meds make you gain weight? Dammit, that would explain

From a model like woman to a fat dragon in one month

Hi

I've got bipolar disorder and I once weighed nine stone three and after taking Haldol, respiridone, zyprexa, injections in the butt, five mental health act sectionings, once whilst pregnant, various straightjacket tablets, I ended up fourteen stone in weight and looked like something from devils island. Needless to say i write about Elizabethan history.

I'm now on another tablet to reduce the amount of electrical activity in my brain. I have only lost my temper five times in my life which is equivalent to once every 11.6 years.

Jelly Baby

Well if you ever want to know what it's like to live with someone who won't take their medication because then they can't drink, I shall have much info for you.


Lol, only not really.

1. What kind of medications do bipolars take (name)?
Personally, at different times and in varying combinations over the last 23 years: Geodone, Lamictal, Depakiote, Lithium. Plus a whole raft of antidepressants and ADHD meds. Too many to count.
Also sleeping pills a time or two. Both highs and lows can result in awful insomnia.
Also alcohol. Not really recommended, and absolutely not in conjunction with many of the other meds. "Self medicating" is common.

2. Do they take a "cocktail" of medications, or just a few at a time?
Varies wildly.

3. Why would bipolars want to stop taking their meds (it's a main problem in the WIP)?
1: They don't work at all.
2: They don't work at all.
3: They work for a little while, then don't.
4: Blah, flat affect. No highs.
5: Intolerable or potentially dangerous side effects. Weight gain was never a problem, but on high doses of Geodon I developed dreadful hives all over my body. Lamictal carries a low risk of a potentially fatal rash (can't recall the name, a quick google would get you there.)

4. What type of bipolar (I, II, rapid cycling, etc.) is it when you can feel fine one minute and hallucinate/be manic/be acutely depressed the next?

Psychosis. Certainly if there are any types of hallucinations or other breaks with reality as we ought to know it. Most experts regard rapid cycling as cycling in days or weeks, not minutes.
It's complicated. A very labile mood is normal for BP disorder. Up, down, blah. But true highs can last days, weeks. Lows, aka major depression, unfortunately, can last months and months, unremittingly.

Cyia said:

Several members of my family are bi-polar and their number one reason for not taking their meds is because the meds make them gain weight.

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Another viable reason is that they get better and feel confident that they can continue to be better without the meds. They get confident that they did it by themselves and the meds carry a great stigma that they can't seem to get beyond. They convince themselves that they can do it without the meds.

That was what I did, KTC.

Not that I couldn't begin my own thread, but, I'm working everyday to finish a lengthy piece of (almost) fiction, where the MC's are both "challenged". One having been diagnosed bipolar, (or what they used to call bipolar) the other MC not diagnosed, and if anyone might be able to steer me in the direction of finding an experienced reader, I would be thankful. It's one thing to sit and research mood disorders and another thing entirely for my MC's and myself to capture them. (It's a hard place to get to, and come back from on a daily basis for me!) Any thought would be most welcome!

tilt190 said:

I'm doing research for my WIP, in which a character has bipolar disorder.

I have some questions (please help and answer as many as you can):

1. What kind of medications do bipolars take (name)?
2. Do they take a "cocktail" of medications, or just a few at a time?
3. Why would bipolars want to stop taking their meds (it's a main problem in the WIP)?
4. What type of bipolar (I, II, rapid cycling, etc.) is it when you can feel fine one minute and hallucinate/be manic/be acutely depressed the next?


Thanks in advance, everyone.

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Read a book or two by Kay Redfield Jamison (Jameson?), a psychiatrist who has bipolar disorder herself, and you will understand all you need to know about all those questions, and more...