This illness haunted me for years. I had frequent changes around age 50, not so many after that. Now, when things happen, it's because of diet problems--you know, too many trans fatty acids, slipping by using tea--wouldn't touch coffee, however--or indulging in chocolate. (But then, I'm sensitive to them.)

Seasonal changes affect this illness, in my view. Sunlight has a very positive affect--lack of it, a strong negative effect.

I have found within the last year that adding Nordic Omega 3 fatty acids has been a big help with sleep. (If I wake up in the middle of the night and can't get to sleep I will take another Omega 3 or two capsules...works every time.) But then, as one ages, the pineal gland calcifies which will require us to take sleeping meds from time to time (and that's not related to bipolar illness; it's a physiological event).

I just dislike the side effects of meds so much that I do everything I can to prevent taking them.

For many months now I have taken Prozac 10 mg., 1 per day--15 mg. Deplin (folate, a food med), and watched the vitamin and mineral intake because of the loss of minerals in assimilating medications in the digestive process. (Before that, it was Lamictal, and you can forget that! Side effects were bad--I mean really bad.)

If you can establish a pharmaceutical quality vitamin A, series B, C, D3, dry E, choline, inositol, fish oils, aged garlic, and probiotics, you're going to see huge changes in your feeling tone, in my view. There are reasons for supplementing with these, especially, but your research will reveal that to you if you want to investigate.

This illness is 98% better for me with age and with more insight about how to manage my diet and sleep habits and liquid intakes.

The brain is extremely sensitive in this illness in my view. That, in part, accounts for so much creativity among some bipolar patients in the arts.

Please don't get discouraged. What you may be experiencing is transitory, at best.

It's the meds that deplete so much of the nutritional benefits we get from foods. They just gobble the goodies when they are being metabolized. That's why so many have such problems with excess acidity that affects feeling tone and sleeping ability.

The calm comes when we get the chemistry right. Omega fatty acids
3 were a life saver for me now and in the past. I just had too much meat and other trans fatty acids in my diet.

Meats provide much of the vitamin B series; we need to cut back consumption of them and take B series supplements--for those in whom Omega fatty acids are low.

Gosh, I hope you do realize that you can get better as you age. It's there for you when you have the time (I know you're busy as a teacher) to do the research necessary to help your system manage the overload of long-time medication needs.

Really hope you'll be fine soon.

Genetic