Hello, hello! And thank you.

[quote=Hooligan;4388114]Hi JaneBeans

Good to see you on this forum. Thank you.

Just to add personal thoughts in addition to what has already been stated quite succinctly above.
Some people do. Some people don't. I know people who are med free. And do quite well. BUT. I need to point out to you that they have VERY strong strategies in place for maintaining a lifestyle that helps achieve stability as much as "may be warranted for diagnosis" and incredibly strong support mechanisms in place for mood episodes.

Thank you so much for this. I really, really want to try to do it without medication but I don't know if that's possible for me. Knowing that others can do it gives me hope. All the the replies I've been getting here have made me change my mind about meds a bit. I'm thinking now that it'll be OK to try it out. I'm meeting with my psychiatrist on Tues, 4/14 and I want to talk to her about trying it out without meds first. My health hasn't been so great these past couple years. I had a drinking problem for years and I started gaining weight around the time that all of this started happening. I've been reading a lot on nutrition, supplements, things to avoid etc and I've been doing really well with that. I even gave up my beloved caffeine. I know that I also have to exercise which is something that I hardly ever do now. Another thing that I think might be a problem is that I work two jobs and minimum 60 hours/week. This interferes with sleep and one of the jobs really stresses me out. I have to figure out what to do about that.
Okay. This confused me completely.

I am NOT a medical professional. So I state this quite firmly below on personal opinion.

You only achieve BP1 diagnosis of BP1 (as opposed to BP2) if you've had a manic episode. It's got nothing to do with the duration. So please go back to your doctor and ask for clarification.

That's what I told her! When I made my appt, it was for anxiety. For a couple years now I go through these episodes where I feel like I'm really, really high on cocaine. Sometimes it feels awesome! I'm more outgoing, productive and I just feel overall freakin' amazing. There are other times when I feel really agitated, irritable, and I cannot be around people. It's such an ugly feeling that I used to try to kill with alcohol but then I'd just black out, become violent, and everyone would be mad at me the next day. The worst part is that I never remembered what happened. My friends even gave me the name "Nancy" (from the movie Sid & Nancy) cause they say that's who I'd become. Aah... the embarrassing memories. Anyhow, I always thought it was all anxiety. Really, really super bad anxiety that decided to show up announced and invited while I was quietly minding my own business.
So during my "interview" with the therapist I was feeling really, really "up" (as I've always called it). It was the good kind of "up" but I was trying to keep it cool hoping she wouldn't notice but she did. And then once she did I just let go with the fast talking and diarrhea of the mouth. She started asking me A LOT of questions. I said too much. And I was having a hard time focusing. And I kept joking too. Again with the embarrassing behavior. So she said it's bipolar 1 cause it goes on for so long. I disagreed with her and she said that maybe the psychiatrist will change the diagnosis. So idk how it works but maybe I'll get a different diagnosis then?

Please discontinue watching fake Hollywood Bogus Films Immediately! Haha jk. No. You will not necessarily get Alzheimers JUST because you are Bipolar. This is not the case. Even if studies have found a loose correlation. It is definitely not true for all. At all. Please banish this fear.

LOL thanks so much for this and your whole reply. I swear I had been freaking out so bad about this.Those thoughts are now out my head and in the thrash.

Thanks again for all your help.