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Old Feb 25, 2017, 04:40 AM
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usehername usehername is offline
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Member Since: Oct 2012
Location: in my head
Posts: 542
Quote:
Originally Posted by justafriend306 View Post
I'm rather concerned about your use of the word 'recovery'. One doesn't recover from bipolar - they manage it.

I'm sorry you are frustrated but this is frankly a reality of the illness. Some medications can contribute to this as well. The first thing is to monitor this; even documenting it is a good idea. And of course communicate this with the primary mental healthcare provider.

Remember too that medications take on average 6-10 weeks to take effect with some well longer than that. Does your daughter take PRNs (that means 'take as needed' medications). I have some for anxiety which I take only if I really need to as they tend to be sedating.

The reality of the situation is that stable medicated bipolar individuals will sleep a lot. I myself sleep about 10hrs at night with at least one 2hr nap during the day. During the height of winter it is worse than that.

I know of several of my bipolar acquaintances that have circadian rythym problems too. One thing they say that helps is the use of a light therapy lamp. This requires 10-15 minutes per day. You don't actually look into them rather set them up alongside your regular activity (ie. computer, reading). Again, talk to the psychiatrist and they might agree this is worth a try.

Good luck.
I work in mental health actually, in a trauma informed recovery center. That is where that language is coming from - it's drilled into me. I'm well aware that it's a lifelong illness. She did get it from me, after all.

I'm actually very happy about her progress. Suddenly, I'm able to wake her up in a reasonable amount of time. It used to take 3+ hours. It was terrible, and she suffered horribly. I'm happy to see her not suffer so much - FINALLY.

We actually have used sun lamps in our entire house for years... it's part of our sleep hygiene process (including a light box alarm clock and weighted blanket). We live in the north. Every bulb in our house is a sun bulb. My mother put them in to combat depression, we kept them to help regulate our sleep cycles (it doesn't work on its own).
__________________
My labels:
Bipolar 1 w/ psychosis
PTSD
GAD
SAD
ADHD

Current meds:
1500mg divalproex sodium
3mg alprazolam
0.5 mg triazolam PRN
assorted non psych meds.