[petra]

hi. I'm new here and wonder if anyone can help. I was diagnosed seven years ago with bipolar II with rapid cycling and mixed episodes. I take lamictal right now and it gives me bad headaces. My doc told me to take tylenol but it doesn't work. I also have a lot of trouble getting out of bed in the morning. Most days, I just want to go back to bed but I know this is not the way to deal with it. my family doesn't understand and they tell me to get over it. My husband says I can just change the way I think and I'll be all better. He says everyone is bipolar and I can fix myself without meds. I have tried this a lot of times but I just go back to being suicidal, angry, paranoid, delusional, blah blah blah. I feel like a loser.

you can't fix yourself. if you could, we would have murderers who fixed themselves, rapists, robbers, etc. all fixing themselves. bipolarII is a disease. you have to have meds to help you with it. try naproxsen. it works for my headaches..most of the time. how long have you been on lamictal? perhaps it's time to re-evaluate the med? xoxoxo pat

[DaveyJones]

((((Petra))))

I am glad to see you here-I'm new myself, both to the community and my diagnosis (I was treated solely for depression for years). Have you tried any of the other mood stabilizers besides Lamictil? I took that with some small success for a while, but when I was in the hospital recently they switched me to lithium, whigh has helped in many ways tremendously. Many people apparently have trouble with side effects, but I have been OK. I still go up and down, but the medicine gives me a bit of space to get in there with the bad thoughts and make them go away, which is a good thing.

I just hate it when people tell me to just snap out of it...do they think we like this?

Remember that everyone is here to comfort and support you.

Keep movin' on!

DJ

[dexter]

petra

Stay in touch with your doc about your headaches.

See if your husband is open with meeting with your doc or T to explain to him that bipolar is an ILLNESS and not something that "everyone has". You can't "snap out of it" if you have diabetes, you can't just "change the way you think" yourself out of a broken leg. Tell you husband he may in danger of having the latter if he doesn't "change his thinking" about your illness (just kidding )

Explain to him that while he may not want to get out of bed on some days, when this happens to you the chemicals in your brain make it overwhelmingly difficult for you to "change your thinking" which is why this is a diagnosable illness and not just a case of willpower.

Don't let your families comments contribute to your feelings of being angry, suicidal, etc. These things are all bad enough side effects of the depression... you don't need them to reinforce those feelings.

Come here for positive support and understanding.

See if you think my page at http://www.idexter.com/understanding/depression/ might help him to understand. There is a link to my pdf about halfway down the page. I wrote it about depression but it applies to bipolar as well.

[blackdragon]

Lamictal eh? that was the drug they first put me on and i got a rash and stuff. Headaches are a side effect to the lamictal. My advice dont take IB prufen or any meds that contain ib Prufen in it. I did and it made me feel sick to my stomach and then come to find out ib prufen is on the list of meds to avoid. oops If ur headaches arnt getting better try sleeping for a hour or two. That works for me. I probly sugest going to ur doc and tell him about the headaches, u might get a perscription drug to take when u get them.

About ur family, i recomend giving them a info book on bipolar disorder and tell them bipolar is a illness like cancer and the flu. You cant just snap out of it, doesnt work. I know, I tried. And if they dont get it tell them well can a cancer patient just stop having cancer, if a diabetic just says my blood sugar is normal, im not diabetic? No thats proposterous if that was the case than this forum wouldnt be here and doc john would be out of a job. lol. Bipolar is a illness and its caused by a chemical imbalance. u cant help it. If they still dont beleive you have ur T talk to them or ur psych.

If u need to talk PM me ok.

take care

[petra]

thanks for the advice. I called my doc yesterday and he told me to take motrin. how funny. I would like to go to bed for ten hours but I can't cuz I have to clean houses so i can pay my doc cuz i can't get insurance. I went to this website called bipolarhappens.com and i think i'm going to try to get health cards. seems like a good idea. my husband doesn't have much faith in psychiatry. he's very hardheaded. I'm glad I can talk to you. Thanks a lot.

[petra]

I have tried to explain this to my husband but he is not getting it. He thinks what he thinks and that's that. He would go to the doc with me and then tell me that the doc is full of BS. My family is a bunch of know it alls too. Can't tell them anything. Makes me doubt myself sometimes. Feels like i'm banging my head against a wall. I'm glad i can come here. thanks for the support.

[petra]

I've taken paxil, depakote, luvox,lithium, geodon,zyprexa,risperdal, nicotine, caffeine,pot,candy,cookies,chocolate cake,cat food. I think that's all of them but my brain is so mushy i can't remember. I just heard about a new one called Abilify or maybe it's called ice cream. I can't keep all the names straight. At least i still have a sense of humor. i'm glad i'm not alone in this. thanks so much!

[bipolar_bear]

I don't know how long you have taken lamictal but if your headaches continue I would re-evaluate with your pdoc that medication. I take lamictal and have not had that side effect but once again each person reacts differently. I also take abilify and have not had any bad side effects from that either. I hope you find the right meds for you that aren't problematic.

My husband too was not very understanding about this illness but after a few very bad instances he has learned that it really exists. He still doesn't understand but believes I need to listen to my pdoc and take my meds. I hope that your husband will find out in a much easier manner than mine did. Feel free to PM me if you need someone to talk to. Take care.

[darkeyes]

Hi there,
Have you just started recently with the Lamictal? I've been on it for about 3 years or more, now, with great results.
Lithium was great too but too blunting for me. due to my being more depressive. Depakote, was not good for me, and a couple of others, tried short time and had to quit it.
If you just started with the med. it is important your doc starts you with small dose(s) and then titrate to a level that is therapeutic for you. Actually I am surprised you have headaches from it, this med is also used for migraine suffers, besides it's original use as an anti-epileptic(preventing seizures/convulsions) and now more findings are coming about, for what this med. can be used for.
Many meds. have extra benefits besides treating Bipolar's I and II. I read that Lithium helps protect the myelin sheath around nerves, thus helping prevent damage to nerves from stress.
Best thing to do is contact the prescribing physician again, and see if this is just a temporary side effect, if so it may be worth the weight for them to disappear.
Have you had a physical lately? If not see your GP, and see if this headache stuff isn't coming from underlying health issue. Wishing you much success with all of this, being new with this disorder can be overwhelming at times. So often we do not want to accept we have any mental disorder(s) and I know I first couldn't, and I was beligerant or resistant to the DX. My oldest brother is BP-I, was DXed in the 60's so I finally realized the genetic connection, valid too. Soooooooooo I educated myself by reading books, kept with talk therapy,kept with my meds and kept pdoc informed about any ill effects, and even the good responses my body and mind experience. I am so sorry to hear your husband is so closed minded,and others in the 3D, that don't want to understand, it is NOT something one cures without meds., or by that lame,worn out phrase, "just snap out of it", that just boils me, grrrrrrr! He really NEEDs to be open and learn about this stuff, maybe even a counselor. And that is not true, he is so off saying "everybody's bipolar", sure there is a high and increasing percentage, but not everyone. It is so sad that some wish to feel this way about mental illness, as your husband does. Such ignorance complicates things just more for the person experiencing the disorder/illness.
Bipolar has been found to be caused from chemical imbalance(s) in the brain, as well as other mental disorders, and this requires medication. Have these people get in touch with some support group meetings in you town or county, many hospitals and mental health associations sponser meetings free to the public, to help educate people of this stuff, even helps those who are in denial, closed minded, or just new at the DX. Try "Googling" to find more info., there are a lot of informative site., and some of the "suggested reading" list at the top of the Bipolar threads will be helpful too.
Lots of luck with this, it is a treatable disorder.

Take care,
DE

PS Sorry this was such a long reply. Also, perhaps the fact hubby is not doing well with your DX, can be causing stress, and that may be the root of your headaches? Just a thought.

[darkeyes]

Blackdragon, is right, you best try the Tylenol, less chance of interaction, docs always suggest that when on other meds. The other pain relievers may cause additional stress on the organs, like the liver,kidneys and stomach being one's that may be most affected.

Most medications, not just one's for mental disorders, get absorbed in the intestines, while others start in the stomach, so you really need to always check with you doc. and even check with your pharmacist if there are any interactions. They usually insert a monograph/safety data sheet when you recieve and purchase your med.(s).

I wish you, and the rest of us dealing with such disorders.

(((((((( To y'all )))))))))

DE

[Azalysa]

I use the analogy Dexter posted as well of bipolar/depression being like diabetes in that they are both PHYSICAL illnesses and need meds to treat/maintain to educate those around me who don't understand.

The previous posters have expressed my thoughts so I will just say WELCOME I'm so glad you're here. I'm very new to the forums but have found it a very warm, encouraging and safe place.