New to this Disorder

I just found out I was bipolar, last Thursday. Though, I did know I had the symptoms of the disorder, I was never really at terms with it until I was actually diagnosed with it. I was first diagnosed with depression, and sent to see a counselor every few weeks. My Dr had already acknowleged the fact that I might be bipolar, but said she wanted me to see the counselor first. The counselor pretty much backed up everything the DR had though, and that's how I got to where I am today.

I'm not really sure how to handle this news, because I don't know what this means to me.

I feel lost in this disorder, and I don't want to totally lose myself or who I am.

My regular MD prescribed me SeroquelXR 50mg, until I can get into to see my psychiatrist. There wasn't an opening with her for a month, so I am stuck talking to my family MD until then.

The first time taking the med was last night, and I woke up a bit.. sluggish. The whole room was spinning, and I couldn't see straight. I read that this drug caused a "hangover" effect for abit, so I'm assuming that this is what I was experiencing. I did NOT like this.

I am 18, so I feel like this is going to.. stop or mold my life, and it's outcome. How did you all deal with this diagnosis? How do you deal with it on a daily level?

I don't know where to start...
It took me a long time to come to terms with what my diagnosis of BP and what it would mean for me. It's a journey - keep talking with your counsellor.
The meds can really suck especially at first with all the side effects, with time you can work out which drugs work best for you and also the side effects often get better with time.
Your life is still your life and it can still be rewarding. You do have challenges to overcome but you can get through it. All the best...

I'd say to do the exact opposite of what I did. Accept you have the illness. Educate yourself. Work cooperatively wit the Dr.(s). Take your prescribed meds. Work with a Therapist.

18 is young I'm sure you could have everything running smooth as long as you stay positive and motivated to keeping your illness under control.

Hey FreshlyBipolar,

I was only diagnosised in October 2010 so I am still new to it all too. Its an adventure if anything huh!! I also take Serequol but not XR. You will find the hangover effect might be a few days but you will get use to it and it will soon diminish.

Read the posts on here as they have some really good info about BP.

I was a rollercoaster of emotions when I was diagnosised

I am 52 and was just diagnosed in April 2010. For me, it was a relief because I could finally acknowledge I had a a problem. Hang in there and remember being Bipolar is part of who you are not who you are. As for Seroquel XR I also take it and the "hang over" feeling will go away once your gets use to the med.

I'm also on seroquel XL... my regularly prescribed dose is 350, though it recently went up to 450 after I had an episode. I'm now titrating back down again, and am actually wondering if I can come off this med, since I'm really feeling normal again. Won't do it without my doctor's say so though... I've seen too many disasters from medical non compliance.

I can tell you that the extreme hangover will wear off. I was told that if I had bad somnolence in the morning to take it up to twelve hours before you have to get up. That seems to help. But I'm afraid it will take a couple of weeks before the wooziness disipates. Hang on in there.

Being new to bipolar, you need to educate yourself. One of the best books to start with is Bipolar for Dummies.

For me, the diagnosis was a relief. I wasn't diagnosed until I was 30 and had crashed into disability from work. Yes, it was a little sobering. I was no longer "just depressed" or "really irritable" or "having a hard time". But I also had some answers to the big picture, and some hopes of getting better. It also shed some light on some of the crazy things I did when I was manic and helped me forgive myself for them.

It sounds like you caught it early, so this is good news. The medicine can definitely help, though it may take some time to find just the right mix for you. Lifestyle changes are a big part of managing this illness. Getting enough sleep, avoiding drugs and alcohol, eating well - all things that we should be doing anyway, but are even more important for people with bipolar. Something that I found very helpful when I was first learning to manage this is mood charting. There are pre-made mood charts you can find online that can help you track how you're feeling from day to day. You can include things like medications taken, hours of sleep, stressful events, your menstrual cycle (if you're female) - they can all give you clues over time of how you tend to cycle and what particular things you need to watch out for.

Having someone to watch your back for you is also good. Sure, we know when we're feeling crappy and depressed...but when we start to get manic...that's another story. I try to watch for it and use corrective measures if I notice it coming on, but sometimes I miss it. I don't know about anybody else, but when I get manic, I lose all objectivity. I feel fantastic and don't anybody dare tell me I'm getting sick, lol. If left to my own devices, I end up communicating directly to God and getting personal messages from the radio. Or having sex with people I shouldn't be. Or a dozen other crazy things. So, having someone there to say, "hey...I think you're getting a little hyperreligious..." or, "you're not sleeping...let's call your doctor" can really be a lifesaver. So, educating not only yourself, but others close to you, is also important.

Bipolar disorder doesn't have to derail your life. It can be managed. You can still work, go to school, have a family, etc. You just have to be more mindful of how things are affecting you and know when to cut back a bit. There may be some setbacks, but you can come back from them. There are many successful people who have bipolar disorder. Actors, writers, politicians, doctors...(and lots of regular people too, lol).

There is a good magazine called BP Magazine. http://www.bphope.com/
This can be a good source of insights and success stories to help inspire you and help you on your journey through life with bipolar. It doesn't come out nearly as often as I would like (I think it's only 4 times a year), but it is worth the wait.

Hang in there. Work with your clinicians. Keep talking to us. You'll get there. Welcome to PC.

Is Bipolar for Dummies really good? I've had varied responses with "dummies" books, so I'm a bit leary...

Hi There! I too have recently been diagnosed; it was only about a month ago.
I agree with the above posts, my therapist gave me Bipolar for Dummies and warned me not to be taken aback by the name; its just a very simple book for people like us who are new to all of this.
I also knew something was wrong for a very long time and I was relieved when I was finally diagnosed. It finally meant that everything finally meant something. It was a validation!
I am taking Cymbalta until I go to the psychiatrist; it gave me nausea bad the first week but I just got through it and now the only side effect I have is dry mouth. No matter how good you feel, I would just keep on the meds; keeping talking to your doctors/therapists. I have had days where I think to my self, "I am all better! It was just a mood thing!" and I think I can stop taking my meds, but I know that is a foolish thing! Keep the communication with your docs; they will help adjust them if necessary but they won't know unless you tell them.
I am also new to this website/ forum. Everyone is very nice and encouraging. It's nice to log on at any time of day or nite and someone is there to talk to; or read what someone else is going through. I've found that others can put things into words that I can't.
You are going to do great! Take Care!

I was diagnosed about 5 years ago, when I was 27. I was first diagnosed with major depressive disorder, which made total sense to me. I had days (about 6 out of 7 to be exact) when I would just get so depressed that I would sit in the corner and cry all day. At the time I lived by myself. When my little brother moved in with me (he transferred colleges), I started to change. Along with the depression, I became angry. Every little thing he did and said set me off and I would fly into an uncontrollable rage. I would yell and scream at him all the time. This would then make me feel guilty, and after a bit of guilt, I would get depressed. I then would feel really stupid for letting it all happen in the first place, then I would get angry again. It cycled and cycled. I hated it. I could feel it bubbling at the surface, but I knew it would happen and there was nothing I could do. It was like I was sitting at a movie, screaming at the character on the screen to run faster or turn around, but they of course couldn't. I was that character and what was chasing me was outright rage. My pdoc diagnosed me with bp 2. At first I thought "Thank God. Finally it has a name. Maybe it'll stop." But it never stops. I realized that about a year ago. I thought that if I took meds for a while, everything would get better, and it did. While I was on the meds, that is. I stopped taking them for a year or two and I am back on them now. I can't not take them. I know that if I do, everything will go back to the way it was before and I don't want that. While I am taking my meds, everything is soooo much better. I keep telling myself "Well, you can take them for a while and feel the way you did before, or you can take them for the rest of your life and sometimes be normal." I opt for the second choice. I keep telling myself that only a few pills once everyday is better than living a life filled with hate and anger. I may hate taking pills, but my little bro is now my best friend, and I wouldn't give that up for the world. He's become my light. That's how I deal with my bp.

I was diagnosed about 10 years ago and because I have been non compliant with medication at times have made it tougher for myself. Keep going to therapy because it is important to have someone to talk to. This is a great site for support. I am pretty much alone because no one around me understands my disorder. You can have a normal life. The disease does not define who you are.

Welcome freshlybipolar. I still remeber when I was diagnosed and I remember having the same type of feelings. It does take time to come to terms with the diagnosis, but the most important thing to remember is your aren't bipolar, you have bipolar. You're not mania or depression, that's the illness.

What helped me is educating myself about the diagnosis. My only experience with the illness was from growing up with my mom and this wasn't a positive experience. Through reading about the illness it gave me hope and inspiration to manage the illness.

I've done this list up and I hope it helps:
·Take meds as prescribed.

·Educate yourself on the illness.

·Be honest with your psychiatrist, GP, therapist etc.

·Get regular sleep, if you can't sleep ask for a prescription for sleep to be taken regularly or as needed.

·Eat properly i.e. avoid excess caffeine, junk food etc.

·Avoid alcohol.

·Avoid non-prescription drugs and/or drugs not prescribed to you.

·Exercise regularly.

·Set a routine for yourself i.e. getting up at the same time, going to sleep at the same time.

·Surround yourself with people that fill you up.

·Take time for yourself.

·Be patient. The med regime for many diagnosed does take time, but it's worth taking the time.

·Write in a journal especially with how you are feeling right now; that way if you ever considered going off meds it may help you make a better decision.

·Track your mood. Great free one online at http://www.medhelp.org/land/mood-tracker

·And finally remember you aren't your diagnosis. You have bipolar, you aren't bipolar.

I'm new too!!! There is another book that is for family and friends of bipolar people, and I just bought it. It's mentioned in many posts here. I've only read the first few pages, but it seems to be good.

"Living with Someone who is Living with Bipolar Disorder" by Chelsea Lowe, 2010

Welcome to the club Freshly ...

I was diagnosed young too. Let me give you some words that I hope will ease off some of your worries ...

1. Finding the right "cocktail" of medications that work for you will take time, patience, HONESTY, and the will power to keep going with it until you and your pdoc get it right. Will it be easy? NO! ... Will it be worth it? OH YES!

2. This illness will have some limitations, but don't let it ever define you! Read as much as you can regarding the illness and how to deal with it. But mostly how to recognize the symptoms of both Mania and Depression so you can deal with it right away.

3. Get educated, stay focused on getting better, and find ways to cope with the everyday stresses.

I really think it's like having diabetes - you have to watch what you eat and keep up with meds. You have your days where you just eat that extra sweet piece of pie anyway (mania) and your days where you feel like crap because you can't eat what you want (depression). So, it just takes a lil life adjustment but nothing that can't be handled!

Thanks everyone for the good advice.

I have been reading as much as I could about the disorder, and trying to educate myself to the best of my ability. I bought one book, The bipolar workbook (If anyone has heard of it, or bought it?) and reading through it. It seems to be helpful.

I haven't figured out my personal symptoms of manic or depression.. Though when I am manic, I go on shopping sprees, with money that I don't have to spend. I get very irritible.

I'm not sure how to tell if my symptoms are from being bipolar, or not. Or are they all bipolar symptoms?

I'm just really confused at this point. Is this normal?

I haven't told my boyfriend of 4 years, that I got diagnosed with bipolar yet. I'm scared. I don't know what to say, or how to say it. I'm scared of how he is going to react.

That's a great start to learning about your symptoms. Have a think about your sleep patterns and the way that you think (rapid thoughts, increased clarity of thinking etc)... they can also be warning signs.
Totally normal to be confused, its really hard to know where your personally ends and were your bipolar begins. I had a lot of trouble trying to work out what a "normal" mood was!
It's really hard to tell the people who mean a lot to you, but they are the people you need to know so they can understand what is going on and help you when you need it.
you don't need the people who can't accept you as you are - though rejection is always really tough

You've been with him a while now, so he's gone through a lot of your ups and downs with you. He might just surprise you and be quite relieved that they've finally found a reason for your difficulties and that it can be treated. If you're thinking that this relationship is for the long term, then he needs to be told. I would definitely focus on the fact that it is treatable.

It's natural to feel that way. I agree that he should be told, but I would also give yourself a little time to learn about the disorder first. The book in my signature is excellent and is written for family and friends of those diagnosed. He may be interested in reading it after you let him know.

If there is a BP education group in your area I would suggest both going to that. You can speak to the Psychiatrist about any BP groups in the area. You may also want to check out this website (Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance)
http://www.dbsalliance.org/site/Page...?pagename=home

The mood disorder society of Canada has a good information book on BP that's free to download:

http://www.mooddisorderscanada.ca/

Thanks for all of the support.

I don't go to my pdoc for a month, so I'm just kinda hanging out until then.. Where I can learn more.

Once I go to the pdoc, I think I will feel more assured with telling Zac (my SO). I'm not sure if I really want to wait, or if I am just putting it off.

I appreciate everyone's responses and help.

Telling your partner is hard, I told mine I think 3 weeks into dating. It's now four and a half years later. It could be a big relief for you, it is a big burden to carry around in secrecy. Also could be a good support for you. But I think you'll know when your ready to confide.
I was diagnosed at 17 and never went back in for treatment, total denial. 10 years later and much trauma later went back in and diagnosed again. I am still not medication compliant and as everyone one else has said, this is huge for your success. I agree 100% take medication as perscribed. I don't know why I fail at that.
Therapy is also such a huge help. There's so much info online too.
Your young and can have such a bright future. I have three kids and a pretty good life. It is just a challenge not a road block.
Good luck