Bipolar II

Hi, is anyone else here Bipolar II? I'm 57, had problems all my life, and just got diagnosed on Thursday - finally.

Hi,
Is there anyone here who is Bipolar II?
I wish there was a separate forum for us. Sorry, but I cannot relate to the Bipolar folks. I never heard of their meds, and I don't do the same things they do.
I'm not manic, and don't hallucinate. I know what I'm doing at all times, even if it is impulsive and I can't help myself.
I do have hypomania. I've had many troubles over the years because of it.
I have had many severe depressive episodes, and been prescribed almost every anti-depressant known to man since 1984.
After 25 years of being labeled Unipolar, I received a new diagnosis of Bipolar II on Thursday, June 30. I believe now that I've been this way since I was very young. I just began taking lithium, and I have no idea what it's going to do for me.
Where do I belong?

Congratulations? Just kidding. Yes, I am bipolar II. Dx'd about two years ago. Welcome.

I am 50 and was diagnosed 2 years ago with BP2. I am just now (2 weeks) starting on proper meds to treat (Depakote). The side effects are something else, but should abate over time. I am already noticing amazing differences in my brain, and so is my husband. Hard to believe I lived that way for so long! You'll find a lot of support here. You can message me any time.

I think I am bipolar but the doctor won't give me any sort of diagnosis which is very frustating. I know the ups but I'm very scared to admit them and recognise them. I am on a mood stabiliser and anti-depressants which has been very effective.

Welcome. I am 52 and was diagnosed last year with BPII. Suddenly everything made sense! lol

I am almost 50. Been diagnosed with bipolar 2 withing the last 6 years. So far no medication combination seems to be working that well for me. Good luck.

Hey, Roxiesmom333, I love your dog - he looks great. I had dogs all my life until I moved into my apartment 1 - 1/2 years ago. My Bichon died in 2008 and my Terri-poo in 2009. Dogs give you Unconditional love, no judgements, glad to see you always no matter what. I love dogs.

Hi jack123. Keep believing that your doctor will find the right combination for you, and you'll feel better.
I just started on lithium on Thursday, and I feel shaky right now, too soon to tell if it works or not. I'm hoping!

I'm 26 and I was diagnosed with BP2 almost three years ago. Welcome!

This is a great forum with lots of nice people. I have learned alot about my wife's BPD 2 and ways to help her. If you want to know you are not alone and that things can get better, you are in the right place!

Well, about 3 months ago I was diagnosed bipolar but my therapist couldn't decide right away if I or II- saw a Pdoc on Thursday and she confirmed II. Amazingly enough there is some relief when you have a dx because then you can finally see why things have been the way they have been for so long. After seeing Pdoc on Thursday, I realized that I have been living this way undiagnosed for 10 years or so....it all makes so much sense now. She gave me Lamictal and Hydroxizine and will up my Cymbalta....so far on day 2 I have been able to clean my bathroom, put on makeup and socialize......not holding my breath cause when I first started the Cymbalta I felt this way too BUT I do have hope that between the Pdoc and the T that I will start to learn what normal really is. Good luck to you!

Well, I have been recently diagnosed as BPII- my T doc knew I was BP but couldn't decide I or II so early in me seeing her. I went to a new Pdoc on Thursday and she confirmed BPII. I too have some manic stuff but have not put my family in BK or high debt, I have not landed in jail due to my mania but I have made some bad judgements- feeling as though there are no consequences- in my mania. I am taking Lamictal and Hydroxizine and Cymbalta...this is a new combo so I am only 2 days into to it to know how its working. The depression is the worst! Society has such a warped sense of BP......they think we are all severly mental and unstable....but there are so many levels of BP.
Hang in there.....

I hope I want to put makeup on and clean bathrooms soon! Good for you smiling mask.

phoenix, not sure if you know this but you need to make sure that they check your blood count, kidney and thyroid function and determing your medical history may request a 24hr urine test along with an ECG. These test are simply to make sure it is safe to start you on lithium. Once you start lithium at around the fifth day doctor will take a blood sampe to check the level of lithium. This test should be done after about 12 hrs of taken lithium. If level is not correct doctor will adjust lithium and in the next five days recheck. Once level has been matched blood test will be less often like two to three months. Lithium is also used to treat mania, as a mood stablizer or to boost the effect of an antidepressant.

Hi I'm 32, diagnosed BPII 4 years ago....

Wow, I feel like I've been on a roller coaster the past week.
I thought I was unipolar until Thursday. I've been on anti-depressants from 1987 until Thursday. I could not cry, I haven't cried for 5 years. I stuffed everything, even the anger. The doctor gave me a new anti-depressant June 10th, and by last Sunday I was out on a hypomanic shopping spree, and felt I could take on anything. I was diagnosed as Bipolar II and started on lithium Thursday, and now I'm crying over any and everything. My head hurts, and I feel "weird" can't describe it. They say lithium takes 1-3 weeks to work. What is going on here? I feel like a basket case, crying over every little thing.

Thanks for the advice. I was in ER with my blood pressure on the 27th, and the ER doc did all my blood work then, including TSH and a renal panel. My pdoc checked the blood test results before he prescribed the lithium. I have another lab requisition in my purse to have lab work done on July 9th. How often I go for tests after that I guess my pdoc will tell me.

No worries, you can belong here! There are plenty of people with BPII here. Those who have BP do share a lot in common, since BPI and BPII are just labels. There are degrees of severity in both.

Because of this, you will find some people's experience of it to be similar to yours, and some not so much. But we are all on a rollercoaster - just of varying levels of high and low and frequencies thereof.

Welcome to the forums Phoenix_1!

Was diagnosed bipolar almost 7 years ago. Then my doctor changed it to chronic depression, and finally a different doctor confirmed bipolar II about a year ago. It is nice to receive a diagnosis when it's the right one!

i'm 21 and was diagnosed on Tuesday! not eally sure how i feel about it right now! i was told that i was 'probably' bipolar last year, but then i had kinda talked myself out of it, so came as a shock on Tuesday!

Hi. I'm 57 and newly diagnosed with Bipolar II. I was diagnosed with Unipolar depression in 1987, and of course, the anti-depressants just made the hypomania worse.

If I had known at age 21, what I now know about myself, I could have avoided:

2 really bad marriages (and divorces)
4 really bad boyfriends
7 failed businesses
who knows how many credit card "max outs"
1 bankruptcy
1 car repossession,
and who knows what else.

I had absolutely no self-awareness about my self-destructive behavior, and in the process I hurt myself, my kids and my family.

Isn't "IF ONLY" two wonderful magical words? If only I could live my life over again, with what I know now .....

I'm 20 and I was diagnosed with BP II 2 1/2 months ago.

I've pretty much come to terms with the diagnosis now even though at first it wasn't a shock (it was suggested a couple months before I saw the pdoc and was diagnosed that I could be bipolar)...so at first I was okay, and then I was upset and thinking why me and everything...and now I'm just kind of like, well, I have to deal with it and that's that.

Once you get the right meds, your world turns around in a 180! And I think that therapy can be beneficial as well.

Welcome, and good luck on your BP journey!

divorces, bankruptcies, bad love, ruined friendships and family relations...
and thanks to everybody else who said, LIFE FINALLY MAKES SENSE! Those were my exact words when I got my govt disability papers; that, and, they couldn't have figured this out 30 years ago? I had to get fired from every job I ever had?
Sometimes I try to console myself with the idea that if I were in Russia, there would be 17 people living in my apartment. But then maybe at least one of them would take out the garbage once in a while.

Hi Hankster,
I really like your sense of humor - it brightened my day. Hey, I could be living in some third world village and have to balance 3 gallons of water on my head walking 4 miles uphill. I can't even make it from the kitchen to the living room without spilling my coffee - klutz!