[Passion222]

I was surprised to get this idea from the new therapist today. The holistic dr referred me to her and she's wonderful to talk to. She said my brain has a chemical imbalance and sometimes holistic ways don't work for bipolar. Actual meds correct the situation better

[venusss]

did she really use the... simplified and unproven... "chemical imbalance" that "meds correct" lines?

Could you ask her next time to explain?

I am not even that suprised she may think some person needs something to help the,m. I am suprised she uses pharma line O.o.

did she have advice as what to do in addition?

[faerie_moon_x]

I don't think it's a pharma line exactly, but an easier way of explaining things. Not everyone can follow along when you discuss the issues of seritonin and the synaptic gap direclty. "Dumbed down" perhaps, but not necessarily pharma.

I think it's important for a health care provider to be understanding of all types of treatment. Both holistic and non-holistic. For example, I had my first son naturally by the Bradley method (which is all natural without meds.) Everyone around me said i was crazy. But my instructor was a woman who had three sons. The first she had an epidural, the second she had naturally, but the third she had by c-section. In her instruction she made it very clear that if in the end you needed meds or a c-section that you weren't a failure, you weren't less of a woman, and you weren't less of a mom because the important thing is a healthy baby and a healthy mom at the end of the day. This is the mindset you need in a healthcare provider.

However, my original OB/GYN for that son, I told her I was doing the Bradley method and she said, "Are you a farm animal? Because that method is for farm animals." That was my last appointment with her.

[Confusedinomicon]

You can reduce medications and still be stable if you work on coping with emotions. Your therapist should not have discouraged you. Being on less medication means you dont have as many negative side effects. Its important that the therapist is open to teaching you coping mechanisms that allow you to deal with external stress. Once that reduces, the severity of mood starts to go down. BP folk tend to be very sensitive. Learning to deal with sensitivity helps in management of mood.

You can achieve a lot towards stability. Remember that it doesnt happen overnight and can take years.

[Passion222]

She didnt seem completely against going natural. It was my first visit. She does hypnotherapy and hoping she will start using it to help me understand myself more. Help me learn to cope. She just said that most people cope better with actual medication. Only so much you can do without meds. Think she's gotta feel out my life first before we decide how I move forward without meds. I've had so many problems with my marriage that I believe it makes me extra sensitive to everything around me. I just don't want these meds in me. Sigh.......

[hamster-bamster]

Maybe she is practicing complimentary medicine. Not alternative, which offers substitutes for the standard of care, but complimentary, which works alongside the standard of care. So she may want you to stay on meds but offer something from her toolbox, such as hypnotherapy. Is she aware of the weight gain on meds? How rapid is the weight gain? Losing weight is always difficult - it is much easier to stop gaining. Really do not know what to say, WB+Lamictal seems to be THE most innocuous cocktail from the weight gain standpoint, yet it damages you so much. Are you in general very given to depression (WB+Lamictal would make be think that)?

[Anika.]

I think Passion, that you just have to do the leg work to get well in life, no matter the route. But what I really think is the choice either way has to be yours, and yours alone. It's your life, and your choice, even if you choose meds, better for it to be of your own choice rather than going with others opinions too much.

Honestly it really does irk me a bit when people make statements like most people cope better with medications, or only so much you can do with out medication. First.. what a personal power stealer, second.. I don't actually buy either statement. Certainly is not true for me, and I am just not that special. If it were true, I think this forum would be pretty darn dead. From what I can see the medicated peeps struggle with bipolar just as much.. if not sometimes more than some of the unmedicated people here. To me this speaks most about the effectivness of medications. I guess I feel when people make those statements they just undermined the people who made it work and worked hard. It just doesn't leave much room and cuts off numerous possibilities. It also undermines every single person woth MI and their capabilities.

That said I am glad she is still somewhat open, and I really hope the therapy and techniques can work for you, either way you decide to go.

[Confusedinomicon]

If you are unhappy in your marriage, it could be stressing you out enough to cause you constant anxiety and sensitivity. This stress could be enough for you to exhibit lack of sleep/eating issues/generalized anxiety. Meds can help the symptoms, but they cannot help the situation you're in. Chances are if you're unhappy in your marriage, you will still feel unhappy on the medication at any dose because you're just unhappy in general. The medication may give you the motivation to get out of bed and go to work, but it's not fulfilling that loneliness of being in a bad relationship and wanting human interaction/better emotional/sexual connection with another being.

I'm a huge believer that our emotional well being affects our ability to cope.

[Passion222]

Omg Confused!! You said exactly what I've thought. I never had big problems mentally until I met my husband. To be honest I met a old childhood friend and he is amazing. Not expecting a relationship at this point. I just feel like a whole different person with him around. I feel
Happy all tbe time and laugh and haven't felt this wonderful in years. Just a great person. We match up well. Been making me realize my life is sucked away by my husband. The lady I'm seeing tomorrow is a hypnotherapist. I'm looking into getting the self confidence to be me. Hope to go off meds to figure out the real me. I know I can do it. But thanks for bringing up what I thought.

[BlueInanna]

Sounds like you're making progress Passion, getting to know and understand your self and your situation. And I hope you will be able to leave such an unhappy marriage, it can be the hardest thing to do. This hypnotherapy could do wonders for a lot of areas for sure. Please let us know how it goes. xoxo

[hamster-bamster]

Originally Posted by Passion222

Omg Confused!! You said exactly what I've thought. I never had big problems mentally until I met my husband. To be honest I met a old childhood friend and he is amazing. Not expecting a relationship at this point. I just feel like a whole different person with him around. I feel
Happy all tbe time and laugh and haven't felt this wonderful in years. Just a great person. We match up well. Been making me realize my life is sucked away by my husband. The lady I'm seeing tomorrow is a hypnotherapist. I'm looking into getting the self confidence to be me. Hope to go off meds to figure out the real me. I know I can do it. But thanks for bringing up what I thought.

my ex 2nd H sucked my life away from me. I do not think you need to be off meds to figure out the real you. You need to be "off" manipulative, exploitative, controlling people. You need to be able to breathe freely - I am sure you know what I mean.