[functionalmess]

Nev3rmind how stupid it is, but I do not consistently take meds for bipolar w psych features. A couple times a year I wig out (its totally unbearable), then run and get meds. Usually takes 6 weeks to level out and stop my symptoms. But the last time I had an episode, I started abilify and took it for 2 weeks (remember it always takes 6 weeks for me to straifhten out). Then, I had to put my cat to sleep. Within a few days of that my head was silent, it stopped. I stopped the medication, and ive been fine since for around 4 months now. Could my cats passing have released the chemicals needed to curb the episode? I dont know if thats a crazy idea or stupid... but thats what happened. I know environmental factors can trigger an episode, but can those factors actually stop one?

[Victoria'smom]

Maybe?? Grief may have brought you down but it usually throws me into a mania.

[gaia67]

It'd be interesting to see if it can for others, so I'll keep my eye on this thread. Add for meds, though I can't tolerate Zyprexa daily, it can bring me down from a manic episode almost instantly. I wish I could find a pdoc who was willing to prescribe it prn.

It could do that, especially if you had an unusual allergy to cat fur or dander or some other sensitivity to them. The absence of that in the atmosphere could change your chemistry somewhat very easily.

Strange, but bipolar patients can have sensitivities like no other group of people. (Many psychotropic medications contain an antihistamine in them.)

You could push it by seeing an allergist and undergoing testing, but if you're better, I wouldn't think you'd need to do that, but I'd be careful before I decided to get another cat.

My sister and I both are so allergic to them it's not even funny. She was given a small white Persian kitten as a young child, and on the way home from a trip to get the kitten, Mom and Dad had to stop and give the little animal away because my sister's symptoms were so bad. She can't be in the presence of one; I have a different reaction but am still allergic to them, though I've never owned a cat and didn't even know I was allergic to them until allergy testing revealed it.

Not enough is known about how things affect the bipolar mind at this point, but you can be sure that many, many things can affect feeling tone in bipolar illness. I have an inherited allergy gene in addition to Bipolar II and know that these things are very real and disturb feeling tone like nothing else can.

I hope you get along well and remain free from symptoms.

Take care.