[bmandelbrot]

Im on all the bipolar meds but still have depressive and slight manic episodes. Im stable for some time and feel great then suddenly feel really low and feel like drinking to get out of that state if only for a moment. On the other hand the euphoric mood is equally as bad. These are by no means as bad as when I was not taking any meds. I thought that with meds and therapy all the symptoms would go away. But it seems its going to be a lifelong fight. Which worries me. Its frustrating.

[Trippin2.0]

Meds don't make our symptoms disappear, their function is to minimize the effects of our episodes, not diminish them. This is why coping skills are very handy tools to aquire, I suggest you speak to your therapist about learning some.

[sweepy62]

I know what you mean, I agree with trippin. we can only manage our symptoms through coping skills which is difficult at times. I have been up since 2 am it is now 3 am as I am writing to you, I cant sleep, I am fighting a cold I think, so I am taking cold remedies which to me aggravate my bipolar symptoms, some cold remedies would be like drinking loads of coffee , they speed me up, my h does not understand this, so I went to bed half depressed to my meds along with cough meds and now I am up hyper as heck, racing thoughts, dont know what to do, been like this for a week like a yo yo. Hang in there .

[BipolaRNurse]

Originally Posted by bmandelbrot

Im on all the bipolar meds but still have depressive and slight manic episodes. Im stable for some time and feel great then suddenly feel really low and feel like drinking to get out of that state if only for a moment. On the other hand the euphoric mood is equally as bad. These are by no means as bad as when I was not taking any meds. I thought that with meds and therapy all the symptoms would go away. But it seems its going to be a lifelong fight. Which worries me. Its frustrating.

Regrettably, we sometimes have breakthrough episodes even with the best medications, at the right doses. Changes in seasons, stress, life events.....all can destabilize us. The meds really only help to straighten out our brain chemistry; becoming stable also takes a good deal of hard work on changing negative ways of thinking to healthier ones.

And yes, it will be a lifelong fight that requires lifelong vigilance. I know, it can be exhausting. I'm finally stable after two years of battling this illness tooth and nail---it's like I just snapped out of it a couple of months ago and other than the time I tried cutting back on my antipsychotic, I've been as normal as I've ever been or will ever be.

You'll get there.....just don't expect the pills to cure everything. If you're not in therapy, go get some---it'll teach you the coping skills you need to live your best life with this disorder.

[Amelie10]

Originally Posted by bmandelbrot

Im on all the bipolar meds but still have depressive and slight manic episodes. Im stable for some time and feel great then suddenly feel really low and feel like drinking to get out of that state if only for a moment. On the other hand the euphoric mood is equally as bad. These are by no means as bad as when I was not taking any meds. I thought that with meds and therapy all the symptoms would go away. But it seems its going to be a lifelong fight. Which worries me. Its frustrating.

I completely relate to your post. I struggled for many years with meds, therapy, etc and I would get better at times, but I continued to use alcohol to manage my moods when I didn't feel like the meds were doing their job.

When I was hypo or manic I drank to have fun or to take the edge off. When I was depressed I drank to make the day not feel so long. Then there was the binge drinking and the consequences of that.

Finally I made it into recovery and I got sober. I really believed if I quit drinking and took my meds exactly as prescribed that I would never fall into a major depression again.....and I was wrong.

My life is better now that I don't drink....but I still have BP and I still have my ups and downs. It is much better, but it is still there.

I try to practice gratitude every day remembering how much better my life is today than when I was first diagnosed. Reading this forum also keeps me in gratitude.

Hang in there.

[A Red Panda]

Unfortunately, we're sorta stuck with it. It's never going to really go away. But the meds can help, and the more coping skills we each learn the better off we'll be.