[bluemountains]

With the recent discussion about racing thoughts, it makes me wonder if racing thoughts are a constant with bp, or if I just never have completely had my bipolar under control. I have always had racing thoughts, but in thinking about it when very depressed these thoughts have been a danger to me. Now my thoughts are very random. As I stated in the earlier post, sometimes my thoughts even wake me up-three times last night.
I don't want my meds to make me comatose, but I am curious if any of you feel more peaceful in thoughts with your anti-bp regiment.
Bluemountains

[Nessa213]

This is an extremely good point. I don't know if my thoughts really race during a depression only because I guess I never paid it much mind. But, that said I do notice that they are always constant and intrusive. Telling me how much of a failure I really am and how much better things would be if...

Hypomanic racing thoughts are much more frantic. More random. More loud and almost blinding. They wake me up in the middle of the night and they keep me awake for hours.

Over the last week I've been taking Trazodone at night and last night I only took 25mg (RXed 50mg) and slept amazing, but in the middle of the night when my husband needed to wake me up because he was going to work I didn't feel too out of it.

I mean this only as a helpful bit of information that might or might not be
relevant to your case at all:

along with bipolar II and allergies that are inherited, I have an inability to
break down disacharrides in cow's milk. I thought my daughter had the same problem when she was young and recommended that she try Lactaid tablets (which are a form of lactase which breaks down a disaccharide into glucose.)

She tried it but her ability to break disaccharides was so strong that she began having racing thoughts. We never suggested that she try it again.

It could be that if you drink cow's milk you may be breaking the disaccharides so well
that it is causing a type of "brain allergy". You may be having racing thoughts from
that. If you do drink a lot of cow's milk, try cutting it out for about 1.5 weeks and
see how you are; if it works you'll know that you need to be careful about cow's milk.

It's possible that it could be the sugar in some other type of drink that you can't break
down. In that case, try removing that one for 1.5 weeks and see it if works.

Otherwise, I don't know how to help. I don't experience racing thoughts unless I'm about
to be involved in a circumstance that calls for quick thinking and fast action--like an
automobile accident.

Good wishes, Blue Mountain.

[bluemountains]

Thank you for the input, genetic. Actually, I don't drink cow's milk unless I am out of town, and have with cereal. I drink almond milk. Otherwise, my drinks of choice are water, coffee, or lemonade. I have never been a fan of milk and I don't eat many dairy products otherwise, cheese only occasionally. It is interesting, though, because I know of many with dairy allergies.
As for the racing thoughts, I don't mind so much unless these wake me up at night. Klonopin usually does the trick, but not every night. Important tasks do hold my attention much longer, so I guess there is discipline in controlling racing thoughts-who knows? We're opposite in our experiences. When I have a circumstance that calls for quick thinking, my thoughts focus only on the event at hand.
Bluemountains

[Nessa213]

I also avoid dairy products for the most part. They make my face break out something fierce believe it or not. Probably partly due to an allergy of some type. (Possibly?)

[faerie_moon_x]

I've had racing thoughts for so long I can't even fathom thinking without them. I also have had times where my racing thoughts wake me up and I can't go back to sleep. It's frustrating. But, yeah, my thoughts race 24/7. But, they are sometimes racing only at 60 mph and other times at 100 mph. Just depends.

Also, I don't drink milk very often or eat cereal with milk often, either. I love cheese but don't buy it because one of the people living in my house ate a 12 lbs bag of cheese in less than 2 days (not my husband or kids or mother-in-law, but my worn out his welcome houseguest,) and that's $12 gone that we could have used for many dinners.... I eat yogurt only occasionally and really don't like it very much. So, probably not lactose for me.

[~Christina]

My mind is always racing, It always has, even when I was a child. I'm pretty sure my Pdoc could come up with some concoction of medications that would stop them,( not that him or I even want that) But I don't want to spend my life in a drug induced coma like state.

[faerie_moon_x]

I also feel like I might not be myself without all the chatter in my head.

[A Red Panda]

Same! No nonsense going on in my head and I actually get weirded out. It's like "Helloooooooo???? IS ANYONE HOME?!?!?!"

It's different though - there are times when I CAN concentrate. Usually on reading. And sometimes I successfully have a volume button, that lets me focus on one or two or three things at once and the rest is on the backburner for a bit - I'm still aware of what they are, but they won't be always hindering me. Right now I've got a few songs in my head plus worries about dinner plus complaining to myself about my sore feet and tights and that I want to organize my classroom and hope my kids will help me cut up some stuff I laminated and debating on what I want to eat for supper.....

But the overriding thoughts are ones about this forum - about this thread and about some PMs and about a few other threads I need to get caught up on. Those are the dominant ones that are circling around in here, but the others are there too just not as loud.

[faerie_moon_x]

Right now I am having obsessive racing thoughts that are angry and upset. If they keep at this rate I will have an episode later, I can feel it. So, trying to override them by checking the forum.

[cool09]

I had tremendous racing thoughts when I was in college and when I worked. I would lay in bed and go over and over things that happened during the day and analyze them. And I would get a rush of thoughts at one time and when conversing I was always many, many thoughts ahead of myself. I have to keep stress to a complete minimum to avoid racing thoughts (which is one reason why I'm on SSDI). Agitation and anger can trigger racing thoughts. I don't know if all BP people experience these fluctuations in thoughts. I started getting them around 14-15.

[bluemountains]

Many of your experiences sound so much like mine! I am not going to be paranoid anymore that racing thoughts are a bad thing. I will admit that in a very hypomanic state I have made some unwise choices due to overthinking (racing thoughts? not sure) Meanwhile, though, like others I find my racing thoughts to be a part of me. Thanks for the confirmation that I am not unlike others! I am not always the most organized person, but I believe my racing mind helps me to be very productive when necessary.
Thanks everyone!
Bluemountains