[medicalfox]

I saw him today and he asked what has happened. I told him and he told my flat out "when you are manic you need to get your a_s to the hospital" and I was so shocked. He was super serious about being hospitalized for my mania, but the bad news is that I'm rapid cycling according to him. He told my I should expect to become manic after every midterm and every end of semester due to the stress of college so that means I will be manic at least 4 times a year minimum. He did not want to put me on lithium or a antidepressant since he said they would not help which really makes me sad. I hate the thought that I will never be able to control my disorder fully and this means it could be devastating when I go into the radiology program. I can't expect the profs to understand that I need to be hospitalized each semester and I definitely can't expect work to understand me being hospitalized so frequently. Life is hard :/

[Alokin]

Aww medicalfox! Do not let this get you down!!! I know school is hard to deal with when bipolar and vice versa! Maybe knowing these certain times you are going to become manic is a good thing, you can plan for it, make adjustments?

I recently had a very rough semester. Got hubby to help me out since I was struggling, talked to my doc about my brain fog. It took way longer than I needed it to, but I was able to scrape by.

Do NOT give up!!!! I know you really want to complete this program. You can be productive when you start working as well. I am telling you it is a struggle, but it can be done!

[~Christina]

Why is your Doctor against Lithium .. Its like the "gold standard " treatment of Bipolar ??? Or is it a personal reason ?

According to that pesky dsmv 4 episodes are typical for Bipolar patients .. altho everyone is unique.

[Jcon614]

Originally Posted by Alokin

Aww medicalfox! Do not let this get you down!!! I know school is hard to deal with when bipolar and vice versa! Maybe knowing these certain times you are going to become manic is a good thing, you can plan for it, make adjustments?

I recently had a very rough semester. Got hubby to help me out since I was struggling, talked to my doc about my brain fog. It took way longer than I needed it to, but I was able to scrape by.

Do NOT give up!!!! I know you really want to complete this program. You can be productive when you start working as well. I am telling you it is a struggle, but it can be done!

How could your Pdoc know all these things? Trust yourself.

[Themeanreds]

I am so sorry about your appointment with your pdoc. I know exactly when my hypomanic states are going to come on, and I do prepare for them, watching to see if my meds are working. So far the lamotrigine has worked very well from becoming hypomanic. I really think that once they figure out the right combination of meds, you will be able to keep your mania in check, and not have to go inpatient when you do.

I got through law school with bipolar. It was a challenge, but knowing when to expect mania and depression enabled me to treat it well enough to get through my program.

I understand how you are feeling. I once thought that my hopes and dreams were put to an end by my diagnosis. Life is hard, but easier now that I know what to expect and pretty much know when to expect it, and what to do to keep it subdued.

[medicalfox]

Originally Posted by ~Christina

Why is your Doctor against Lithium .. Its like the "gold standard " treatment of Bipolar ??? Or is it a personal reason ?

According to that pesky dsmv 4 episodes are typical for Bipolar patients .. altho everyone is unique.

He's against it for me and I'm not sure why. He was saying how it is a good medication, but it is not suited for me which sounds like rubbish. He didn't seem to understand why I wanted a new medication so badly. I told him meds have significantly changed my life and more could help me. I lived for years as a vegan that did not take medication and I tried to control my symptoms with exercise, good diet, cbt, etc. But it only did so much. I still do all those things, but I need something else and idk what.

He treats me differently than the other autistic patients he sees. I live in an area where there is all lot of help for people with mental illnesses since there are so many of us and it is a nurturing/pro health area. There is a town nearby that has a facility that helps autistic adults with supported living and they go to the facility I go to. I'm more cognitive/independent than a lot of them so he gives me a lot of tough care instead of babying me. He expects a lot from me and it's kind of hard.

[~Christina]

Him expecting more from you is fine ,but you are asking him for a medication and help .. Maybe you need to find a more understanding doctor who is willing to work with you .

Originally Posted by Themeanreds

I am so sorry about your appointment with your pdoc. I know exactly when my hypomanic states are going to come on, and I do prepare for them, watching to see if my meds are working. So far the lamotrigine has worked very well from becoming hypomanic. I really think that once they figure out the right combination of meds, you will be able to keep your mania in check, and not have to go inpatient when you do.

I got through law school with bipolar. It was a challenge, but knowing when to expect mania and depression enabled me to treat it well enough to get through my program.

I understand how you are feeling. I once thought that my hopes and dreams were put to an end by my diagnosis. Life is hard, but easier now that I know what to expect and pretty much know when to expect it, and what to do to keep it subdued.

I made it through law school with bipolar disorder too. I'm pretty sure I was actually hospitalized twice for depression during that time too (short term). It took me 5 years to finish, but I did it!

[PrairieCat]

Originally Posted by medicalfox

I saw him today and he asked what has happened. I told him and he told my flat out "when you are manic you need to get your a_s to the hospital" and I was so shocked. He was super serious about being hospitalized for my mania, but the bad news is that I'm rapid cycling according to him. He told my I should expect to become manic after every midterm and every end of semester due to the stress of college so that means I will be manic at least 4 times a year minimum. He did not want to put me on lithium or a antidepressant since he said they would not help which really makes me sad. I hate the thought that I will never be able to control my disorder fully and this means it could be devastating when I go into the radiology program. I can't expect the profs to understand that I need to be hospitalized each semester and I definitely can't expect work to understand me being hospitalized so frequently. Life is hard :/

I would maybe seek a second opinion from another psychiatrist. But your doc knows you and may be correct. Also, please do not forget that none of us can control our disorders fully EVER. You may have to accept that and just work around it. Best of luck to you. Do not give up. Things are never, ever hopeless. You might want to talk to a counselor at your school re this to get some support and "backup" for achieving your goals.
PrairieCat

[Themeanreds]

Originally Posted by newgal2

I made it through law school with bipolar disorder too. I'm pretty sure I was actually hospitalized twice for depression during that time too (short term). It took me 5 years to finish, but I did it!

Wow! That is fantastic NG! Those of us with BP are quite capable of doing very difficult things. Fighting this makes us pretty tough yet empathetic

[Themeanreds]

BP is very treatable, and yes it takes some time and work to get the balance right, but things will improve. The first step in dealing with a serious challenge is identifying it. Then you are able to deal with it. You are not alone in this situation. There are a lot of us around, and those who address it are the ones who get better

[unlockingsanity]

I really hate to question other people's treatment and doctors, but dude, you need to find out why he is refusing you the most popular and widely used treatment.

You don't HAVE to suffer needlessly and you don't have to submit to being hospitalized because your doctor is refusing meds.

Jesus, this just makes me so upset.

[Themeanreds]

Originally Posted by unlockingsanity

I really hate to question other people's treatment and doctors, but dude, you need to find out why he is refusing you the most popular and widely used treatment.

You don't HAVE to suffer needlessly and you don't have to submit to being hospitalized because your doctor is refusing meds.

Jesus, this just makes me so upset.

Well stated. You absolutely deserve to know the why behind the choice in meds. Your body, your health, and your right to know!

[Tapering]

Working in the medical field did not work for me. The medical profession is very intolerant of people with a MI in what I have seen personally and from what friends have said about their experiences.

[unlockingsanity]

Originally Posted by Tapering

Working in the medical field did not work for me. The medical profession is very intolerant of people with a MI in what I have seen personally and from what friends have said about their experiences.

This is a psychiatrist though. I mean, even my GP admits that he doesn't know enough to be diagnosing and prescribing meds, but a psychiatrist? W T F.

[medicalfox]

Originally Posted by unlockingsanity

I really hate to question other people's treatment and doctors, but dude, you need to find out why he is refusing you the most popular and widely used treatment.

You don't HAVE to suffer needlessly and you don't have to submit to being hospitalized because your doctor is refusing meds.

Jesus, this just makes me so upset.

He thinks too highly of me and believes I don't need more meds. I really hate when people have really high expectations for me like my bosses. I am one of the best cnas in my agency, but I can not work 60+ hours a week with no days off like some people. I have a limit and people always try to push me past it and my mania just does not allow me to be successful during those times.

[medicalfox]

Originally Posted by Tapering

Working in the medical field did not work for me. The medical profession is very intolerant of people with a MI in what I have seen personally and from what friends have said about their experiences.

That's very true and it's understandable. I couldn't imagine my bosses knowing my condition and the questions/thoughts they would have. If they knew I was on the schizophrenic spectrum along with other spectrums they will worry about the safety of the patients. Will this cna go manic, be destructive, and harm the patient? Will the cna hallucinate and in a result be unable to provide care? Will this cna cause a law suit? And the answer to these questions are no. I care deeply for the ones I take care of because I am naturally a protecter and quite the guard. I care about others much more than myself and everyone close to me knows that. I am very good about composer at work and my bosses value me for going beyond what the average cna does. When my symptoms are bad I call out or get hospitalized, but my bosses believe these are from my physical ailments like my severe endometriosis.

[intergalactictraveler]

Short story: Lithium can be effective for rapid cycling, though I'm treatment resistant and it made me quite ill. A former psychiatrist who prescribed it told me(in 2007)that new studies had shown its efficacy. Jane Pauley, formerly of the Today Show, is a rapid cycler and she's on lithium. Find a new pdoc.