New Dx Questions

I am ok with the lithium. Just sad my spouse thinks I "gave in" to the "big gun". Lithium is the gold standard for a reason and one I clearly need. Tired of crying over nothing, bouncing up and down, etc. Learning a lot from therapy and want to be stable so it sticks. I need to get back to current job so can get out of bad situation there and get new job.

Thanks! Me, my PDoc, and T are all hoping this is the one!

Nice thread. Glad you are making progress. Some great wisdom here in the community!

moogs

Thanks! And I appreciate all the wisdom that has been shared!

Hi Workhorse

Hey I don't think you gave in to Lithium but I can understand that you can feel sad about the fact that you're spouse feels that way. Give it some time, getting better, seeing improvements must feel much better than not taking that medication. I don't know if I made any sense..but basically you're spouse will probably be much more happy when you start feeling all good, stable and ready to get back on the saddle (work for exemple, or other meaningfull things for yourself and you're couple. So keep it up.

I think I am better. Is that possible only taking lithium 1 week so far? 1st blood level check tomorrow. Clear headed enough I actually got some things done and am looking at going back to work.

Also got to thinking. So basically even if this turns out to be my meds and I take them as prescribed, see PDoc and T, etc. I could still go manic or depressed, no guarantee? But if I do not take them as prescribed, see PDoc and T, etc. pretty much guaranteed I will go manic or depressed. This requires radical acceptance on my part of this Dx and that I be careful to act, think, etc. how I want to be to help avoid letting myself think it is inevitable that I will go psychotically manic or black hole depressed again.

I still have no idea what stable is, but my moods seems to be swinging less widely though just about everything makes me cry or cranky.

Nice Workhorse! For me, Depakote kept me very level headed. Just did not like the side effects. Sounds like it might be the ticket with a little Lithium for you...

It is certainly possible to feel a difference in a week.. I noticed about 3 weeks in years ago that I did in fact feel better.

Yeah even on meds you can have episodes , that's just Bipolar for ya. Between now and then you will learn ways to cope and manage and yeah accept it (hopefully) ..

The goal is to reduce the amount of episodes, I know many people that haven't had a problem in a couple years.

Everyone's "Stable" is different .. Stable for me is .. I can function, go about my day with out "Bipolar" trying to make a mess of things. I've been "wobbling" a bit in the last week or so, I'm just using all my coping skills and staying in touch with my friends. Helps keep me motivated to fight and fight hard to be okay.

I'm glad you noticing a change , this is a great thing

Guess my next steps are IDing my stable so I can ID when I am headed too high or too low before I get there. And use the coping skills.

You will probably be at your "baseline" before you actually are able to identify it.. Keep charting your moods... Do you chart them right before you go to bed for that day?

Yes, I chart my moods right before I go to bed each day. That will help me ID when I am baseline / stable right?

Yes , I don't know if you use pen and paper to chart or a Phone app... I do Paper as I can actually "see" a pattern of going up or down or middle ground.

I use an app that creates a chart / graph so I can see patterns, ups, downs, or level.

Good that should help... I keep folding over my paper , I only look at a weeks worth after its over.. If I look at say the previous 3 days it will effect my decision on charting for that day . Make sense ?

Yes that makes sense. I hadn't thought about it but have been doing that in a way, I chart my moods then see how it compares.

Yep dont compare anything and just look at your moods on a weekly basis.

Hey I'm happy that Lithium is working for you and that you are even thinking of going back to work. That is great. What phone app do you use to chart moods..That is one thing I can't really get the habbit of doing unless I'm not feeling good. At one point I was given a note pad Lilly to chart and I filled it up..but skipped some months..now I just use an agenda but don't fill it out all the time. But that's another subject. Well glad you are better.

Thanks! I use iMoodJournal and Optimism. There is also a DBSA Tracker. I like the first 2 because I can make notes / journal more so than in the DBSA one. iMoodJournal and Optimism also have graphs / charts that show the ups and downs better than the DBSA one though the DBSA one is very detailed. iMoodJournal I use up to 4 times a day (set alarms to do at same times every day) and Optimism I do every night at same time. I can export and email or print from them too to share with PDoc and T.

Hi Workhorse, Thank's for the info about the app's. I,ll check those apps out.

Well, bad news had issues with lithium so stopped it.

Mostly good news back to work Monday (bad news boss from hell will be there).

Not sure I am ready but gotta find out sometime.

You have learned skills while dealing with the med merry go round.. They are going to help you manage your job and the stupid boss...

Hang in there

Thanks, trying to use every skill I learned to not freak out!

Well, survived first day back at work. Exhausted, but so far so good.

YAY ! You got over that hurtle !!! That was huge. Be proud