[Sprite22]

Why couldn't have been Bipolar 1. I used to have normal. Now I been told I have Bipolar 2. The worst of the two. Sure makes me feel like crud! Living with it has been very troubling and yet denying as well. That time is over it sounds. Hate that I am back on meds to fix what I can't. It really makes me frustrated to have to go to the Doctors and Therapy now, like it is forever stuck in my life now.

Sorry for the downer.

I always thought Bipolar II was the BETTER of the two. You only get hypomania, not flat out mania. It's too bad you have to have either, tho. But everyone has something. Everyone suffers. It is part of being human. You're certainly not alone in your suffering. We're all here for you.

[Blitter2014]

Sorry to hear of your recent diagnosis. I can relate to the difficulties you face with BP2, and it is true, its not something you would choose to have if given the choice.

For whatever reason, you have BP2. At least now you have a diagnosis, and can start getting the correct treatment. Some people are able to go on and lead 'normal' productive lives while being medicated, for others it requires adjustments in there expectations in life. Whatever bracket you fall into, the future is yours for the taking. You have BP2, it is something you suffer from, but it does not define you, nor should it. Yes the meds and the Pdoc and the Therapy is tedious at best, but if you have those things in place along with medication you have half the battle won - becuase you know what you are fighting.

Never give up.

[A Red Panda]

I have bipolar 2... I'd take it over bipolar 1 in a heartbeat. I never lose total control when I'm hypomanic - I stay very much grounded in reality and I can trust my body to keep it that way (my poor decisions are usually made via "well, it's not MY average choice but lots of people go for it so it's ok" and if I don't think it's something lots of people do... then I don't do it)

[Sprite22]

Thank you for your responses. Either way nether are fun.

[Sprite22]

Originally Posted by Blitter2014

Sorry to hear of your recent diagnosis. I can relate to the difficulties you face with BP2, and it is true, its not something you would choose to have if given the choice.

For whatever reason, you have BP2. At least now you have a diagnosis, and can start getting the correct treatment. Some people are able to go on and lead 'normal' productive lives while being medicated, for others it requires adjustments in there expectations in life. Whatever bracket you fall into, the future is yours for the taking. You have BP2, it is something you suffer from, but it does not define you, nor should it. Yes the meds and the Pdoc and the Therapy is tedious at best, but if you have those things in place along with medication you have half the battle won - becuase you know what you are fighting.

Never give up.

Thank you for your thoughts. I hope for a normal.

Originally Posted by A Red Panda

I have bipolar 2... I'd take it over bipolar 1 in a heartbeat. I never lose total control when I'm hypomanic - I stay very much grounded in reality and I can trust my body to keep it that way (my poor decisions are usually made via "well, it's not MY average choice but lots of people go for it so it's ok" and if I don't think it's something lots of people do... then I don't do it)

That is a very positive thing to say....thank you.

[HALLIEBETH87]

None of it is fun but I'd certainly choose type2. I went the opposite-from a type two dx to type one this yr.

I wish you well.

[~Christina]

Yes medication and Therapy can help , But you also need to learn coping skills and living a healthy lifestyle.. All that is just as important as meds... in my opinion.

Dont let the label lie to you. It's not always going to be horrible ... Bipolar cycles and always will. That is the real thing.... It cycles.

[Crazy Hitch]

I'd swap my BP1 mania for BPII hypomania only anytime! I'm far more productive and euphoric during hypomania but my mania gets out of control and wrecks havoc.

[Sunnyflorida79]

[QUOTE=Sprite22;4046929]Why couldn't have been Bipolar 1. I used to have normal. Now I been told I have Bipolar 2.

Hi Sprite,
I have BP2 as well and it can be overwhelming at times. Like someone mentioned, you have your diagnosis so now you can begin your treatment. I've been struggling with my medications lately getting the right combination, but I keep on trying because I want more from life. I see my therapist 1x a week and that helps too being able to talk about my feelings. I just wanted to let you know your not alone in this. If I could be of any help, please let me know. Best wishes.

Jamie

[Curious651]

Don't want either, but if must bp 2. Is preferred here. I know what I am some what dealing with. Sorry for your distress. Hope you learn some tools. DBT. Helps.

[Sprite22]

Originally Posted by ~Christina

Yes medication and Therapy can help , But you also need to learn coping skills and living a healthy lifestyle.. All that is just as important as meds... in my opinion.

Dont let the label lie to you. It's not always going to be horrible ... Bipolar cycles and always will. That is the real thing.... It cycles.

Thank you for making feel normal!

[Sprite22]

Thank you all!! This makes it feel less stressed!

[rustysterling]

Never having experienced BP 1, I can't say that BP 2 is better or worse. The hypomania is a bit nuts...crazed rambling, anxiety, panic attacks is how it manifests with me. The BAD part of BP 2 for me is the hardcore clinical depression that lasts for months.

I was diagnosed with major depressive order 10 years ago and have been down for the count 4 times. Only 2 months ago did I see a doctor younger than 65, that had heard of hypomania and got me off anti depressants and on quietiapine.

I figure its just like fixing a car, once you diagnose the problem, the rest is just mechanical repair till you get it right!

I'm still a bit jacked up and not sleeping well from medicine fine tuning, but heck, with a good diagnosis, I'm more than half my way to bein' fixed.

The glass is definitely half full ( better than empty and swarming with leeches)

[Sprite22]

Originally Posted by rustysterling

Never having experienced BP 1, I can't say that BP 2 is better or worse. The hypomania is a bit nuts...crazed rambling, anxiety, panic attacks is how it manifests with me. The BAD part of BP 2 for me is the hardcore clinical depression that lasts for months.

I was diagnosed with major depressive order 10 years ago and have been down for the count 4 times. Only 2 months ago did I see a doctor younger than 65, that had heard of hypomania and got me off anti depressants and on quietiapine.

I figure its just like fixing a car, once you diagnose the problem, the rest is just mechanical repair till you get it right!

I'm still a bit jacked up and not sleeping well from medicine fine tuning, but heck, with a good diagnosis, I'm more than half my way to bein' fixed.

The glass is definitely half full ( better than empty and swarming with leeches)

That is most likely true that one doesn't out weight the other. I just used to feel so normal. Now I feel like crud that I had to go back to meds and doctors.

[Capriciousness]

Bipolar is bipolar is bipolar. It is so individual and so varied and those numbers are just the docs way of trying to impose some template over it all to figure out a way to treat and classify us. But it all sucks. I mean the real choice would be NO Bipolar at all right. But we are all in this together.

Part of my response is based in the fact that the pdocs always seem to be confused by me. So I jokingly say I have Bipolar 1.5. Some say one thing some say another. Some say I seem right in the middle and some say I am def one or the other. Most end up coding me BP 1 anyway but the whole thing is just confusing so I gave up trying to figure out "what I was". I am def Bipolar. That is for sure

[Sprite22]

Originally Posted by Capriciousness

Bipolar is bipolar is bipolar. It is so individual and so varied and those numbers are just the docs way of trying to impose some template over it all to figure out a way to treat and classify us. But it all sucks. I mean the real choice would be NO Bipolar at all right. But we are all in this together.

Part of my response is based in the fact that the pdocs always seem to be confused by me. So I jokingly say I have Bipolar 1.5. Some say one thing some say another. Some say I seem right in the middle and some say I am def one or the other. Most end up coding me BP 1 anyway but the whole thing is just confusing so I gave up trying to figure out "what I was". I am def Bipolar. That is for sure

That is so true. I like the 1.5...haha. It all does have us guessing why?

[Victoria'smom]

The drs are usually only 15 min.-wait time 1-3x every couple of months. So that's pretty easy because most people have drs appointments that often . It's the therapist that is stressful. Try to find a therapist close to your job and schedule your appointments at lunch before or after work. A lot of therapists last appointment is 7 pm or weekends if that helps. Also you can see them every 2-3 weeks

[Blitter2014]

There are some really good suggestions here, and I know everytime I read a thread I learn or remember new things. Its the great thing about being a part of a forum. Every now and then someone says something that helps you, or that really hits home with you and makes you feel just that little bit like its ok not to be "normal".

The best advice I would give in line with what someone else said is that Bipolar cycles. That means you are going to have the highs as well as the lows. The trick for me is to control the highs so that you don't have to go into damage control (spending money, risky behavior, bad impulsive decisions etc) but prepare for the lows. They are going to happen. The best way to control the lows besides medicaiton is to not place too much load or stress on yourself. Try to lead a low stress life, one that doesn't burn you out, but will allow you to ride out the low and still survive.

This is a lesson I am learning at the moment. About 18months ago while on a high I got into debt, and that debt put pressure on me to work in order to pay it off. That stress and a lack of work lead to a low where I got to a point where I cannot work at all and I am now in the process of selling off assets to try and cover that debt and am very much in damage control. If I had better controlled/ seen the high and realized it was a high, I might have better controlled the damaging low that lead me to not be able to work and thus led to the situation I am in now. I should have listened to my wife when she said it was a bad idea..............

[jesusplay]

bipolar is bipolar

[Sprite22]

These are great...thank you everyone for the support and ideas of thinking. My therapist does this too...it works from time to time.