[sleepingbeautycan]

I am not sure whether anyone has heard of someone being "cured" of bipolar but I am interested in hearing.

I was diagnosed with bipolar II in 2000. It was horrible and frightening that my brain was betraying me. I am an engineer and I had a great deal of trouble accepting that the very thing that defined my life was betraying me (my brain).

I was hospitalized once and went to a treatment center for people with bipolar to find ways to cope with it. I was on a great deal of drugs and started having hallucinations. I was diagnosed with schizo-affective disorder in 2003/4.

I gained a great deal of weight and had a different personality after starting on the antipsychotic medications. I was unable to do even the easiest Sudokus. I had two kids so I was very careful to take my meds and was cycling 2 weeks hypo, 2 weeks depressive and then 2 weeks normal. Except in winter, when I was depressed for months at a time.

I also had a host of other health issues. One of my issues was IBS and in an effort to get that under control I went on a elimination diet. At the end of the diet I still had IBS but my bipolar symptoms had ceased. That was 8 years ago and I have gone off all my meds and have not had any hypomania. I do get depressed every winter but it is mild and monitored but not treated with meds.

What does this mean? Was I cured or was I misdiagnosed? Does anyone know anyone in a similar situation?

The reason I am asking is that I have been in pain for a couple of years now and I am looking into my medical past to see if there are clues as to what this pain might be. My gastro-enterologist suggested going on an antidepressant for Functional Abdominal Pain Syndrome (which is basically pain that has no diagnosis but they put you on antidepressants which can help with pain management). I don't want to go on antidepressants because my pdoc told me that doing so might bring back the bipolar. Pain or bipolar, for me the choice is to deal with the pain (no question).

I hope someone can help me get some clarity.

Thanks

[Ripose]

It sounds like a misdiagnosis to begin but in case it wasn't you should listen to your pdoc, ADs can possibly trigger bipolar. Maybe you should see a pain management specialist to find better options that won't affect bipolar returning.

[WibblyWobbly]

I have a friend who was in remission and off her meds for 10 years. She became depressed those last few years, probably 2-3, and then she suddenly had a full manic episode, lost her job and almost lost her husband. I don't think there is a cure but I've heard of a lot of people go without meds and don't have any symptoms for years. The important thing is to know your early warning signs and get back on meds ASAP if needed. Also, there are so many different drug options out there, so if you can't handle the side effects, ask your pdoc to put you on something else.

Your pdoc probably said the antidepressant would be a trigger because they make a lot of us manic. I'm okay at a low dose but when it's increased I become Wonder Woman

I don't know anyone who has actually been 100% cured but there are a lot of celebrities in the UK who are dealing well with it https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Step...nic_Depressive

Originally Posted by Little Cat

I don't know anyone who has actually been 100% cured but there are a lot of celebrities in the UK who are dealing well with it https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Step...nic_Depressive

yeah
i was about to say demmie lovato. but actually she's US.

so...

steven fry for 1

i personally don't like his style of presenting, but you have to hand it to him.. he copes well

Originally Posted by shattered sanity

yeah
i was about to say demmie lovato. but actually she's US.

so...

steven fry for 1

i personally don't like his style of presenting, but you have to hand it to him.. he copes well

scrap what i just said.. the link was to steven fry anyway

so what i said was a waste of time

[Monianna]

I have had bipolar II for about 20 years. I have been on medications and did the therapy. I also was admitted to a hospital for trying to kill myself. Over those 20 years, I have had times that I was feeling fine and good so I would go off my medicines. However, I always find myself having to return back to the meds. Usually when I have my crashing point it happens so fast so I don't have time to get help before my life is flipped upside down. So to answer your question, no there is not a cure but it is easily controlled if you are willing.

[sleepingbeautycan]

Thanks everyone for responding, it is nice to hear that it happens (or temporarily happens). I think the consensus is that there is no cure but long term "remission" is possible. I have a yearly appt with my pdoc to keep him informed. He has asked me the last few visits if I really need to come back and I do think it is important so people who love me, feel better.

I find the hardest thing is that any issue I have in my life, people ascribe to bipolar returning. I have teeny tiny cysts on my pancreas and they are likely to become cancer at some point in my life and after I told my friends some of them asked my husband if they were real. In another situation, I yelled at a friend of mine for allowing her kid to have overnight visits with her father (who sexually abused her as a child) and again I got the questions. I know I shouldn't have yelled and I apologized but it seemed less mental illness than pure frustration.

I realize that this disease and people's reaction to it (including my own) rob us of our dignity. Any choice we make that is off the path is questioned in the light of mental illness. I know that I still fear making choices and I want to hide some of my choices and thoughts from those who love me in case they assume that I am having symptoms again. But I tell them anyway in case I am having symptoms and just don't know it.

I hate not being able to trust my own mind and I am frustrated that some people cannot accept that for now I am okay.

Reminds me of a quote: "That which we obtain to easily, we esteem to lightly". I am grateful for every day that I am not suicidal or hallucinating invasions from China.

[lovejoy91]

There will be a cure one day. It may not be in our lifetime but it is bound to happen.

[alincdytyourmeds]

I like your gratitudes