[LorrieTorrie]

I saw my pdoc yesterday and I'm now on Lithium, Zyprexa, and Depakote. We went over my labs and he mentioned that my Vitamin D was severely low. He said that effects my mood stability and depression. I asked him if getting my Vitamin D together wood eliminate me being bipolar, and he said he didn't know. Is there a chance that I'm not really bipolar, and just have a severe difficiency? Or is that just wishful thinking?

[LorrieTorrie]

I guess I just still haven't really accepted the diagnosis.

[Ocean Swimmer]

It's okay. I feel like that too.
I'm better here in Costa Rica,where the sun shines every day. Even 5 min outside with my dog gets me a little happier.
I just opened a new thread re the possible myth regarding Chemical imbalance in the brain.

[LorrieTorrie]

I don't know why I obsess over this so much. Everyday I obsess over whether or not I'm really bipolar. My tdoc keeps telling me to just focus on the symptoms and not the diagnosis, but that's so hard for me to do.

[Row Jimmy]

I haven't heard of a correlation between mood and Vitamin D. BP is something different, as far as I know, and there's no "eliminating" it per se. All studies have indicated BP stays with us for life. We can only control it.

If you're taking lithium and Depakote (like me), there's probably something going on and increasing your Vitamin D might simply be an augmentation to your health. Eating well and staying healthy is a cornerstone of keeping BP at bay.

[seoultous]

I take a vitamin D supplement prescribed by my pdoc. Low vitamin D has been linked to depression. See the articleLow Levels of Vitamin D May Be Linked to Depression

[LorrieTorrie]

Originally Posted by seoultous

I take a vitamin D supplement prescribed by my pdoc. Low vitamin D has been linked to depression. See the articleLow Levels of Vitamin D May Be Linked to Depression

How long have you taken the supplements? My pdoc prescribed some for me as well, but he never mentioned how long I would have to be on them.

I had heard about the link with depression, but the whole mood thing was new to me. I guess I'm just looking for ways to not be bipolar. I know it's silly.

[cashart10]

I used to obsess about it so much that it caused great anxiety. I had a mentor who always advised me that she would "pray for me," in the midst of my chaos, not once suggesting that the things I was saying and doing were insane. It conflicted me greatly. Was I chosen by God and fighting off demons? Was I mentally ill? Once it occurred to me that maybe I was actually mentally ill, the commotion and turmoil was mixed in the throws of a psychotic break. It still took me a while to seek treatment as I believed if I went back to a psychiatrist I would be giving into the devil and would go to hell. No one knew this because I knew they would think it was crazy even though I believed it with my whole heart. Once I started treatment, I went back to my mentor and advised her that I had gone back to a psychiatrist because I have proven once again that I have bp. Her response was that "sometimes psychological treatment and medicine is needed for mental illness". Why didn't she tell me that before? I was so obsessed with her and her opinion that I most likely would have at least reached out to a psychiatrist sooner.

I have ruled out several things such as my thyroid and vitamin deficiencies and still have trouble believing it at times. I hate meds but I still take them. To become that confused, terrified, paranoid in the midst of a psychotic break is more than I can employ.

I truly hope that you don't have bipolar but, if you do (which is likely), I hope you can ease into acceptance. It will always be difficult for me to accept and I wish others will find it less exhausting.

[NoIdeaWhatToDo]

I take a supplement every day that helps me to manage my bipolar symptoms. Being out of balance from nutritional/mineral deficiencies is related to mood and mental health - I don't know to what extent deficiencies might be severe enough to mimic clinically significant symptoms. I've not heard that before, but I don't believe our knowledge about such things as the workings of the brain and body and how nutrition plays into that is comprehensive enough to say it's impossible.

Regardless of what causes symptoms, the symptoms are there. If the Vit D improves your symptoms, take it. I take my supplements because my symptoms are far worse without. I don't take traditional prescription medications because the supplements are generally enough to keep the worst of my mood swings at bay. I don't know if it will always be that way. There may come a time when prescription medications are something I will choose instead of my current norm. I don't think it much matters what the reason behind the symptoms are, except insofar as it helps to narrow down the sorts of interventions that improve the symptoms.

A rose by any other name, right? Doesn't matter what we call it if the experience is the same. The only time I think the dx name is important is when it prompts a treatment provider to ignore possible interventions that might help. I'm glad you have a pdoc who is open enough to explore all potential issues that interfere with your moods and is willing to support you in areas others might not.

[seoultous]

Originally Posted by LorrieTorrie

How long have you taken the supplements? My pdoc prescribed some for me as well, but he never mentioned how long I would have to be on them.

I had heard about the link with depression, but the whole mood thing was new to me. I guess I'm just looking for ways to not be bipolar. I know it's silly.

I have been taking Vitamin D for about 4 years after finding out my levels were low. I take 2000 units and that gets my levels up where they need to be.

I understand why you want to find ways around being bipolar. It's not silly.

Originally Posted by LorrieTorrie

I guess I'm just looking for ways to not be bipolar. I know it's silly.

Not silly. There are quite a few physical maladies that can cause BP-like symptoms. Those should be ruled out before psychological diagnoses are made, but often they aren't. There have been a number of people on PC over the years that came to find out that they had something else causing their symptoms. Hey, why would you NOT wish for that?! Chances are it'd be easier to treat for starters(!)

It's not really false hope. Especially if physical causes were not ruled out prior to your dx, it's reasonable to have hope. I can't remember exactly your situation, but if your symptoms are ongoing (ie. haven't presented them themselves in cycles of depression and markedly increased energy etc over spans of time) it may be. If such distinctive telling markers [i]have[/] been present, you might want to dial down the hope. Diagnoses are all about evidence.

It might be about difficulties of acceptance -- I do remember that you were only recently diagnosed and that is a very common reaction. But it might not be. Acceptance can certainly be influenced by evidence -- the more there is, the harder it is to deny.

Long/short -- go ahead and hope -- ideally at a level that considers how well the BP dx fit before this information came into play. Try not to fixate (haha, I know) and just see how it plays out.

Oh! On your initial post you said you asked if the vitamin D would eliminate the BP. If it's really BP, no, sorry, it wouldn't. If only it were that easy…. sigh. BUT! You've had symptoms, and if your vitamin D is that low, getting it to the right level it may well help ease symptoms whether it's BP or not. So there's that.

Ooops, double posted.

[LorrieTorrie]

Originally Posted by Innerzone

Not silly. There are quite a few physical maladies that can cause BP-like symptoms. Those should be ruled out before psychological diagnoses are made, but often they aren't. There have been a number of people on PC over the years that came to find out that they had something else causing their symptoms. Hey, why would you NOT wish for that?! Chances are it'd be easier to treat for starters(!)

It's not really false hope. Especially if physical causes were not ruled out prior to your dx, it's reasonable to have hope. I can't remember exactly your situation, but if your symptoms are ongoing (ie. haven't presented them themselves in cycles of depression and markedly increased energy etc over spans of time) it may be. If such distinctive telling markers [i]have[/] been present, you might want to dial down the hope. Diagnoses are all about evidence.

It might be about difficulties of acceptance -- I do remember that you were only recently diagnosed and that is a very common reaction. But it might not be. Acceptance can certainly be influenced by evidence -- the more there is, the harder it is to deny.

Long/short -- go ahead and hope -- ideally at a level that considers how well the BP dx fit before this information came into play. Try not to fixate (haha, I know) and just see how it plays out.

Oh! On your initial post you said you asked if the vitamin D would eliminate the BP. If it's really BP, no, sorry, it wouldn't. If only it were that easy…. sigh. BUT! You've had symptoms, and if your vitamin D is that low, getting it to the right level it may well help ease symptoms whether it's BP or not. So there's that.

This is where I get confused. Looking back I see clearly that I've had issues with impulse control and bouts of depression as well as anxiety, however I'm not sure they were actual cycles. It's more like I can be impulsive then depressed then impulsive all in one day. I was diagnosed as Borderline initially, then with Cyclothymia, then Bipolar I, now I find out my Vitamin D level is a 7.6. Mental health frustrates me, because of the lack of concrete exams. I'm just so frustrated and confused.

[Row Jimmy]

Originally Posted by LorrieTorrie

This is where I get confused. Looking back I see clearly that I've had issues with impulse control and bouts of depression as well as anxiety, however I'm not sure they were actual cycles. It's more like I can be impulsive then depressed then impulsive all in one day. I was diagnosed as Borderline initially, then with Cyclothymia, then Bipolar I, now I find out my Vitamin D level is a 7.6. Mental health frustrates me, because of the lack of concrete exams. I'm just so frustrated and confused.

There is no pathology, just a DSM guideline for clinicians. Many conditions mimic others - I was originally thought to be BPD but then given a concrete BP based on further analysis. My p-doc was patient with me and I was patient with him. Often, these things take some time to play out. I take lithium along with Depakote now and they're working fairly well.

I used to say "this is just who I am" or "this is what I need to do to function and be productive." I didn't believe there was anything wrong. But as you suggested, when we get to the point of clarity, we all take some inventory of what we did in the past and look at it objectively. For me, as I looked back, it all made sense. I was undiagnosed for almost 30 years (I am 50 now) and my patterns of behavior when I was younger are classic BP2 - ranting, hurried and pressured speech, paranoia, quick ups and downs, unpredictability, impulsive and unreasonable anger, and regret over it all.

A suggestion......something that was *very* helpful for me. Talk to people close to you and those you trust (loved ones, family) and ask them if a diagnosis of BP makes sense to them. For me, my dad and my wife were able to immediately understand it and directly connect BP to me and how I used to behave.

OK good luck, Sister LorrieTorrie.

[ComfortablyNumb5]

Note: I haven't read any other replies. I just wanted to reply real quickly. Yes Vit D can cause depression but to cause BP is highly unlikely seeing that BP is a chemical imbalance in the brain. That would be damn nice though if a vitamin could cure me! That's just my opinion. I'm from MI where D deficiency is very common. Sometimes a doc will prescribe a very potent Vit D that you take two times, and a week apart. Or they'll tell you to just buy it OTC. Sunlight helps too. I know tanning is bad but I always feel better after a few minutes in the bed. Feel better and take those vitamins!

Trileptal 600mg BID
Buspar 45mg
Seroquel 150-300mg for sleep
Ativan 1mg PRN
Vyvanse 70mg
Risperdal 4-6mg PRN

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[LorrieTorrie]

I've come to the conclusion that I'm bipolar. My husband says the diagnosis fits. Plus my mom has been bipolar since 19. She doesn't take meds, but she does take Vitamin D supplements. She hasn't changed. She refuses meds btw. My dad also has low Vitamin D and isn't now nor has he ever been bipolar. I guess I was just grasping at straws. How do you all come to accept the bipolar diagnosis? Everytime I think I accept it, I find myself looking for a way out.

[raspberrytorte]

I always find myself looking for a way out too, but than my husband tells me that I do have my diagnosis. We've been together for fifteen years now and he's seen it all. Sigh. I wish I could just run away from it.