I just talked to my boyfriend on the phone. He sounded well, a tad upbeat. He didn't sleep last night and he took his Seroquel 400 mg XR last night, as usual...that would have knocked me out.

He tends to skyrocket to full mania if he has no sleep for more than 2-3 days. He does not usually get hypomania. I'm going to have to help him somehow if he can't sleep tonight.

[Wild Coyote]

My husband was diagnosed with BP-2 many years ago.
I was diagnosed many years later with CPTSD, BP-2.

We coach one another through, giving feedback to one another when we see signs of a mood swing, etc. We truly trust one another to give sound feedback and take actions based upon this feedback.

"Sleep" is a key target. Once sleep patterns get messed up, anything goes.
I hope he will focus on quality sleep, doing all he can to welcome/promote sleep.

If/when I am depressed, my husband will often become hypomanic, as a defense to sinking into a depression along with me, and vice versa. With couples/families, there's sometimes an "interactive nature" to mood changes.

Much Love and Support to you both!


WC

[SvanThor]

You should encourage him to seek help for that instead of taking it into your own hands, but that's just my opinion. I hope he gets it sorted out.

He's not putting anything on me at all. I just know him. He's going to take his meds tonight and he's taking it easy today. If he stays home and hopefully gets some sleep he will be fine.

He's med compliant, doesn't drink, doesn't smoke, no street drugs. He's awesome. I love him. We are there for each other. If anything, he is there for me more than vice versa because his moods are more stable than mine. They just go high very quickly when they do. It's not his fault. He has a brand new pdoc, too, and he was depressed when he last saw his pdoc a few weeks ago.

He doesn't need to go to the hospital or anything like that. But his pdoc will definitely be getting a call from him on Monday if he's not sleeping.

[SvanThor]

Originally Posted by rainyday107

He's not putting anything on me at all. I just know him. He's going to take his meds tonight and he's taking it easy today. If he stays home and hopefully gets some sleep he will be fine.

He's med compliant, doesn't drink, doesn't smoke, no street drugs. He's awesome. I love him. We are there for each other. If anything, he is there for me more than vice versa because his moods are more stable than mine. They just go high very quickly when they do. It's not his fault. He has a brand new pdoc, too, and he was depressed when he last saw his pdoc a few weeks ago.

He doesn't need to go to the hospital or anything like that. But his pdoc will definitely be getting a call from him on Monday if he's not sleeping.

If you feel that it's controllable, then you're right. You obviously know your beau better than I do!

[Wild Coyote]

A little bit of gentle feedback and even gentle encouragement can go a long way when two people really trust and respect one another.

My husband and I are often the first line of intervention with one another, in a very cooperative manner. We never put one another under any "burden." If anything gets out-of-hand, we each consult our own pdocs. We don't "do drama" at all. We protect one another from needless or undue stress.

This can be accomplished without undue stress, when it's very "cooperative."
We relate from the Heart when we talk or interact in any way, which circumvents egos and defenses.

I get the feeling you do the same/similar, Rainyday?


WC

Originally Posted by Wild Coyote

A little bit of gentle feedback and even gentle encouragement can go a long way when two people really trust and respect one another
I get the feeling you do the same/similar, Rainyday?


WC

We absolutely do, thanks. And there have been a few times where it was out of my hands and he agreed to go to the hospital to get his mania stabilized. That has only occurred twice but it was necessary. And he has taken me to the hospital when my depression put me in a very unsafe place. Fortunately, those are rare circumstances but we both know we can't wave magic wands to fix mood episodes. lol, I wish

For awhile, I was drinking wine...I really do love wine but it really messed with my anxiety. I felt like I was compromising my stability and, in a way, I was affecting our relationship because I needed his help a lot more. We really are a partnership.

I do miss my wine. I love the whole food-wine thing. I've been pondering if I have 1-2 drinks during my vacation coming up...if that is ok. My pdoc would be against it but I know it won't kill me because I used to be a regular drinker early in my diagnosis lol

That's an entirely different subject. I'm just thinking aloud. No need to reply.

[Wild Coyote]

The idea of drinking seems so very individual, based upon how drinking affects each individual. For instance, I can drink once a week or once a month with no negative repercussions and no cravings, thankfully. My best girlfriend has serious trouble with a glass of wine. We metabolize the alcohol differently and the effects are very different. I never drink around her because I don't want to trigger her into cravings or into drinking. I don't mind setting it aside for a friend. My friendships are a priority.

WC