[hunter79]

Hey everyone,

I have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder type 1 around 6 days ago. I have had some blood taken recently to begin lithium in the next 6-9 weeks. I live in the UK so under the care of the NHS, I am just coming out of a major depressive episode which is rather refreshing to actually be clear headed

I am here as I have so many questions, when I was diagnosed by the mental health team we went through everything and my history of up, down, left and right mood. My last real episode of mania was start of 2015, I didn't even know I was manic until my money was gone and everyone ran away!

So my questions are mostly for people with experience of this condition, I would be extremely grateful for advice. I ran out of time with the mental health team so couldn't ask all the questions I needed.

1) I am currently getting extremely agitated like I want to go run but at the same time want to sleep. Is this something I should be seeing as a red flag?

2) How do I know when I am manic? I know when I am depressed as I feel terrible and can't wake up. During high energy phases I have no idea it's going on until people say I am talking rapidly.

3) What's the outlook like? Now that I am diagnosed and to start mood stabilising treatment is it possible I could never be depressed again?

4) Will lithium make me sick? I don't really want to take any meds and wondering what other options there are.

Thanks for taking the time to read. It's all very confusing and rather difficult to accept the diagnoses.

[NoIdeaWhatToDo]

Welcome to PC, hunter! I came to this site after I was just diagnosed, too, and I've found an incredibly supportive community with lots of helpful advice and answers. Everyone's experience with BP is a little different, but generally, you'll find that someone on here (or many people, typically!) has gone through the things you have questions about or post. I encourage you to read through the posts here, and post with any questions, challenges, and successes you have.

As to your specific questions in this post, I can relate to some. I frequently have the agitation mixed with fatigue. For me, it's related to my levels of anxiety. I'm not sure if it would be a red flag for you to mark an episode or something. It would be good to bring up with your pdoc (psychiatrist) or T (therapist), depending on what your care team looks like.

For identifying manic phases, I often get pressured speech, too. I have traditionally realized it when someone mentions it to me, but I'm getting better at noticing that and other symptoms of hypomania as they build. It took a few years of therapy, but I've gotten used to my set of symptoms by and large. I still have new/unusual symptoms crop up from time to time, and I post about them here to see what others' experiences are like compared to mine.

The outlook for me is that I will always have BP. Whether I'm up or down, I know that I will always come back through the cycle, again and again. Knowing that my depressions will pass (as well as my highs) can help a lot in riding them out. I don't know of anyone who is able to avoid the highs and lows altogether.

I can't speak to the lithium, but many others here have taken it and may be able to provide some insight for you.

Again, welcome to PC, and I hope you find some good support and resources here!

[Gs550]

1) I, too, get somewhat agitated while also feeling fatigue. For me, I think I tend to come out of depressions into a mixed state before I stabilize and that's what it is. Mine is mild so I don't find it too bothersome. It's definitely something to talk about with your pdoc though.

3) I have met people with BP who went many years without an episode (8-10 years) but it's something that never goes away. I find that medications and therapy "take the edge off" in that they reduce my symptoms to the point I can function normally, but I do still get some mood swings. And meds sometimes need adjusting. The goal, of course, is to eliminate your symptoms or minimize them as much as possible. That can sometimes take a long time as you try different meds or different dosages.

4) All of the meds used to treat BP have side effects, some of them very unpleasant. Sometimes they go away in a few weeks, sometimes not. But if side effects are intolerable to you you absolutely have the right to request different meds.

[mtnannie]

Hi hunter79. Welcome to psychcentral. This site has been invaluable to me. Look around and it could be for you too. I would echo the other posters info and add this: lithium is notorious for putting weight on. If you start putting on weight contact your pdoc right away to get a med change. My experience was that I went ahead and took it for two months, gained 50 pounds, and now have to be on thyroid meds the rest of my life. Don't let that scare you, just be aware. It doesn't happen to most people.

Your new diagnosis, rather than being an bad thing, it opens the way to info, support and appropriate treatment. Good luck.