Although I believe I've had bipolar disorder since at least 14 years old, the very worst of my illness showed itself when I was about 33/34. That was the beginning of a four year period of severe manias (most with mixed features), and then an over one year long depression requiring ECT. I had 10 hospitalizations during that period, but only remember maybe five of them. After that period, I had some relief, but then was plagued by not only more mood lability, but managed to avoid the hospital, but also some other strange psychiatric and neurological occurrences.

Between my last hospitalization and now I've also had doctors say I had the following:

*Possible Simple Partial Seizures
*Typical Migraines
*Silent Migraines
*Depersonalization and derealization
*Musical hallucinations when seemingly somewhat stable
*Agoraphobia w/accompanying panic attacks
*Specific phobias (fear of swallowing meat & fear of going to my basement because I thought the devil was there)
*Teeth grinding and jaw shifting

It was like the four years of Hell, surely at least mildly traumatic, seemed to bring on so many weird things. I'll admit that with proper medications and therapy (using coping skills and exposure) I have gotten past most of these "extra" things, but I still have occasional mood lability. I also have issues relating to my illness and/or medications, such as lack of motivation and energy.

Can anyone out there relate to this? Did you seem to develop "other" issues after your bipolar episodes?

[99fairies]

I'm sorry but I have no advice. Just wanted to let you know I am thinking of you. Big hugs.

Thank you, 99fairies. That's sweet of you.

I just want to reiterate that things did improve for me with therapy, medications, and time (and patience).

I suspect side effects of ECT. I would call the doc that performed it.

I'm not sure. I brought up this topic just to see if anyone else has experienced such things. They luckily did resolve themselves a while ago. My ECT experience was very stressful. The first time I received the treatment I woke up before the muscle relaxant wore off. I often wonder if that experience, plus the fact that ECT in general is extremely stressful for some, may have contributed.

I've asked my therapist and psychiatrist why I developed such things, and they never had a really good answer. I know that the fear of going to my basement probably had something to do with a hallucination I had at home where I saw the devil. Part of the phobia was that the devil lived in the basement. And then once I tried to go down there by myself and I heard some noise that I thought was the devil. I must have ran up the stairs at 100 mph. This may entertain somebody, but the noise I thought was a sign from the devil was a noise that sounded like a group of chicks chirping.

[Victoria'smom]

I'd say look at ECT for the physical problems but

*Depersonalization and derealization
*Musical hallucinations when seemingly somewhat stable
*Agoraphobia w/accompanying panic attacks
*Specific phobias

are probably symptoms that have developed as bipolar's progressed.