[Daonnachd]

BirdDancer, I hope you get things sorted quickly and easily for your dad.

I’m meeting with my T today. Nothing major, just an average day.

I had ECT today. It went okay. I'm excited because I'm having tacos for dinner tonight and I bought some cream soda too. It's the little things

again nothing accomplished and again no sleep.

one of those days where being in a good mood doesn't really help you because you're just unmotivated

[yellow_fleurs]

Originally Posted by Blueberrybook

Odds are it is nothing. Some medications can change hormone levels (or even just your body itself), leading to higher prolactin levels, meaning milk ducts get more prominent. I was around 32 when my doc started sending me for ultrasounds & mammograms. First it was the OB/GYN and then the PCP, once they started doing well woman exams at my PCP's office (so long as you weren't pregnant or needing more than a routine pap smear or birth control pills).

Try not to worry until there is something to actually worry about. Easier said than done I know. One of my grandmother's (now deceased, but from Parkinson's) had a grape-like cluster lump in her breast when I was in high school. The thought it was surely cancer, couldn't tell from the US and mammogram, but the biopsy came back benign. She lived another 20 years or so, like I said, it was Parkinson's in the end.

Thanks, you are right, I am trying to focus on the moment and worry about it if it becomes a problem. I am glad your grandmother got those 20 more years!

[yellow_fleurs]

Originally Posted by BirdDancer

My brother visited me today. The main concern my siblings and I have is my dad. We all agree he needs to be in the hospital (dual diagnosis wing, preferably one for the elderly). Bro said "Dad probably has bipolar disorder". I was like "Well, Sis and I have known this for ages". We obviously didn't know as kids or young adults. We didn't know that a few of us had it. Total lack of insight when so many in a household have major issues.

Dad tells us he is "an alcoholic". Bro thinks he is. But I think he's bipolar self-medicating. That's what I was. How can a person who's only started drinking problematically at 70 years old be an alcoholic? Though his mental health has been in question off and on since he was 16?

That is a tough situation. I am sorry your dad is struggling. I makes me sad to think that he has possibly lived so many years without a correct diagnosis and has been struggling. I think it is probably common that problems with alcohol stem from self medicating and undiagnosed mental illness, although some people I am sure have an unfortunate tendency towards addiction. 70 years of age does seem late to start, though. I hope you can find a great place that can help him get better.

[Mountaindewed]

I found out from my patient portal that I am bipolar. Doctors have been going back and forth on it but I guess my current doctor has diagnosed me with it. I have excellent control over my moods and I rarely show my moods. I have a lot of mini mood swings but just in my head. I have been told I don’t show my emotions. I’m on geodon and lamictal which I guess must just be doing a really good job.

Lately though at work I’ve been having anger issues. Today one of my coworkers was kind of lazy and just threw an empty box in the bin and it landed on top of the bin and I sort of angirly shoved it in so it would fit. I didn’t think anyone noticed but then I realized that the store manager was behind me. I’m not sure she noticed. She didn’t say anything. It was early in the day and I didn’t hear anything about it all day. I’m guessing if she had seen it she would have talked to me about it. Maybe it wasn’t even a big deal.

I feel like I do need to get my anger in check though. It’s this silent anger thing I do. I just like slam things around and stuff without actually saying anything. I’m pretty sure it can get me into trouble if I don’t manage it.

[giddykitty]

finally just went ahead and set up an appointment with my primary doctor. He moved so it's much farther away now, for now. He's moving again, but not soon enough hence the appointment. Anyway, I need to try to track down all of my paperwork from the doctors I've been seeing meanwhile. It's stressful. AND I have anxiety about the appointment itself. Hopefully, I can get everything together in time. I've a couple weeks.

[Sunflower123]

Having a good day.

I found out today that the reason I’m having such a hard time driving in the dark is because I’m getting cataracts (I’m young for this). I once turned into a deep ditch because I could have sworn it was a road I’ve turned down dozens of times. I mean it’s bad. He said let’s go ahead and do surgery. I’ve had two surgeries this year alone, I’m in physical therapy and I face a slew of tests next Tuesday. I said no. Not right now.

I got a good belly laugh over this. I filed it under good to know. I’ll address it sometime after the first of the year. If anybody has had that surgery though please let me know.

Great news!!! My daughter (who I suspect has dysthymia and anxiety) asked me to set her up with a psychiatrist over winter break. It’s hard finding one who is taking new patients and I’ll be paying cash but I’ll leave no stone left unturned!

Best wishes to all

[Polibeth]

Originally Posted by Jennifer 1967

Having a good day.

I found out today that the reason I’m having such a hard time driving in the dark is because I’m getting cataracts (I’m young for this). I once turned into a deep ditch because I could have sworn it was a road I’ve turned down dozens of times. I mean it’s bad. He said let’s go ahead and do surgery. I’ve had two surgeries this year alone, I’m in physical therapy and I face a slew of tests next Tuesday. I said no. Not right now.

I got a good belly laugh over this. I filed it under good to know. I’ll address it sometime after the first of the year. If anybody has had that surgery though please let me know.

Great news!!! My daughter (who I suspect has dysthymia and anxiety) asked me to set her up with a psychiatrist over winter break. It’s hard finding one who is taking new patients and I’ll be paying cash but I’ll leave no stone left unturned!

Best wishes to all

I have no direct experience with this but everyone I know who has had cataract surgery (dad, both grandmothers, and several friends) said it's a piece of cake.

Glad for the great news for your daughter!

[MsSchadenfreude]

Feeling kind of blah...
I'm about to watch the rest of the second season of "Making a Murderer" on Netflix.
I love love the lawyer on this case. Anyone know of this story?
*don't spoil the ending outcome*!

[~Christina]

My appts are now set , this Friday for nerve conduction study then the 5th for evaluation with Ortho.

Maybe find some help that’s affordable but if not it will be a “ it is what it is” cool ! let’s add it to my ever growing list of chronic painful conditions.

Just cleaned and doing laundry today.

My TV has been off all day I’m so bloody sick of political ads I could vomit. I just want it over with already.

Things could be worse

[Sliders]

Not so hot today. Feeling sad and lonely.

[Sunflower123]

Originally Posted by ~Christina

My appts are now set , this Friday for nerve conduction study then the 5th for evaluation with Ortho.

Maybe find some help that’s affordable but if not it will be a “ it is what it is” cool ! let’s add it to my ever growing list of chronic painful conditions.

Just cleaned and doing laundry today.

My TV has been off all day I’m so bloody sick of political ads I could vomit. I just want it over with already.

Things could be worse

I had a nerve conduction test on 8/30 of this year. I had a good doctor who kept me distracted and it was over soon. I hope yours goes well Friday.

[Pookyl]

Have been rapid cycling. Manic for two days this week and suicidal for a couple of days last week.
Seeing pdoc once every week. Seroquel and Epilim dosages were increased. I really was against increasing the Epilim but finally I cracked. I just can’t go on being this way.

[TheSeaCat]

Today was a good day my meds seem to be keeping me in check. I got a call for an interview tomorrow, so my anxiety is making me a little nervous about tomorrow.

Hugs to everyone that needs one.

[stahrgeyzer]

Feeling unexpectedly calm. Maybe this is what rock bottom is like.

[Victoria'smom]

I can’t do this. I’m done. Miguel has to much crap he has to do just to finish his degree. He has to volunteer, do an internship and finish all his courses. He doesn’t want college right away which means he’ll lose a 20+k state scholarship. I know I shouldn’t be looking at that. I need to focus on his mental health which isn’t the best right now and be glad he’s alive. Yes I’m being very morbid right now. At least his picking marks are healing but he’s creating new ones. I’ve taken to using band-aid tape instead of band-aids. It’s just cheaper and easier and doesn’t leave residue of the band-aid.

I’ve realized a while ago I’m taking 10mg zyprexa. I’m supposed to be on 5 mg. I’m doing better on the 200 mg lamictal but I don’t want to go down on the zyprexa and have psychosis or worse impulsiveness. I’m just done. We have a huge hole in our linoleum and we have HUD inspection the 7th. My inlaws come the 30th and my parents will be down here in a week. Lucky my parents stay with my sister. I want to sleep all day but anxiety keeps me awake. My life is just kicking my ***. On better news we’ll be getting our car fixed soon.

My husband isn’t doing the best. He’s quitting school yet again. He’s not doing co-ops next semester. That means Miguel isn’t doing co-ops and doing only online classes. So I have to worry about isolation there. Hopefully he’ll ask for his friends to come over. I may make Miguel take a part-time job just to get out but we’ll see. I don’t even know if my husband is taking his meds. We’re all just drowning but trying to save each other. I miss our psych team.

[BeyondtheRainbow]

Klonopin withdrawal continues although I feel much better having realized I was not taking as much as I was supposed to and increasing my dose a little to where I should have been the last week. I slept 15 hours last night and only really woke up for therapy.

Today I only felt tired and a little nauseous. Much better than it had been. I managed to do a couple of errands and get my clozaril blood draw done today and I came home very tired.

I fell asleep at 9 but my brother called at midnight and woke me up. Not his fault; I'm awake at midnight a good percent of the time. Now I'm rather wide awake so hoping I fall asleep again soon.

[stahrgeyzer]

can't sleep tonight for some reason

[Blueberrybook]

Don't know so far today. Ran this morning which was not good but am eating breakfast (a meal I often skip). I see the pdoc tomorrow, and he will not be happy if I haven't gained any weight. He does have a scale that weighs light compared to mine at home and my PCP's, so I will probably have to gain more weight to satisfy him in the end because of that scale. But I'll gained according to mine, so we'll see.

Really want to get on a different AD. I think Wellbutrin is still causing me to lose words and forget things. Going to ask if I'm still mixed and if so, does he have a plan to help get me out of it?

Beyond tired of mixed.

I have my psychiatrist appointment today. I'll be telling him I'm doing OK, considering. I'll likely tell him that my siblings and I are making plans to hopefully take my dad to a psych hospital for dual diagnosis. Sis and I are waiting to confirm this with my brother and the when. Dad may refuse. There's a possibility it could get heated/scary. It's very scary!

I've started clenching and grinding my teeth so severely lately. My front teeth feel odd and soon my teeth will be totally worn down to nothing.

I've been going to an adult school class once per week for three weeks now. I'm the only female in the class and the instructor is a clear cut male chauvinist who'se severely critical of just me. In the past 10 years, I would have run away with an anxiety attack and never returned, but I've been tough lately and am firing back at him sort of like I did in school as a kid and teenager.

[MJLouise]

Originally Posted by Blueberrybook

Has fibromyalgia been ruled out? Brain fog is one of my worst symptoms with it. Have your vitamin levels been checked? B6 toxicity can do a lot of bad stuff too, including brain fog & exhaustion.

Sex drive is pretty hard to come by on meds. I don't even get it on Wellbutrin, at least not Wellbutrin alone. Adderall on the other hand does help it.

I had one doctor say I might have fibromyalgia but they weren’t willing to label it. It was one of those docs who write things like “patient alleges fatigue” and appears to complain of possible brain fog. Like they don’t believe me about my own feelings and ability to think clearly lol. I was shaking my head reading that docs medical file on me. I had to switch for a move from NY to WA state. None of my more recent doctors have brought it up and I always hesitate to bring specific labels up to them because it looks like I’m trying to google diagnose myself. That said it might be fibromyalgia. Is it’s not MS and autoimmune it would clearly make sence to my non doctoral holding brain. But who knows. Thanks for letting me know your experiences it helps to hear.

[MJLouise]

Doctor today said I can go ahead and start lithium this evening. It shouldn’t effect the mri. Finally. But bad news is my dad had a stroke. He’s in surgery right now so depending on the outcome I may need to fly back to the states to NY to take care of stuff. I’m his everything. Medical power of attorney, will executive if he doesn’t make it. Have all his info. I’m the oldest of 5 and need to give emotional support. My youngest brother is 24 and is still living at home he’s in the middle of medical treatments too. It’s pretty overwhelming and in the midst of it all I’ll have to have a doc monitor my bloodwork weekly for the first month on lithium. I’m hoping if I need to fly out my husband and kids can go too I have a really hard time traveling alone.

I’m not in a good mental place at all.

[Blueberrybook]

Originally Posted by MJLouise

Doctor today said I can go ahead and start lithium this evening. It shouldn’t effect the mri. Finally. But bad news is my dad had a stroke. He’s in surgery right now so depending on the outcome I may need to fly back to the states to NY to take care of stuff. I’m his everything. Medical power of attorney, will executive if he doesn’t make it. Have all his info. I’m the oldest of 5 and need to give emotional support. My youngest brother is 24 and is still living at home he’s in the middle of medical treatments too. It’s pretty overwhelming and in the midst of it all I’ll have to have a doc monitor my bloodwork weekly for the first month on lithium. I’m hoping if I need to fly out my husband and kids can go too I have a really hard time traveling alone.

I’m not in a good mental place at all.

I am so sorry.

[Wild Coyote]

Originally Posted by MJLouise

Doctor today said I can go ahead and start lithium this evening. It shouldn’t effect the mri. Finally. But bad news is my dad had a stroke. He’s in surgery right now so depending on the outcome I may need to fly back to the states to NY to take care of stuff. I’m his everything. Medical power of attorney, will executive if he doesn’t make it. Have all his info. I’m the oldest of 5 and need to give emotional support. My youngest brother is 24 and is still living at home he’s in the middle of medical treatments too. It’s pretty overwhelming and in the midst of it all I’ll have to have a doc monitor my bloodwork weekly for the first month on lithium. I’m hoping if I need to fly out my husband and kids can go too I have a really hard time traveling alone.

I’m not in a good mental place at all.

Thinking of you and yours.

WC