Bipolar Questions Version 5

I do not have a morning routine. It all depends on what is going on for that day.

What is the furthest you have travelled from home?

Jupiter!

watch movies loudly. I have Spotify and I love blasting 80s and 90s alt music on my soundbar. also, when alone I like to clean feverishly when there is no one in my way.

an Eagle!

yeah, just about every night. sometimes every two hours. I use my iPod to sleep and I check it every hour on the hour wondering why the heck I'm still awake. usually an audio book puts me right out but not so much anymore.

I believe Mars once held water and some type of life but not anymore. Not sure if in our solar system but definitely beyond it somewhere. Europa, Jupiter's moon may hold some promise for life under all that ice.

definitely! but I would have to really work up that nerve!

geodon (currently)
seroquel
risperdal
clozapine

unprotected sex with multiple partners during long manic phases. something I am not very proud of and very ashamed about. I am grateful everyday that I am healthy and not engaging in these behaviors anymore.

falling asleep is pretty easy but staying asleep is another story...

if I'm well rested, I shower, make my bed, clean up the kitchen, take meds, make coffee (or tea if i'm feeling anxious), watch the local news, journal, peek in on social media. oh and eat a light breakfast. then take my son to work. pretty much my daily routine. never stray too much from it lol

If you all can't sleep, do you stay in bed or get up and do something to pass the time until you can get drowsy enough to hit the sack again?

Me: I usually get up and watch a movie or listen to a podcast like I'm doing now. I'll have some tea and take some Melatonin which usually helps eventually. I'm not one to languish laying in bed just staring at the ceiling in the dark. then I do have to watch if mania is creeping in with the decreased need for sleep. just can't win.

I rarely have trouble sleeping. I usually fall asleep a few minutes after my head hits the pillow. In the event it is taking longer than expected, I usually try to focus my mind on thinking positive thoughts for myself and others like in a prayer. It helps to calm me and I typically drift off before I get through all of the people on my list.

How many hours of sleep do you average a night?

probably a good 4 to 5 hours of REM sleep. 6 if I'm lucky. I'm going to request being taken off of a water pill for my blood pressure since I'm always in the bathroom overnight. it breaks up my sleep.

What is your favorite dessert?

Strawberry Shortcake or Cherry Pie or Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheese Cake
OR..... Lol... too many things I really like.

Who was the entertainment at the last concert you'd attended?

If you have not attended a concert, who is your favorite musician or group?

My husband and I like classical music a lot. I also like other genres, including rock and roll, jazz, and even hip hop. The last concerts we saw were at the summer Tanglewood festival in Massachusetts. We saw concerts two nights in a row. There were pieces by Mozart, Mahler, Previn, and Dvorak. The orchestra was the Boston Symphony. Special soloists included Ann Sophie-Mutter (for the Previn piece) and Emanuel Ax (for the Mozart piece. As for other styles of music, I don't quite remember. There were some less than great performances. I guess that most notable rock and roll concert of great significance was a U2 concert. That was years back and I believe was their "No Line on the Horizon" tour. It was a packed stadium. My favorite rock and roll group is U2. My favorite classical composer is Beethoven. My favorite opera singers are Kiri Te Kanawa, Renee Fleming, Placido Domingo, and the late Luciano Pavorotti.

Q: What has been your favorite performance you attended to date? Could be any kind of performance (music, dance, acting, sports, etc.)

I saw a Russian ballet troupe perform in Moscow years ago. That was my favorite to date. Beautiful performance.

How many times have you been hospitalized (if any)?

5 psych, 3 post op only because I needed monitoring after surgery because of my MAOI, 1 with lithium toxicity

If you needed an AD and had no options but an MAOI would you try the MAOI?

I have been in that situation, Nardil was the one I tried - it didn't go well. I've accepted there will never be an antidepressant for me.

Have you ever just walked out of a store, left your cart or shopping where your were and just walked out. Either due to anxiety or depression or just sheer exhaustion.

Yes. Sensory overload, more than once.

Have you ever complained to a practice, hospital, or state board (or else) about a medical/psychiatric/therapy provider?

yes, once when the therapist I was with encouraged me to die I had a word with someone about it

I don't know what happened to her though, I've sinced moved from that area (perhaps a good thing)

question: what's the most you've ever spent during a spre

I'm not really sure. Spending sprees are not a major symptom of my particular manias. I tend to exhibit impulsivity and disinhibition in other ways, more. Perhaps because I'm frugal by nature, that is a factor. In any case, I have had times when manic when I have spent a lot more than usual. I'd say in a given day, if you exclude usual big expenditures, perhaps $700 or so at most. I have been guilty of larger expenditures over a period of time. For example, when manic, I often set out on trips abroad. If you add up airfare, hotel, other transportation, and food, that goes well into the thousands of dollars. I never spent that far beyond my means, though. Often when I set out on adventurous trips, I did so "on a budget". For example, in the mid 1990s, I stayed in $5 per night hostels (sometimes with bed bugs) in Thailand and Hong Kong, and just ate soup (or similar) for lunch and dinner.

Q: Do you consider yourself fairly tolerant of medication side effects? Or do even minor ones bother you a lot?

I'm sensitive to all chemicals. Tiny doses affect me heavily. I don't even like taking headache medicine. I've had side effects from all of the psyc meds I've taken. Depakote was the worst. It made my heart beat 150bpm. Risperdal gave me crazy anxiety and made me lactate. Geodon makes me a zombie, but I'm now on the lowest dose they make and take it at night.

I just do not tolerate meds well. I'm even allergic to some. Benadryll makes my heart beat uncontrollably and I hallucinate on it.

What did you have for dinner?

Tater tots with ketchup. Lol, but for real. Went to a comedy thing and didn't want to spend much. Btw, they were the best tatertots I've ever had. Nice and crispy.

Do you like to sleep with a bit of light, or do you like/need total darkness?