Bipolar Check-In #38

I am glad you were not hurt more than you were!

Oh! I am so glad you could go out with your friend!
Great to hear the med is helping, too.

Was the peanut butter (mold) the culprit in your allergic reaction?
Please be careful with food allergies. You have me concerned about you!

Hey there, Miss Laura!

I am just checking in on you to see what kind of FUN you are having this weekend?

I did read you have some cold symptoms and that you feel crying has taken a toll. I am sorry you are not feeling as well as you could feel. As for crying, I know I often feel depleted after a good long cry. I also feel "lighter," as though I have lost some heavy stress or something. Does it help you to cry and to let your feelings out in this way?

Have you and your family been able to plan something to do, even if only for awhile? I hope you can at least get out and enJOY the weather?

I've been thinking of you and wanted to check in on you.
I hope all is going well, my friend!

I hope your son doesn't have epilepsy. If he does, there are some types that kids kind of grow out of eventually. There are many forms and causes. My mother had epilepsy, but she never grew out of it. My husband's best friend's daughter seems to have. I think I have only ever mentioned this to Wild Coyote, but even I have an epilepsy diagnosis, but one where you don't lose consciousness. It's actually not a definitive diagnosis (neurologist said yes, epileptologist "not definitive"), but it was a rough enough period for me that I'd be extremely reluctant to give up my Tegretol XR (also a bipolar moodstabilizer). Tegretol XR was my hero during that period. It may be why I can continue life as if I don't have epilepsy.

I spent the day pretty angry. I yelled at my son a LOT. I was trying to get him to clean his room with me but he kept getting distracted. It pissed me off so much. Finally after RS came home and we relaxed a little bit I felt calmer. I just put my pjs on and filled my med boxes for the week. My son came in and said are those for your bipolar? I said yes. He said and you were angry today because of bipolar too. I felt really bad. I apologized and said it wasn’t right of me to yell like that. So hopefully he knows I’m sorry. I’m trying to unwind now as I still feel a bit tense. I hope tomorrow will be better.

Thanks BirdDancer. We hope he doesn't have it either, but the doctor did say if he does it would be likely he would grow out of it in his teenage years. I am a little worried about the idea of him taking anticonvusants. I had a very strong reaction to one and so did my mother. Neither of us can tolerate Depakote.

Thank you for sharing your personal story with me. It gives me hope we can find a med to help him if it comes to that. I wish there was a definitive test, but the doctor did warn me that the tests may not be definitive.

For now, I am just trying to stay calm and I am grateful we're getting the help we need. We're going to remain brave and we'll cross whatever bridges we have to cross together as a family. We are fortunate to have a lot of excellent people offering their support. I greatly appreciate yours!

It must be such a relief to be able to sleep without so much upset!?

Your post says you are "starving; "is that what you'd meant to say?

When do you see your doctor again?

i hope the relief continues!

Edit: Nammu, my goodness! I feel badly for you if you feel like you are starving!?

I am not sure if it was the peanut butter yet. I had natural pb this morning without a problem. Just peanuts and salt for ingredients. The other one has fake oils and sugar and things added. I use the natural pb in my smoothie I have for breakfast and dont react to that.

Hey everyone!!

I’m way behind lol

BitdDancer, ouch ! I’m sorry you needed sutures. Yes typing Sans that finger is gonna be annoying.

Fern I’m so sorry about your son I must have missed what happened. I hope his testing comes out okay and he won’t be diagnosed with epilepsy, my cousin was at about age 7 maybe 8 but she did grow out of it mid teenage years. You and your family are in my prayers.

Wander ... I’m so glad you got out and had a great time seeing family with your partner. Sorry your hip continues to be a problem

Laura, I’m sorry your still struggling. Does it help just being with your parents ?? Not being alone ?? Maybe just watch movies together? Good distraction.

Wild , ahhh I think all parents mental illness or not have yelled at our kids when we realize later we shouldn’t have. Don’t be so hard on yourself. Maybe make a deal with your son that if he daily puts away his toys you will get him a treat ?? I used that with my daughter at that age, she lived Wendy’s frosty, worth a shot

Moose .... struggling to buy food is so stressful, have you looked into food banks ?? Most churches have one, do you still sing in the choir ? It sucks to have to ask for help but it happens. One thing I notice is you do a lot of driving home your sons girlfriend home.... is this the son that’s refusing to work ??

WC ... you are always in my mind you offer so much support advice and love. Your a wonderful gift to me and I’m certain everyone here

Nammu ... goodness I hope things settle down !! I’m so sorry you have been sick

Sorry if I missed anyone

I’m actually feeling better, the extra 5 days of prednisone and the Augmentin are settling my lungs. I’m going to finish meds and make sure I don’t relapse, I’m pretty sure I can cancel the Pulmonary appt. its odd if I did have an infection, I’m always aware if I’m coughing up funk, oh well I’m doing better so GO me !!

My husband and I have gathered up scrap gold we had, I had lots of broken chains and some old rings etc I’ll never wear again... so thankfully Gold price is still good , we have enough to cover our Florida trip for Christmas, so one less stress, I’m just hopefully nothing happens between now and then, car troubles etc.

We have reworked our budget again and have figured out how to manage that damn extra hospital bill each month. I have been waiting for my husband to explode over it , rant and rave a bit but I think my being so calm about it has helped him just accept “it is what it is” So we will have to cut out going out for dinner each month, was like at most 20.00 a time and only twice a month. . It’s just not possible... things could be worse and I enjoy cooking and stretching food , I have made a game out of it. Silly maybe but it allows me to feel more in control of a tough situation.

I had a bunch of episodes of ER recorded so the last couple days Steve has gone out to see a couple friends so I sat here binging away .. My favorite show ever!! I am sad I only have 3 left to watch, hopefully more will be found to record.

Gentle hugs and calorie free cookies to everyone~

I see the doctor on the 30th.....at 7:45 AM! I've been putting it off for months cause I worried he would order invasive tests. But after massive googling I found out you don't have to have heartburn to have GERD. Hopefully he can make the diganois without tests. Yes I'm starving cause I'm afraid to eat anything. even the "safe" food set off the vomiting.

Christina, thanks for the cookies they are my new safe food!

So today was interesting. We've decided to take all screens away from our son. He's struggling really bad. He's not doing the things he needs to to advance in a healthy way. We have NEVER taken anything away but it was that or seeing if the hospital would take him. I can't find an IOP/PHP for him. Depending on tomorrow we will call his pdoc/T. he's only been on meds for 2 weeks.

I somehow managed to break my ankle at church, slipping on wet bricks and almost falling. The ankle had to be sacrificed for me to be able to keep to my feet, and now here I am five weeks later, still in a walking cast and chowing down on Aleve and acetaminophen. I can't get pain meds from anyone in this town because Klonopin is on my med list. So I'm kinda cranky. Sure hope it heals normally...injuries to my feet and legs tend to heal very slowly because of poor circulation. Oh well, everything happens for a reason!

I'm so sorry BipolaRNurse hope it heals faster.

Oh no! I am so sorry this has happened to you!
My mom had a very similar thing happen at church, breaking her ankle, too.

Her doctor had sent a nursing agency to see her. They sent their PT people. At the same time, they used some device that would "encase" her foot for an hour or so. It supposedly increased the healing in the lower legs, feet. it was quite an interesting unit, which was rented by her insurer.
I wish I could recall the name.

Maybe you know all about this?

It's great to have you posting in this thread!
I hope to see more of you!

Oh nooooooooo !!!!!!! Ugh 5 weeks

My town is the same with pain meds, I understand the concern but damn if there’s no history of abuse or addictions they should still provide pain management. We all suffer because junkies... so not right.

I will keep you in my prayers

Well .... maybe since this is the first time you have really put your foot down and taken them all away it will get his attention and he can work on himself.

Maybe offer him pen and paper?? He could draw or just write a long cuss filled letter about how unjust it is. Might be a good distraction??

If he really has a meltdown will you take him to the Er ??

Maybe offer him pen and paper?? He could draw or just write a long cuss filled letter about how unjust it is. Might be a good distraction?? I'll tell him. He has a list of all types of productive things he can do but writing a cuss filled letter may make him feel a little better.

If he really has a meltdown will you take him to the Er ?? Yes, H is very concerned. We tried to get to go to the hospital but he's safe he needs his meds to kick in and PHP or IOP.

Hopefully meds will start helping very soon

Has he been IP before ? I know he’s had enormous amounts of suicidal thinking. I just can’t remember if he’s ever been hospitalized for it.

terrible fibro pain bringing my mood right down

and still very depressed

ugg why are weekends so hard. I'd really like to know

Hey Wild Coyote,

Yesterday we watched a few DVDS we watched The Queen (the death of Princess Diana) and The Darkest Hour (Winston Churchill) I had never seen the latter.

Yeah I'm plagued with a cough, runny/blocked nose/sore throat/high temperature/sore gums and a sore head. I get run down when I'm stressed so I think this is the cause.

I was crying last night again mainly cause my Dad who I don't talk to about anything mental health related spoked to me re how I'm doing. I told him some stuff not everything. My Dister who is away this weekend wrote me a letter which makes me cry too

I haven't been out since Friday I'm out today (Sunday) I am out with the family for dinner tonight

Thank you for checking in on me. I contacted the samaritans again on Fri night but didn't find it useful tbh

After a really intense week, on Saturday my wife went out for the day and I did absolutely nothing even though I have a lot to do. I needed that.

We're taking an older, disabled relative out today to see the fall colors and for lunch. We visit her regularly but try to take her out every couple of weeks if the weather is good.

Sometimes we have to convince her to come along because she's set in her ways but she's always happy that she joined us in the end.

So excited, My artwork I submitted a month ago to Mad in America is on their front page of their art gallery and will be there for about a week

it's the one titled Chaos Alley

Mad in America - Science, Psychiatry and Social Justice

Artwork - Mad In America

Has he been IP before ? I know he’s had enormous amounts of suicidal thinking. I just can’t remember if he’s ever been hospitalized for it. No he has not. We've been trying to convince him to go, he feels that bad, but he refuses saying he has to much to do (school wise) I assured him that as long as he has a hospital note school would be fine. (I'm not sure of this but honestly it doesn't matter,) That they don't keep you forever, about a week is average. We have to do something 2x month therapy and every 2 months pdoc is just not enough right now. I don't know how long to wait. He's on the lowest dose possible for his meds. He wants to wait until his prescription is out in two weeks. I want to take him at least to the walk in clinic by Tuesday. Our pdoc goes slowly up on medication so even if it's changed it'll only be increased by a little when he needs something that will work faster.

That's awesome Blue_Bird! Your representation of psychosis really resonates with me. Thanks for sharing your creativity with us

That's wonderful, Blue_Bird! I couldn't see titles, though. Could you describe your art piece?