Bipolar Check-in #40

I switched to lithium a couple of months ago.
mood is more stable. so that is good. Maybe that will help you?
I hope so!!!!

bizi

I hope so too! From what I read about it on the medication look-up on this website, it sounded like just what I needed so I'm really looking forward to it. I read somewhere that you have to get bloodwork regularly to be sure you have the right amount in your system or something like that. Do you do that? If you do, how often do you have to get that done? Do you know if that's necessary? Thank you in advance!

Yes they check your blood levels frequently
first once after five full dose days then monthly for a while..now it has been like 2 months.Also get a base line of your kidney function and thyroid base line. you need to drink as much water as you can, and be careful of the sun. You can't take advil or other NSAIDS, only tylenol for pain.

bizi

Thanks for that info bizi. I wasn’t informed of that fact about no NSAIDS.

Uh hu ... I feel ya
I think it’s be 3 days since I slept ? I lose track.

Here’s hoping we both sleep tonight

Many hugs and Im watching you like a hawk

I’m so glad you had a great vacation, you truly needed it . Perfect timing !

Have a safe flight home

I’m sorry your struggling. It sucks when we realize we are not seeing and understanding things as they really are.

What can you do to try and change that ?? Sure meds can help but they can only do so much of course.

Maybe next interaction that happens you could basically stop and self ground... Fact Check .. Stop your reaction until you have thought about it and that could save you from having to make amends.

Just Stop , self grounding , Fact Check, wash rinse repeat until you have taken time to consider what your feeling and what’s being said

Thank you for getting the work out about NSAIDS.. I’m really shocked at the amount of people that aren’t told this or don’t take the time to read up about lithium.

Thank you so much for that! I need something short, quick and memorable that I can say and do "in the moment". "Stop, Ground, Check". I can remember that, thank you, I will try it next time the urge to strike out comes upon me. (I sound like a snake!)
P.S. Can you explain to me how you can quickly ground yourself. You sound like you know how to do that, I don't.

Junk lungs? Check
Sleep deprivation ? Check
Rolling nauseous ? Check

Awesome

Thank you so much bizi! I had a thyroid and kidney function baseline along with other bloodwork prescribed by my doctor that I gave to my Pdoc, so I'm glad that's out of the way. I didn't even know I would be needing it! I appreciate the info. a lot. I don't take any NSAIDS (at least in the last couple years) so I'm ok with that too, and I drink a lot of water already, so it sounds ok. I just have to talk to my Pdoc about when and where she'll be wanting me to get the bloodwork, hopefully there where I see her!

When someone is not doing well we often react negatively towards almost anything some says to us instead of actually hearing them

So if person X says something and you think for a nano second it’s anything other than a positive.. then shut up literally even if you physically need to cover your mouth with your hand to keep for responding, that can help you stay grounded “ in the moment” then start to pick it apart. Would this person intentionally say anything mean to me ? Can you think of exactly what was said ? If not ? Then ask them to repeat it , again stay present , don’t follow your mind down a rabbit hole. Tap count your fingers while taking a few deep breaths.. again ask yourself would this person intentionally be mean ? lie to you ? If your really having trouble picking it apart you might ask them to say whatever it was again. Again stay present, Tap count fingers, look around focus on an object, breath... sometimes things can be fact checked in 10 seconds or 15 mins

What your trying to do it just Stop... stop all reaction and force yourself to look at it logically.... you need time to just shut your mouth and think.. you might need to ask yourself once or 13 times if this person is being mean, lie or any negative.

People with Borderline for instance learn through DBT how to slow everything down and do self grounding and fact check.

Everyone can benefit to just stopping .. Stop Ground and Fact Check.

Think of it this way ... when you go to make a post on here about something ... do you stop and reread it before you hit reply ? If so ... your already doing the first step ... “ Stop “

I’ll try to come up with a more condensed version , I’m sleepless so I have trouble condensing stuff , but hopefully thing will give you some thing to chew on

Thank you so much, there is a lot in there to chew on(along with my cinnamon stick)! You don't even have to condense it because I can pick out the easy to remember things from it, like tapping, counting your fingers, focus on a physical object, cover your mouth if needed...I really like how you wrote about how we may check what we post before we reply. (That's a concrete example to show that we already DO know how to "stop" and why it's important and how it's done.) Thank you again!
P.S. I hope you can get some sleep.

I've been on lithium for 11 years and once the levels sort of stabilized, they have almost never drifted. I get blood draws just a couple of times a year, because I know my level is going to be 0.9 every single time. And it is. I can't even remember the last time it wasn't 0.9.

Did they tell you no advil?
bizi

Thank you so much for this! I'm learning so much about Lithium, and I actually feel comforted knowing that others take it! I am really, really glad that you don't have to get bloodwork like every 2 weeks or something, and that you and bizi both made it sound to me like you get the bloodwork most often in the beginning to get the level stabalized. I feel glad that I know more now so that I can see my Pdoc on Monday more informed!

Thanks a lot informing about lithum and advil interactions.i didnt know .i dont get lithium but my dad do.i get karbamazepine instead of lithium.i am in remission for 11 months.i am unemployed.so much going on last 3 years first i get fired .i am falsely accused about something .then i had mixed episode and diagnosed with bipolar disorder. After i am cleared.now i am in my bed all day watching tv series,youtube videos.i dont think past and future.i dont want to work.i think i am a still arogant person.i dont have energy.but in my curcimsitances my pdoc says you can have stress because what you are going thourough.i am happy in some way anyway.

My dog and i had a fight last night, but all couples fight. We're past it today and have agreed to put it behind us. She's dozing in her dogbed now.

I made it to an Overeaters Anonymous (OA) meeting this morning, one i haven't been to before. I decided to go on the spur of the moment and it's a good thing because it was terrific! It was a little more structured than other meetings i've been to and the text is a book that's new to me, more about personal stories than Step Work. I preferred the book today much more.

I got my silver chip signifying the desire for abstinence. It's quite pretty. One woman said she keeps her's in her bra! I've fashioned a necklace out of mine with plastic wrap and a leather thong. It works! I like how OA says weight loss never lasted before because we were never meant to heal from this disease in isolation. Neat!

I made good food choices today. I cooked dinner AND did my dishes which i virtually NEVER do. I just sat quietly for half an hour after my meal and then i heard my mom's voice saying to my dad, "Let's get these dishes done," and i just did them!

Aces!

What in the world did you and your dog fight about ??!!! LOL

I literally can not stand having a single dish in my sink hehehe I’m so OCD about cleaning

Good for you!!!!!! Happy you found a group that you like.
bizi

Had a good Thanksgiving with my friend.

I've been drawing a lot lately, so that's good.

Struggling in the evenings with agitation and sui thoughts, but otherwise I've been doing well. Have been super tired though, I slept nearly around the clock today.

Tomorrow I'm going to a free community brunch and then to have coffee with my sister, which I'm really looking forward to.

I'm trying to get the agitation and sui thoughts in check. It used to go away because I would just pray and leave things to God but I have been struggling with my faith lately. I want it though, I want to be able to do that again and feel that peace. I want to feel excited by life again

I’m so glad your doing so much drawing what a wonderful gift.

What is your evening routine like ?? Maybe you need to just flip some activities /chores you do during the early part of the day and hold off til later ? Something else to focus on maybe ?

Just a thought

Still around.

Checking in. I had a lovely Thanksgiving with my family and a wonderful time visiting with M. She leaves tomorrow morning.

Lithium ER is working out well with one side effect: I’ve woken up between 3-4 the past three nights nauseated and throwing up. I’ll call my NP Monday and I’m having bloodwork done that day so I’ll get it worked out. Feeling like myself again.

My brother is not well: not eating or drinking and too frail to walk unassisted. He’s only 56 but has COPD, diabetes and had a heart attack 6 years ago. He’s also very stubborn and won’t go get checked out. I’m afraid it’s going to come down to calling the police and an ambulance. I don’t want to lose him and I’m quite worried.

Warm regards to all and hugs to those that are struggling.