[imaginethat]

I was diagnosed with bipolar 1 many years ago for the typical reasons. In addition, I've always been a ruminator. Once I start worrying, it rolls around like a rollercoaster unable to stop. My throat feels tight. I feel out of control.

How do you know if a symptom is due to anxiety disorder vs. bipolar? I don't have the physical symptoms except for the tight throat. But the ruminating takes over my life. I eat to try to get rid of it.

I plan.to ask my therapist about this. I want to get your take though.

The label of a diagnosis doesn't define me. I only want to know if I should stay on Buspar. It doesn't appear to do any good as far as ruminating goes.

[Fuzzybear]

I can relate to ruminating! It totally sucks. Sometimes eating is the only thing that helps me! (I did take paxil and then seroquel before I became allergic to them both they both helped a bit)

[bpcyclist]

Such a great question! Anxiety can be an element of depression, mania, psychosis, or mixed episodes. It is the most common secondary "diagnosis" or symptom complex outside DSM 9000 criteria--third is phobias, esp agoraphobia.

The extent to which a given pdoc wishes to add an official additional label of GAD, say, is likely largely due to their training and practice style, in my experience. I never got an additional dx, despite panic attacks requiring klonopin and phobias. Most of my pdocs have just felt this was all bp-related.

Hugs!

[FluffyDinosaur]

I get a lot of anxiety and rumination/obsessive thinking as well. I've noticed (through mood charts) that it's mostly related to my bipolar episodes. Since I've been having a very long episode, I now meet the diagnostic criteria for GAD. However, in my opinion it would be pointless to add that diagnosis because those symptoms are much less severe outside of episodes. I guess that's how I know it's a bipolar symptom in my case.

[bpcyclist]

Originally Posted by FluffyDinosaur

I get a lot of anxiety and rumination/obsessive thinking as well. I've noticed (through mood charts) that it's mostly related to my bipolar episodes. Since I've been having a very long episode, I now meet the diagnostic criteria for GAD. However, in my opinion it would be pointless to add that diagnosis because those symptoms are much less severe outside of episodes. I guess that's how I know it's a bipolar symptom in my case.

I agree with this. I think it makes most sense to think of as an element of bp

[imaginethat]

Originally Posted by FluffyDinosaur

I get a lot of anxiety and rumination/obsessive thinking as well. I've noticed (through mood charts) that it's mostly related to my bipolar episodes. Since I've been having a very long episode, I now meet the diagnostic criteria for GAD. However, in my opinion it would be pointless to add that diagnosis because those symptoms are much less severe outside of episodes. I guess that's how I know it's a bipolar symptom in my case.

That's a good idea, to do mood charts. I don't feel like I'm having a bipolar episode now though.

[imaginethat]

Originally Posted by FluffyDinosaur

I get a lot of anxiety and rumination/obsessive thinking as well. I've noticed (through mood charts) that it's mostly related to my bipolar episodes. Since I've been having a very long episode, I now meet the diagnostic criteria for GAD. However, in my opinion it would be pointless to add that diagnosis because those symptoms are much less severe outside of episodes. I guess that's how I know it's a bipolar symptom in my case.

My psych blamed anxiety on bp disorder, too. He wouldn't prescribe anything for it. But my new psych does. She prescribed Buspar. I think I need a higher dosage.

[*Beth*]

I experience extreme anxiety and if something gets stuck in my mind I will ruminate on it endlessly. Like a hamster on a wheel that never stops. Even while I'm asleep I'm aware of turning whatever it happens to be that I'm ruminating about over and over in my mind. After a day and night of it I'm beside myself.


I've been told by providers, and I believe, that such excessive anxiety is an aspect of dysphoric mania, and that it's not at all unusual for people with BD.

I've tried so many anti-anxiety meds I lost count long ago. Not one made a dent in my anxiety/rumination. Then one day my pdoc suggested perphenazine (Trilafon). Finally, a med that lowered my anxiety and helped me not to ruminate as much.

[FluffyDinosaur]

Originally Posted by BethRags

I experience extreme anxiety and if something gets stuck in my mind I will ruminate on it endlessly. Like a hamster on a wheel that never stops. Even while I'm asleep I'm aware of turning whatever it happens to be that I'm ruminating about over and over in my mind. After a day and night of it I'm beside myself.

I've been told by providers, and I believe, that such excessive anxiety is an aspect of dysphoric mania, and that it's not at all unusual for people with BD.

I've tried so many anti-anxiety meds I lost count long ago. Not one made a dent in my anxiety/rumination. Then one day my pdoc suggested perphenazine (Trilafon). Finally, a med that lowered my anxiety and helped me not to ruminate as much.

I have the same experience. Anger and anxiety keep circling around in my head and building up for days, weeks, sometimes even months, until I can't think of anything else. It will often latch on to one topic and I just become completely obsessed. I can't turn it off when I sleep either. It's almost like racing thoughts or just being "unable to shut my mind off."

I, too, have experienced it in the context of what I think was dysphoric mania. I don't know of any way to let it out, except maybe smashing my house up with a crowbar or something, which I don't want to do. It just makes me go crazy. I feel like those scenes in movies where they have the guy in a straightjacket in a padded room just going haywire. That's kind of how it feels, minus the padded room and the straightjacket.

FWIW I think I'm also prone to obsessions with "positive" things. As a stupid example, in the past at some point I became obsessed with this art site that I liked back then, and spent the entire week, every day and night, just downloading every single picture from that site (there must have been thousands or tens of thousands). Stuff like that has happened to me in lots of different ways, I don't know why. And then, after it "clears up," I don't even really know why I cared so much about it.

[*Beth*]

Originally Posted by FluffyDinosaur

I have the same experience. Anger and anxiety keep circling around in my head and building up for days, weeks, sometimes even months, until I can't think of anything else. It will often latch on to one topic and I just become completely obsessed. I can't turn it off when I sleep either. It's almost like racing thoughts or just being "unable to shut my mind off."

I, too, have experienced it in the context of what I think was dysphoric mania. I don't know of any way to let it out, except maybe smashing my house up with a crowbar or something, which I don't want to do. It just makes me go crazy. I feel like those scenes in movies where they have the guy in a straightjacket in a padded room just going haywire. That's kind of how it feels, minus the padded room and the straightjacket.

FWIW I think I'm also prone to obsessions with "positive" things. As a stupid example, in the past at some point I became obsessed with this art site that I liked back then, and spent the entire week, every day and night, just downloading every single picture from that site (there must have been thousands or tens of thousands). Stuff like that has happened to me in lots of different ways, I don't know why. And then, after it "clears up," I don't even really know why I cared so much about it.

I have no other words except exactly!

[fern46]

Did you have anxiety before you started taking meds for BD? I had never had it and then I started Risperidone. The rumination and anxiety kicked in a few months later. I stopped the med and it disappeared. What all do you take?

I know Buspar can cause nervousness. Perhaps it is exacerbating the issue.

[imaginethat]

I've always had anxiety -- before I started taking BP meds. It's terrible. I hate to think that a BP med would actually cause anxiety, but that's what the prescription inserts say.

[FluffyDinosaur]

Originally Posted by imaginethat

I've always had anxiety -- before I started taking BP meds. It's terrible. I hate to think that a BP med would actually cause anxiety, but that's what the prescription inserts say.

Yep, and even anti-anxiety meds can cause anxiety. And then if you stop, the withdrawal can cause anxiety, too. You gotta love that stuff.