Bipolar check-in #56

The pandemic is becoming a major ball and chain for my husband and me. Even though the area we live in is pleasant in many ways, Hubby is not that happy here. It's hard for me to be happy, too, because everything is stalled. Under normal circumstances, we'd be thinking about next steps. It was our initial understanding that my husband's best friend would have work for my husband in the area we're living. However, the future of that seems grim as the friend is basically disabled by the psychosis he's experiencing from covid-19. If we had known this would happen, we would have picked a different area, much closer to my husband's friends and family in/near Prague. We would have also liked to start exploring France even more, but that can't happen either, because of covid-19. Let's get this stupid pandemic over with already! I'm eager to get the darned vaccine already and hope everyone else will, too. I can't express how people not getting the vaccine only makes life harder for everyone. Supposedly, people like me and Hubby who aren't yet in the insurance system can get appointments for the vaccine sometime in June.

Another hassle we're dealing with is getting our mail from the US. My husband's friend was getting it for us since he lives in our old area in the US. Since that friend also regularly came to Czech Republic, monthly, he was bringing it. As he has been ill with psychosis for so long, we've been unable to get it. We're not blaming him. Of course not. But that still creates a difficulty for us. My husband has asked another friend to get it and send it, priority, to us. My sister has already mailed stuff to us from another source. "Priority" seems to be extraordinarily slow, unlike in the past. I can't help but think the current USPS head, and his cronies, are mostly to blame. She mailed it one and a half weeks ago and it still hasn't arrived. One time we even had mail sent by UPS (United Parcel Service) but that cost almost $200. That reached us in three days only. That's not affordable to do more than once, or max twice. In contrast, USPS Priority costs about $35. If/when we finally get it, it will be received as slowly as regular Air Mail letters, way back when. In fact, I think the Air Mail birthday card my sister sent me reached us faster.

Hi everyone! I'm new around here. In the new member thread, it was suggested I come over here.
I was diagnosed with bipolar 1 about a month ago - had my first manic episode, likely induced by taking Lexapro... which has lead into the depressive state, which I'm still clawing out from.
I am still taking the Lexapro and I'm on Lamictal, slowly tappering up. I'm wondering if the Lamictal is causing some crying bouts or if it's just the nature of being in this depressive state.
Anyway, I really look forward to chat with everyone!

Mum has started a cleaning streak. She is emptying a large closet and pulling things out. The whole house is cluttered up with this stuff. I used to be into ceramics and some of the big pieces one is a watering can that she put flowers in, it looks nice. Another is made to look like a rope bag. It’s my favorite piece but what to do with them? Mum wants to sell the house and move to a townhouse or apartment. I can get behind that cause man, never realized what work a house is and with my back it’s hard. I have all my stuff in the basement too. And a few more bigger piece of ceramic art.

Well the flower box is full. Got what I wanted, Golden marigolds and red geraniums, plus a different reddish 🌺 🌸 🌹 thing. They only had a 's alreadycouple of those so I thought they must be popular and got a couple. Looks nice but I should have gotten 5 geraniums not 3. I always forget how big the flower box is. I like the contrast between the bright colors.

It’s a perfect day for doing this. Sunny and mild, 66 today. The next couple of days are cool and rainy so it should be good for the flowers to recouperate. At least now I now why I get winded so fast, it’s part of the low iron. So in a couple weeks I should be doing better that way. I didn’t have thrush but I did have a fungal thing. So I’m taking these tablets 5 times a day for that. It requires that I set my alarm for 6am. But this morning I got to turn it off at 5 as I couldn’t sleep. Should sleep good tonight.

After not seeing my T Richard in 15 months ( only garbage Zoom shyt) we had our first in person session today.. Screw Covid we hugged. He had to leave his mask on per his company policy, He was vaccinated and I am to, So I ripped that damn mask off in 32 seconds..

When covid hit and everyone was working from home he took all his personal furniture, books, paintings etc , Stuff that I have spent 10 years surrounded by and the one thing I miss the most is his office always smelled like a dusty old book store and to me that is one of my top 3 favorite smells ever! So I told him to bring all his books and dusty papers back LOL

It was a good session, I mean I was able to just dump everything out of my head.

This ongoing anger and rage ? Well I think I'm just going to have to wait it out as psych meds are off the table since I am now Diabetic.

My husband and I are both fully vaccinated now. We are done with masks unless we have a medical appt. The constant anxiety of wearing a mask , My Asthma caused full blown panic attacks. Enough! Still " experts " are flip flopping left and right.. Honestly I don't trust a single one of them. Every body has some Agenda

I am truly an Ostrich stuffing my head in the sand.... and thats the best thing I have done for myself

My daughter will be here in 16 Days for a week

Hugs, love and cookies for everyone

Welcome

If your Pdoc ( Psychriatrist) feels that Lexapro caused it why do they still want you to take it? "usually" if there is a "chance" a medication caused an episode the first thing is to take a person off the med.

Lamictal works on the depressive end of Bipolar it does virtually nothing for hypo/manic mood shifts. Its also actually a Seizure medication that was found to offer some help with depression. I think they did finally add it to the class of " Mood stabilizer" Its takes time for that to show any signs its working because of the way you have to start out low dose and slowly increase to avoid SJS Rash

Do you have a follow up appt with your Pdoc soon?? Maybe there is a reason to leave you on it How many sessions/ appts have you had ?

Sorry dont mean to fire tons of questions I'm just trying to get an idea of your situation

Welcome to the boards, @peachiee23! It's always nice to have new folks, but I'm sorry your arrival comes on the heels of an episode & definitive diagnosis. I hope you get your meds right soon so you don't struggle too much with bipolar disorder.

Since it's a mood stabilizer, it would surprise me if Lamictal is causing your crying bouts. Clinically, it should even out your moods. Lamictal never caused me much grief, at least. If you're in a depressive episode, your mood probably has more to do with the crying spells than the meds. But I'm no doctor...I just stayed in a Holiday Inn Express last night.

Buddha, you mentioned that you get Minnesota weather about a day later. So I’m just giving you notice to enjoy today’s weather. Yesterday here it was 66 and brilliantly sunny. We sat in the sun reading for hours yesterday. It was the Rockwellen day that reminds you of how awesome Mother Nature is. Today tho, brrr 45 windy and rainy. So enjoy today!