Bipolar check-in #60

I appreciate God gifting me good health for my special day yesterday. Today it’s back to stomach bug symptoms and all the fun that goes along with that. I’ve got too much work and fun planned for this week to be ill! This has gone on off and on for awhile now. My doctor will do a telemedicine appointment with me next Monday since she is out of the office this week. I cancelled both therapy sessions for today and tomorrow. I’m just not up to it. I can do something about my arm that is very painful again though. Although it will be at the office 40 minutes away instead of two miles, my orthopedist can do an injection into that injured tendon and straighten that out for Thanksgiving. That’s one piece of good news.

Darn, darn, darn. Not what I had planned or envisioned. The best laid plans… I’ll not visit my brother until we get to the bottom of this.

I hope everybody is having a peaceful day.

Oh I’m sorry Jennifer, if it’s not one thing it’s another! Feel better soon.

Oh thank god!!! My car will be fixed tomorrow

I got my genetic results today. Nothing super significant mentioned, except I do feel validated about antidepressants. SSRIs, because of my genes, both give me higher serum levels (therefore more side effects) AND a moderate decrease in efficacy due to specific enzymes. So, at least my non-response to them make some sense! Keep in mind this just lists genetic markers, and based on that, how to use medications (as directed, with caution and considerations about dosage, and ones that are prone to cause adverse effects based on genes. This does NOT weigh side effects or how the medicine will affect you.) For example, Cymbalta was considered under "use as directed" -- but I had an allergic reaction to it. My genetic markers don't reflect that, but it doesn't mean it's a drug I can take. You know?

I guess the big question was.. where does Latuda lie in this list? All antipsychotics were in the "use as directed" column, so no precautions. We know Latuda ain't for me though! haha. We'll see what route my psychiatrist takes.

My Back.. Almost 2 weeks now

My back is still so messed up its not funny. The adjustments haven't helped yet but I know its going to be a process to get things back in line. I go back tomorrow. The muscles in my back are literally hard as a rock. My one leg is almost 3 inches shorter than the other. Pain is radiating to both legs.. I have never in my life hurt so bad. I cant sit long, I cant lay down long I can do anything long..

Hugs to anyone in need..

What a mess today was. It wasnt bad. Just long. My mom decided we needed new phones last night because my sister and my brother in law got new phones. I needed a new one so I was jjust like whatever. So we got to T mobil right at 11. We had to wait over an hour it was so busy. I saw the new Samsung flip phone that is like a flip phone but opens into a smart phone. I was super excited but my mom was telling me it was too much. But then with our plan and my trade in I got it for $400 off. Way less then any iphone and none of them were on our plan anyways and the same price as the Google pixels. I was thinking of practicailty since my old phones were always annoying to fit into my pockets because the size. So I never brought mine with me even when I was going places myself. Which is just super dangerous. But this phone just folds up neatly and its very small.

But it took forever to buy them and the guy helping us was nice and patient but kept getting weirdly distracted almost like he was a diabetic and his blood sugars were too low. My dad would get the same way. But he had to acess my apple info which was still in my dead name so he knew I was trans but didnt say anything. My mom was acting like an old lady the entire who didnt know how to use technolgy. She got a google pixel like my sister and brother in law got. But I dont know. I have a headache and a fancy new flip smart phone. I have to redownload all my apps but at least I still have my pictures.

My sleep is all messed up! I went to bed at 4 a.m. and woke up at 5:45 - pm! It was dark so I really thought it was a.m. This is my report of the day- there was none.

I found my apps. I had to swipe up not right

My phone is kinda annoying me. Its very tall and kinda narrow. Typing is strange I'll have to get used to it. The guy said these phones are super fragile so I only plan on closing it when its in my pocket.

Do you keep your music on iTunes when you switch from an iPhone? I've always wondered but just stuck with iPhones so I never checked it out.

Is this one of those phones that close in half?

I use Amazon prime music. I dont use itunes I pay $11 a month and I've never really checked out anything else. I was told my Beats headphones will work with my phone and I thought those were only apple. Im guessing anything will work. I dont know.

I just went from an iPod to an iPhone 4 and have never used another service because I don't listen to music that much. Most of what is on my current iPhone was purchased at least 5 years ago. I just hate to lose the money I've spent over the years on purchases.

Thanks!

Oh man school is a lot right now plus my car broke down yesterday on my way to work. 6am on side fo the highway. $215 to fix.

I can’t wait for the end of the dang semester

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mountaindewed [trigger]I read that skinny people are skinny because they snort cocaine and are addicted to xanax.

Haha. Hmm. I was skinny prior to Seroquel and wasn't using any drugs

My facebook was hacked today so I had to delete my profile and create an entirely new account. I lost 10 plus years worth of photos. My own fault really, I should of had the photos saved to an external hard drive but I didn't do that so lesson learned. Will do that from now on so I don't lose anything again if my account is ever hacked again.

I slept most of the day, and missed my appointment for my abilify injection so I have to reschedule that to next week.

Tonight I've been extremely nauseous and have thrown up.

It's just been not the best day, but I did get my turkey basket. Everyone in the apartment complex gets a free whole frozen turkey and a big box full of all the stuff to make sides for Thanksgiving. So I have the turkey thawing now so I can cook it on Thursday

Yes it is

I don't know I just know I've lost a fair amount of weight after being put on valium. And my mind often craves meds instead of food.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blue_Bird My facebook was hacked today so I had to delete my profile and create an entirely new account. I lost 10 plus years worth of photos. My own fault really, I should of had the photos saved to an external hard drive but I didn't do that so lesson learned. Will do that from now on so I don't lose anything again if my account is ever hacked again. I slept most of the day, and missed my appointment for my abilify injection so I have to reschedule that to next week. Tonight I've been extremely nauseous and have thrown up. It's just been not the best day, but I did get my turkey basket. Everyone in the apartment complex gets a free whole frozen turkey and a big box full of all the stuff to make sides for Thanksgiving. So I have the turkey thawing now so I can cook it on Thursday

Losing all your photos...I'm so sorry that happened to you.

I have super bad agoraphobia today. Like it is so bad I switched my in person therapy session to a remote session. And I never thought I'd go back to remote by choice. But yeah I just have the creeps today and I'm not sure why. I hope shes not too pissed and is understanding. I didnt go with my mom to get a couple things taken care of at T mobil including getting my headphones connected so I'll have to use plug in headphones on our trip. I just didnt feel like carrying around $300 headphones plus a $1000 phone. I'll take them in next week. But hopefully my therapist has some idea of how I can manage this anxiety on my trip.

I took my prescribed gedon 20 a bit early and now I'm tired. But I've eaten today and what I've eaten has been healthy. So she shouldnt be pissed at my food situation at least.

I had almost back to back appointments with my therapist, then my psychiatrist. I thought we'd have time in between for a bite of lunch, but we had to wait until after the second appointment. My visit with my therapist was most pleasurable. Unlike my past therapists, I actually have true intellectual conversations with him. His English is more than good enough for them. I always feel good after seeing him, for that reason, primarily. Being so isolated, with Hubby only, it's nice to have someone to talk to at length. The issue is that he often goes overtime. Since Hubby waits for me at a cafe, I feel a bit bad. But better getting more time than too little.

Initially my husband joined me for my psychiatrist appointments, but a) I started to want to talk to the psychiatrist without him, and b) Hubby doesn't mind sitting at a restaurant nearby or walking around, as it is a lovely area. The only issue with seeing the pdoc alone is that he's always asking what Hubby thinks of my moods. Today, I think something I said (and how I said it) made him think I needed a medication increase. I was happy to stay where I was, and wasn't asking to have a lowered dose. Then he socks out the idea of maybe putting me on Abilify in addition to my other meds. I was like "WHAT?!?!" I told him that was not a good option. Really I didn't think any change was. He even brought up Lithium, for goodness sake! That would also be a disaster as it did little for me other than give me 10 side effects and eventual kidney and thyroid damage. But I could tell he was eager to make an addition, so I suggested going slightly up on my carbamazepine ER (Tegretol XR) from 600 mg to 800 mg. Luckily he agreed to that, and even ordered a carbamazepine level. So I have to go early tomorrow morning to get that done. I told him that my old psychiatrist hadn't ordered one in ages. Years, in fact.

I get the feeling that this new psychiatrist thinks I'm often a bit elevated in mood. My old psychiatrist used to also think that. Well, yes, I have bipolar disorder, but no, it's not always a cause for concern. I think they sometimes misinterpret the energy I exude. Especially when I haven't seen people, other than Hubby, for a while. But I did admit to him that a few days ago I put a shnitzer to a couple projects I created for myself. My food blogging plans were getting a little out of hand. So, I guess it was my fault. Nevertheless, I don't think an extra 200 mg of carbamazepine ER will do me much harm. Also, he wants me to split my increased dose between morning and evening. I had been taking the whole amount only at night. Splitting it may well be helpful, for both the higher and lower ends of my bipolar disorder. I have no major qualms with carbamazepine, at reasonable doses. The only ones I had were at 1,200 mg and 1,400 mg. Both made me quite clumsy. The 1,400 mg gave me double vision. My old pdoc lowered it all the way to 600 from 1,200 mg before I moved to Europe, after telling him I had fallen down stairs twice. Does anyone remember those injuries? Since then, so far so good. Then again, I've been staying only downstairs for months now, since our main bedroom was set up. I've probably only gone upstairs three or four times in the last three months. That's Hubby's territory.