Questions bipolar version #10

Umm can’t say I’ve ever had a worse job. I’ve done a lot of menial jobs while I was going to school and during my year off, but they weren’t the worse jobs though I’d not want to have those jobs for years. I was a dishwasher at a Mexican restaurant on campus and had a fun time though the work itself was hot and dirty. I worked in a factory trimming aluminum and dealing with huge machinery that produced all sorts of plastic parts. I was asked to stay on and it was fantastic money, … but no thanks. I went back the the u after that job. I’d say one of my favorite jobs was being a TA at a jr college. Lots of autonomy and freedom and I could dress as I pleased. I don’t know I’ve always made the best out of any job I had and got along fine with co-workers and bosses. Only one bad experience and it wasn’t that bad cause the immediate supervisor treated everyone badly. The overall supervisor knew that and eventually fired her. So no complaints from me.

Interesting question. Same again.

Worst job was as a secretary in an office, sitting on my *** eight hours straight. Absolutely horrid! My *** got so fat from all that sitting, and it was boring, and I had to dress like a prude. Yuck. Never again. I liked working at the salad bar more! And that job was stressful!

Did you eat any candy today?

(If it makes you feel any better I had some cherry laffy taffy.)

No. Am going to try and get to the candy shop though later for a soda and maybe some liquorice allsorts!

When you were first diagnosed (or anytime since then really) did you read any books on bipolar or stories written about the author's experience with bipolar?

Yes, I did! It wasn't specifically about bipolar but I because obsessed with Susana Kaysan's story, which "Girl Interrupted" was based on.

How long did it take you to accept your bipolar diagnosis?

I think about a year after my initial bipolar diagnosis is when I got slapped in the face coming out of my first full blown mania (had some hypomania in the past, but just chopped it up to not being depressed--which I also minimized) in the state hospital with some knowledge of how bipolar affects people. I've had times (a loooot of times) since then where I question if I actually have bipolar, but those are short lived.

Are your (hypo)manic activities more hyperfocused on a project or scattered/jumping from task/activity/project to another constantly?

Definitely hyperfocused. Mostly on my writing. (Either obsessively journaling or noveling.) Or this time it's mostly on Husband, if you can call that an activity. Lol. And on listening to the same band obsessively over and over and OVER again. I've never been more hypersexual in my entire life!

Interesting question 🤔

Same.

Hyperfocused. It was funny, when I lived in my old house I had this room with horrific wallpaper. Basically they had put up waterproof paper and then covered it with waterproof paper so nothing penetrated it to loosen it up. One of the sure ways to know I was manic was that I'd be sitting on the floor of that room peeling paper off the walls tiny piece by tiny piece. Oh and in the middle of the night of course. Once I got hyperfocused on pulling up my stinky basement carpet but my therapist took my carpet knife from me because I wasn't safe. That was quite a disagreement....I thought I was fine. I had to apologize a few months later when my feet were on the ground again.

Has your therapist ever confiscated anything from you?

No, but

When mood episodes start showing themselves, what is the first part of self-care or routine that either goes out the window or at least becomes excruciatingly difficult?

showering and sleeping

When mood episodes start showing themselves, what is the first part of self-care or routine that either goes out the window or at least becomes excruciatingly difficult?

A: Sleep and laundry

Q: Do you take your meds at the same time daily or just when you are ready to sleep or whatever (PRNs excluded)?

Plus or minus. I take morning meds when I get up, which is usually around the same time but could be off by as much as a few hours. Night meds I take when I go to bed which is generally the same time. But sometimes later, rarely earlier.

Same question

Last time I was on meds, I was on med management, so I was on their schedule. Each doses was +/- 2 hours.

How do you carry your stuff around? Fit everything in a pocket, purse, backpack? (I don't know what else there is, but if that's your case you can enlighten me haha)

A purse with a wallet inside

Do you have meds that look alike and confuse them sometimes putting them in your pillbox(es)?

My calcium and metformin look alike but I take them at different times and the bottles are drastically different so it's not a problem. I used to be on something that looked a lot like seroquel and I had to be careful but I can't remember what it was now.


Have you ever accidentally taken your PM meds in the morning?

When I was on a lot more meds even though I had weekly boxes I was always messing up my meds. Now I think it was because all the meds made me a real space cadet I was always taking my pm meds in the am then sleeping the day away. Missing my afternoon meds and taking am meds at night. I was a real mess. Less meds now and I rarely mess up.

Same question

Oh, yes, I've accidently mixed up my morning meds and night meds and noon meds, pretty much all my meds. That's what's caused my current mania.

If you take Seroquel (quetiapine), trazodone or another very sedating med, have you ever had to tough it out in the morning? Such as at work, taking care of the house and/or children, it hitting during a walk or in the middle of a gym workout, driving, etc.?

Oh yes for sure. What I recall is the driving (feelling like a zombie) and struggling at work. It wears off eventually, you just need to hang in there.

Do you bath or shower every day or every other day?

I have to take a shower every day. I feel gross if I don't - plus I don't sleep well when I don't.

What has been the hardest thing to accomplish since being bipolar?

Keeping a stable job. Especially when depressed.

When last were you depressed?

Straight up major depressive episode? two months ago give or take.

What is your most distressing symptom and which type of episode(s) does it hit?

Psychosis when manic. Once thought I was one of "God's disciples" here on earth and it was my job to spread the gospel. Lol. But not lol at the time it could have been dangerous. I guess when depressed and I want to ..... is just as bad.

Do you have anything that can trigger your depression or does it silently creep up on you out of the blue?

If I mixup my meds, yeah, that for sure. Or if I decide to stop taking them or cutting my Seroquel in half. Or self-medicating or doing anything else with my meds

How many pills do you take each day?

including supplements 31 or 32. and a patch. Many are things I have to take 3-4 of the same pill to get the right dosage.

Good question. Same.

I take 8 in total.... 4 in the morning, 3 at night and a monthly injection

Morning- Depakote 500mg, Lisinpril 5mg, Amlodipine 10mg and Procyclidine 5mg (Mood Stabiliser, 2 x Blood Pressure meds and a Akathisia tablet we it's for Parkinsons but being used for my tremors etc)

Evening- Depakote x 2 (750mg) and Atorvastatin 20mg (Mood Stabiliser and Cholestrol)

Every month- Aririprazole 400mg Depot Injection

Question: Have you ever suffered from Akathisia? If so how did you resolve it

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Yes, during and after my hospitalization last December. For the first month I was so fidgety. I especially had to move my hands, legs too but hands were worse. That was when I was first put back on Seroquel. Daughter has tons of fidget toys and I had to use them most of the day every day, even riding in the car. It lasted for about a month and FINALLY gradually went away. Thank God.

Do you use a pill reminder app on your phone?