Bipolar Check-in #74

@raspberrytorte, I'm sorry you were recently inpatient, but am glad that you are safe. A year between hospitalizations can be a long time when struggling with instability. Wishing you a very long time until any next. Or hopefully no additional.

It appears that we will finally be moving to our new house this coming Monday. We've been busy with various plans and are starting to do some packing. That's why I haven't been around here for a bit. I'm a bit behind in reading posts, so send positive vibes and hugs to all who need them. It seems that my recent bad (and long) cold is finally heading out. Today I barely noticed any symptoms.

My doctor prescribed Reglan. I looked it up and I'm a bit concerned about it. Its been pulled off the market at least once by the FDA due to the high risk of TD. Its also addicting and can cause rapid weight gain. So I decided to call and leave a message for my pdoc and ask him. I'm not sure he'll want me on something thats addicting and has such a high risk of TD. But maybe he'll be fine with it.

Still here, just really got back into Scrabble this week. Not sure if i will keep it up tho. It's kind of unpleasant. My ZOOM support group was really good today. I spoke a couple times about happy memories of my family when i was young. Things fell apart when i was a teen but at least up until i was ten i was happy, which is a lot more than some people get.

Sending good vibes to all who struggle!

Thanks for the vibes! Hope many feel comforted by them.

I do understand how much it means to have the first years of one's childhood as good years.

As far as I remember my childhood was happy until ten as well. Of course there were some unhappy feelings in the first years also, but so it is to be human. Not every hour of the day is happy, but it is the total that that counts. I do remember some of the unhappy days before ten, but mostly I remember a lot of good happenings from that time period: hikes with my parents, many good Christmas celebrations, family gatherings, vacations, school days, playing with my friends and more!

I slept a total of 9 hours last night. I did it in 3 shifts of a few hours each. I'll see how things go tonight.

I had an intense workout at the gym today, but it was good.

Went back to the senior center this afternoon for 500 again. There were a few people that were the same but by and large it was a different group. A bit more cohesive and we’re having dinner on the 12th. It sure makes the day pass more quickly.

It’s a bit hard going so fast. They really whip though the games and sometimes I’m not sure what’s going on. I sometimes forget the bower but mostly I do ok keeping up.

Oh, I’m so glad you’re going to get into your own home soon. I bet that will help things so much. It will be nice. Congratulations 🎊

Bipolar NOS, what is it?

This afternoon I have a lot of free time. So this is the day I have the opportunity to write about it, in case somebody is interested and don't know so much about it.

Until now I have seen two of us here, but there may be more.

Fist: The diagnose Bibolar NOS (Bipolar Not Otherwise Specified) doesn't excist any more. It was a DSM IV diagnose.

For the moment it is DSM 5 (American) and ICD 10 (European) that is in use. Interesting that Europe and America have their own versions. One should believe that a MI is the same in both regions. But they have decided to use their own versions.

In DSM 5 The Bipolar NOS is now numbered 296.80 and called Unspesified Bipolar and Related Disorder and is used for symptoms "caracteristic of bipolar and related disorder that cause clinically significant distress" in several areas. (Work, Social and more).

In ICD 10 The Bipolar NOS is now numbered F34,9 and called Persistent mood [affective] disorder, unspecified.

Well as some of us learned when we were children: "A loved child has many names". So we who are in these categories must be highly loved.

I wanted to take it up because that diagnose does not mean that we suffer less than others in the Bipolar specter, but there is something with us that makes it difficult for the clinican to put us into a proper Bipolar category.

When it comes to me, however, it is the number of required days for the "highs" that makes it difficult to set a full Bipolar disorder diagnose. The required days for Hypomania is 4 days. So if one has only one day feeling "high" in between, that day is just as terrible as it is for those with the required four days, especially if there is tension in it as well.

I have most of the depressions. Many of you have probably noticed that already since I, not too long ago, wrote posts where I wondered if I had the right to be here (if I was good enough for you since my diagnosis was neither I nor II). My depressions have been of all kinds from mild to severe.

Well, that was that! I had the time to do it today.

After today I am not so sure that I will have the time to be here so often as before. It takes so much time to be here and comfort others as well as wanting comfort for oneself. I have made a plan to follow in the coming weeks. My therapist knows about my plan. I need to use my time well to overcome my sufferings and be able to go on with my life. Life has much to give even to the elderly. When I am togheter with my best friends, we laugh a lot ...

NB Nobody here has hurt me! NB I am not running from something or somebody, but I need to use my time in a beneficial way for myself to recover more (as soon as my arms are fixed).

See you now and then! Under all circumstances I will come and tell the result of the examination of my arms that has caused me so much trouble.

Thanks rosi700 that was very interesting. To me bipolar is bipolar no matter if it 1 or 2 or nos. Had no idea the DSM had moved on to #5.

I was asked to join phi alpha social work honor society!

Congratulations!

Congratulations!

My therapist and I try to keep my visits to 3x/month. I called Monday night and left a message cancelling next Monday because I forgot to do it earlier in the day and I wanted to leave a message that I was sorry I had been in an extremely bad mood with him but was too shy to do that live. I got a text Tuesday telling me the appointment was cancelled.

Today I got the usual Wednesday text message and email that I needed to confirm my appointment and choose office, online or telephone. So I called to verify that my appointment had been cancelled. I got this woman I don't think I've ever met who demanded to know why I was cancelling. I spit out something about it being my agreement with my therapist but I wanted to just say "none of your business". I've had one other time (I think the same woman) asked for that information. It's not like I'm cancelling late or violating policies.


Am I right that it is none of her business or is this normal? (keeping in mind I'm depressed and grouchy right now so I may be oversensitive and also please be gentle)

I can see a receptionist asking why you canceled but not if you were calling to verify it had already been canceled and definitely not being snotty about it. Geez 🙄 sounds like she’s too invested in your Ts business.

@BeyondtheRainbow:

I can understand you feeling that staff was being nosy asking for an explanation. I think you did well to say merely that it was your agreement with your therapist. Administrative staff do not need to know confidential information.

I've even BOOKED appointments with my doctor and when admin staff asked why i just said i'd discuss it with him! We all have a right to doctor-patient confidentiality!

Sorry to hear you are depressed now. I'm in the same boat.

Feeling devastated after talking to a friend I've had for 5 years. She's dying of cancer (systemwide tumors and brain tumors) and has her medically-assisted death soon. I think she's doing the right thing but obviously I'm very sad to lose her.

Thank you, @Nammu

Huge congratulations, Crazy Hitch! I remember how exciting it was when my husband and I bought our first home. We have our second new home now. Decorating and being surrounded by one's own stuff is what I'm particularly looking forward to.

I hope with the start of spring you will be able to get back on track with your diet and other things. It's a strange time, this transition. Do your best, rosi700. I hope today you feel at least a little better.

@Rosi700, thanks for sharing about the old Bipolar NOS diagnosis and it's new form. So you know, my nephew was diagnosed Bipolar NOS and in my view it's no lesser of a diagnosis than Bipolar type 1 or 2. I happen to believe in the bipolar spectrum. And think that even us with bipolar type 1, like me, have our own "flavors" of the disorder. In the end, the right treatments (therapeutic and medications) are what count so that we may be healthier and happier. As for you not being around as much, I do hope you aren't stepping away only because you need more support than can give. We all sometimes need more support, and that's OK. You've been very supportive since you came here. It CAN be time for you to ask for more of it. But if you need to concentrate on other things, away from here, it's understandable. I do wish you wellness in your mental health journey.

@HALLIEBETH87, congratulations on being accepted to the honor society! You rock! Also best of luck if you do decide on graduate school, or whatever avenue you plan to take now.

@Scooter9, I'm glad you got enough sleep and a great workout. Good for the body and soul, for sure.

@BeyondtheRainbow, I think we all have the right to cancel appointments without explanations, unless it's very frequent. You are an adult and have other aspects to your live. We all do. I once had a therapist that very much invaded my privacy. I didn't like it.

@Samicat, I'm so sorry about your friend and can certainly imagine how painful this time is for you. Not sure what else to write. Sending you hugs.

My sister took my brother to the ER yesterday. He is experiencing many severe medical issues, including uncontrolled A-ib, extreme pain (and likely related issues), and apparently has a serious infection. My sister said they suspect his kidneys may have also been affected. Other than the heart issues, which he had before his cancer diagnosis, it's all likely related to his cancer and the chemo. Perhaps his heart issue is also exacerbated by them. I told her to let me know when our brother might be ready for a phone call. The last couple times I called he was not well enough to talk for long. In the hospital, I'm unsure if he feels up to talking at all. He was kept overnight. I'm unsure when he'll get out. He's already been venting about the cost of his medical bills. And now even more. It's a tragedy that people who are sick also have the discomfort of wondering how to pay for care.



On a positive note, my nephew in the US seems to be excelling at his new job. He attended a conference to represent his company, a task he said he wanted to do. He's very smart and enthusiastic. A great progress after he had three psych hospitalizations in 2022.

1:00am and I’m awake.

Today is the day I’ve been waiting 4 months for!

I finally get to move into my new home.

Too much excitement.

And last minute packing.

Oh Soupe sending good vibes your dads and your brothers way, and sending your sister sparkling vibes. Make sure to take care of you too.

I had my last ECT treatment yesterday. Good. It’s not helping and it just ruins my whole day. I was out of commission for the entire day after I woke up. It’s a shame, CR had an art show and I couldn’t attend. He wasn’t too bent out of shape about it though.

I have to call either Priceline or American Airlines/frontier today. We’re leaving for Florida and I have no idea how to get our plane tickets. They’re already purchased, confirmed and everything but I can’t see how to actually pull up the tickets to have them available when we go to the airport.

I’m so bored. Idk what I’m going to do this summer. I can’t work because CR’s camp doesn’t have before care this year. I would have to be a half hour late to ESY. So no job for me. Hopefully I don’t get fired from my regular job because then I’ll have to adjust my whole lifestyle to live on disability. There’s nothing wrong with that of course, I’m just not used to not working. It would be a big adjustment. But I won’t be shocked if it happens.