Questions bipolar version #11

I’m a side sleeper, mostly my right side but occasionally my left. Sleeping on my back would be good for my neck but, can’t do it.

Same Q

Mostly on my left side. Sometimes on my back or right side..

Do you have a skin care routine?

No. I really should start one again.

What is one thing you have done or about yourself that you are proud of?

I made it through 11 years of working even though it was SO hard with the bipolar.

What do you drink in a typical day?

I have a reusable water bottle I usually go through 4-5x a day. Sometimes I add lime or vinegar for flavor. You just reminded me I made tea and completely forgot about it too, haha. I drink a lot of tea now too. If food is hard, smoothies.

What is your favorite hot beverage (if you like them, if not, then what's your favorite cold version of a hot beverage like iced coffee/tea)?

I don’t usually drink hot beverages but it’s been freezing the last week so I started drinking green tea. Every morning I have a cold chai that’s my usual beverage, one per day.

Same question

My go-to hot beverage at home is coffee, but when I go to Starbucks, my favorite there is the non-fat mocha latte with whipped cream?

A similar Q: What is your favorite beverage to order at Starbucks, Tim Hortons, any speciality coffeeshop?

I almost never go to a coffee shop b/c I don't drink caffeine. Lately though I've been experimenting a bit since I discovered espresso drinks can be decaf. So I've had a caramel latte that needed more caramel and a caramel vanilla latte that was good this winter. I want to try a caramel mocha next time I am at a coffee place. Pre-experimentation I just ordered hot chocolate and that's good too.

Have you ever had a flock of chickens?

Nope, I've never had chickens. Both sets of my grandparents did; one of my grandmothers was fine with us going in with her to pick eggs the other not so much, she always had a few hens who didn't want to give up their eggs.

What is one positive thing that happpened to you or that you did this past week?

I've gotten out for walks at the state park near me nearly every day.


Do you eat 3 set meals or are you a grazer?

I eat 3 set meals and snacks 2-3 times a day.

Same Q

I eat 2 set meals and a snack of cheese with my night meds. But I’m not very active

Same q

Definitely a grazer. I track my calories and more come from snacks than meals.

How many siblings do you have?

A: 3, I'm the youngest of 4.

Q: Who is your closest friend and how long have you known each other?

My best friend Dave, this year will be 15 years I've known him.

What is the worst symptom you've experienced so far?

Psychosis believing I was one of Gods disciples here on earth lol

Same Q

Psychosis believing God was talking to me, yelling so much I lost my voice, blanking out for several days on end (like 4 days until the APs kicked in), waking up in restraints and adult diapers unable to communicate because of losing my voice and being in restraints...all very fun (not!) except I thought the God talking to me part was cool. Yeah, even got myself a court order for mandatory hospitalization once or twice.

Same Q

I don’t really know if it’s the “worst” because I haven’t acted on it, and it’s not really a bipolar DSM symptom, but the most distressful mental health symptom I get is homicidal ideation. I will take believing my dad’s drug dealer is going to kidnap me and hiding under the bed for days over that shyt any day.

Same Q

A mixed episode combined with akathesia combined with severe agitation from the benadryl the hospital gave me to help the akathesia. I was miserable and wound up on 1:1 for a day. I don't remember most of any of my hospitalizations but that oneis particularly foggy at the beginning when all that was happening. I do remember that I completely wore out a new pair of slippers in a few days from pacing and I had ridiculous hypergraphia (also happened most times I've been IP).


Have you had a positive hospital experience?

Yes at a private hospital when I was depressed. The hospital itself was great but I didn't like being separated from my son.

Same Q

Yes I have. The hospital back in the 80’s and 90’s used to have a trauma unit. It was very peaceful. All single rooms and rarely any males. Most of the staff was female too. You were allowed things like CDs and radios and art supplies. It was locked only because insurance required it but you could sign out to go for walks. It was much, much better than the regular unit and even better than the mood unit. It felt safe. I was there 3-4 times and all of them were good experiences.

Same Q

Yeah. The place I normally go IP at is overall great. Just getting there sucks (days in the ER first usually) and there are two or three staff members still there I could do without. They serve a lot of comfort food which is great to have all you can eat mac and cheese but I do end up constipated every time I go


Do you have a favorite (current or past) treatment provider? Doesn't even have to be psych. Why were they your favorite?

Yeh I have a favorite pcp from Austin tx. I showed up for a wellness visit with otc pain patches on my neck. Didn’t mention my neck and she asked me about it. I told her I was in constant pain but it was nothing. She insisted on a X-ray. The ex rays showed a bunch of things she ordered mri and pain meds. Took me seriously and wouldn’t let other drs try to say it was psych. I was so used to doctors saying everything was psych I started believing it. I got taken seriously. And I got treatment.

Same Q

Yes, I have several. The very best was my pdoc who diagnosed my bipolar (now retired). I saw her for 10 yr and she was fabulous. She let me bring my daughter to appts when my daughter was a baby. After my daughter got older and could understand things and because I didn't have a babysitter, she would call me on the phone prior to appts to discuss things that could be upsetting to my daughter and then at the in person appt. she would just go over things like sleep and my meds refills and/or new meds. She was very personal, easy to talk to; things went slower in her office than in my current pdoc's because she wrote everything down instead of typing it. She also had an air about her where you felt like she had heard it all, whatever you told her wouldn't shock her, so I felt easy confiding in her.

I had a rheumatologist that was fantastic too. She also let me bring my young daughter to appts. and when the nurse took blood (which upset my daughter) she had her sit with the receptionist up front, and my daughter loved that. I think so did a lot of the elderly patients would came in to see her. She unfortunately moved.

My current gynecologist is also wonderful. I've seen him since I was pregnant, and he delivered my daughter, so that has to be around 18 yr. I've been seeing him. I must have started seeing him at the beginning of his career because now he is very highly rated and hard to get in to see.

So I've been lucky in that respect.

If you know how to drive, what make/model of car did you learn to drive in (if you remember)? If you currently drive, what is the make of the car you drive?

I was going back and forth between my grandma's Saturn (don't remember the model or year, think it was an SC of sorts), my mom's 98' Toyota Corolla, my dad's Ford Ranger (not sure of year, but I never took the truck on busier city streets so maybe less "learning" on this), and my dad's friend's Jeep Patriot (I think a 2012). I ended up taking my test in a 2011 Camry and those pedals were sooo sensitive compared to what I was used to, I was terrified because of that, but my test was just driving around the block and parking. I drive a 2011 Altima now.


What subject do you think you could teach someone else best as a high school/college class?