Can I Blame The Pill?

So, I've been dx'd with Bipolar 2, and although I look back at my life and can see bouts of bipolar depression and mania, they're few and far between.... until after I took the pill.

When I took the pill I went seriously mental. I didn't make class because I would cry uncontrollably under the stairs for no reason, sometimes made worse because there was no reason. I ran away a few times, and punched a good friend in the face for trying to stop me. I eventually started seeing flashes of me killing all the little kids in the playground, and then killing myself. I almost jumped in the river in the winter so I would drowned. I yelled at teachers, and cried in class, and it was terrible.

But I was also still a lot of fun. I would flip to my "usually" self or into a slightly exaggerated (hypomanic) state, and I was fun to party with and still had a lot of friends, and a boyfriend, and a million guys (and girls) still liked me. There was a few issues at home, but mostly I was going crazy, but people still wanted me to have fun.

It was bad, and it was the first half of my grade 12 year.

Then I went off the pill and it went back to normal. I was normal, slightly hypomanic me, and it was all good.

A year later I start showing a lot of signs of bipolar. I fall into a depression, I rapid cycle, and it gets progressively worse until we land where I am now, 3rd year university drop out, unemployed, and doesn't leave the house, and dx'd with Bipolar and a few other things they're still trying to figure out.

(with an IUD in now for birth control)

Has anyone else had the pill do that to them? Is it possible that the pill was a catalyst to my BP? Did it cause it?! Would I be bipolar (or at least this bipolar) if I hadn't been on the pill?

When I was looking to stop using the pill (I also don't have the greatest mental stability on the pill) I remember reading a lot of people saying that the pill isn't recommended for people who are bipolar and that those who did use it had bad results. I'm not bipolar but my sister is and this seems to stand true for her. The other thing that came up is that Depo Provera shots were the worst for bipolar patients and IUDs are usually the best. It has something to do with the added hormones mixing with mental illness.

I don't thing that there's been any sign that the pill CAUSES bipolar, I'm sure it wouldn't be so openly prescribed if that was the case so I don't think it would have been avoided had you not taken the pill. I do think that in the case of someone who has bipolar but has not yet been diagnosed, it can set things into high gear.

Sorry to hear how much it has impacted your life, I hope the IUD helps in starting to get things under control

The pill is awful for me, I can't tolerate it at all, makes me a nightmare. How old are you if you don't mind me asking? BP tends to really kick in about age 24-25 after a stressful event and seems to be fairly bad in the late 20's. I'm having issues with it right now, I'm cycling a LOT.

Keep in mind if you are using the Mirena it has hormones too, that made me AWFUL!

I used to think meds (any meds) caused my problems but my doctor told me my being on the pill doesnt cause mental illness, it can if you already have a mental illness make it worse or better depending upon whether the estrogen / chemicals in the pill helps or hinders my existing levels of estrogen and bodily chemicals.

he used the example of my bipolar and seasonal depression I have it because my brain chemistry doesnt produce the right balance of chemicals (dopamine and others) between the neurons and receptors that the electrical thought impulses pass through the result is they pass through from neurons to receptors too fast. the chemicals in the pill doesnt change that brain process for me. to prove this to me my doctor had me go through an eeg (test that measures brain activities) while on and then while off the pill. for me it did not change anything either way so the pill was not my problem.

my suggestion if this is a worry for you maybe you can contact your treatment providers they will know whether the type of pill you were on caused your mental problems. and like me they can do some tests to varify whats going on for you.

Interesting... I've never experienced enhanced bp symptoms from any BC. I did however become pregnant thru the pill, which as it turns out, is quite common in my family
.
I agree, speak to your dr, I think you would benefit from further investigation.

Hormones can cause intense mood swings and they can affect chemicals in your brain. My pdoc doesn't want me anywhere near hormonal birth control because of how bad it gets. If hormones didn't affect bp then pregnancy would be no biggie, for many of us it's VERY hard.

Thanks zbmom. What you state makes sense yes, no doubt. I just find it really odd that it doesn't affect me much. I'm learning that the usual bp triggers, subsequently don't trigger me at all. Like, sleep deprivation, coffee, and now it seems hormones too... Btw, I don't foresee any future pregnancies, but it was 9months of hypomania for me with the 'cry at the drop of a hat' as a side-dish
.
It saddens me that many of you struggle so, and have to be ubér careful.

I will keep that in mind, but so far it's been a few years and I seem to be... well, I can't say okay because I've been really not okay, but not anything like I was on the pill.

I'm only just 21. I was taking the pill when I was about 18, and my BP kicked it into high gear at about 19/20. If what you say is true, and it gets worse in the late 20's.... frig. I'm already pretty bad as is, and cycle more than most people with BP, and can have very large spikes in both directions. Thank god it only lasts for a few days/weeks for me usually (sometimes only hours )

I'm trying to be careful of anything with hormones in it, although honestly I don't come in contact with much. Sadly, I have no intention of having kids of my own. I mostly don't want to pass on my huge list of MI's, but there's other reasons too. Regardless, that's off topic.

Trippin, 9 months of hypomania.... would be awesome. Except that I wouldn't be aloud to drink, which when I'm hypo is kinda a hobby (mixing drinks for others that is... and then testing them).

amandalouise, I didn't think anything BP related showed up on an eeg. I've always wanted one just cus I'm super curious about that stuff, but I didn't think BP showed up. I agree with how your treatment provider worded it though, always have. I use to tell people I could feel it coming on, like I knew it was going to happen a few seconds or minutes before a big switch came on, because I could feel the chemicals start to be rushed through my body. I'm hyper aware of my body functions and attuned to subtle differences in myself most of the time. Not always, but usually.

Thank you all for replying. It's been a lot of help. I'm going to keep asking around in real life. I'm going to an inpatient thing in a few weeks, so I'm going to bring it up then... I guess this is part of me coming to terms about my dx. I'll mention it to my pdoc when I see him next too, though I think it'll be out of the blue for him. Thank you galls! (((hug)))

I had very similar things happen to me as you Switch .. What pill were you on if you don't mind my asking?? (I was on Yaz for almost a year, then Loestrine for 3-4 months)

I would absolutely FREAK on my boyfriend and storm out of his house running down the road sobbing and punching every telephone pole I passed. A few times I banged my head over and over for no great reason. It was always on my poor boyfriend though.. I would just set off and get super mad and for no reason. I would say terrible things to him and then not remember them once I was over it. My hands would go all rigid and stuff (it's hard to explain) but I would literally NEED to hit something, and it was usually myself. It scared the hell out of me. I went to a therapist who was not right for me at all, and stopped after only a few sessions, haven't tried to find another one. He said I may be bipolar while I was still seeing him. I stopped taking the pills because it was just unbearable and guess what.. got pregnant! Exactly what I needed . I was not ready for being a mother, not the way I was. I'm not proud of it, but I had an abortion in November and was just an absolute wreck. I drank and smoked weed like it was my job and things came back together after a few months. Went on Loloestrine in November, which hasn't bothered me yet (I have been on since). I'm going to get a non-hormonal IUD put in in a few weeks, I can't wait. Because I am constantly afraid that I am just going to slip back into that loss of control over myself.