Bipolar medications

Bipolar Parent – What Kind of Example Am I?

/ Robin / 1 Comment

I’ve taught my kids to tell the truth to my counselor, med provider and myself when talking about how I am doing. Were I to ask them about the last two days their report would… okay, it would suck.

I’m not going to whine and snivel and tell you how awful things are for me because right now things are pretty good. I haven’t gone out to buy new clothes, but I have the cash to do so. We don’t eat out or regularly go to the movies, but we could go in our current situation. We’ve just spent a few lovely days with their sister (my eldest lol). She’s gone back to Tampa but we left each other with a sinus thing. Yum. She’ll be back on the 18th for three weeks! I can’t wait.

This is just the problem with me… always looking to the imagined fixed or better future while neglecting, not my kids, but myself. This time I let myself get out of rhythm with taking my meds. I’m not sure when I took them and when I didn’t. Was it morning, afternoon, evening…. when? When did I last do it right?

I was trying to think of a way to share what a wonderful time we had with my daughter here, and it was great… but that’s not what I’m telling you about friend. That’s not what’s eating away at my heart.

My behavior is largely governed by my taking the medications my med provider and I have concluded that I need and that I take them as prescribed. They are my lifeline to my world. They provide me with the possibility that I might enjoy a day, and another day, and another one after that, and…. where could the future take me?  No, that’s wrong. Meds aren’t the only lifeline for me. The first and most important is, well, it’s me.

I’m the example… who I am and what I do with myself. Daily, like did I take my meds?

My example to my kids pretty regularly (the cycle of my bipolar life) is self-destructive… year after year. You know what I mean, don’t you? If you are Bipolar, especially BP 1 you know what I mean…the cycle – Rage. Fury. Destruction. Suffocation. Despair. Resignation. Self-destruction… we know, don’t we?

My example to my kids and to my puppy even, has been that of one who has gone off her meds for reasons unknown. Then the self-destruction begins, the downward spiral. Then I implode upon my little family. I fear for the day one of them may say it is too much for them – I am too much for them.

But they love me. As much as I’d like to have them ask me for forgiveness it is more often I who asks it of them. I’m not trite about it. Sometimes I know we need to forgive each other and through my anger… sometimes I can stop myself long enough for that to happen.

What example am I?

Better today, than yesterday.

Bipolar – Ignorant Med Providers

/ Robin

I am a mixed state Bipolar 1 with ADHD.

Yesterday I saw my Med Provider. We’ve been working on adjusting my meds for some time now. A month or so ago I said something about how this one thing in my life was mentally and physically causing me pain and contributing to my depression. Okay. So far so good.

This time I referred to the same thing only I said it was going to be taken care of… but that it scared me (It will potentially cause a great deal of physical pain at the beginning).

She said, “You’re all over the map. First it was horrible and depressing. Now it’s getting taken care of and you’re still not happy.”

I wanted to say…. “First off, I’m here because I’m Bipolar 1…. and my statements support that I think. You’ve never gone through the procedure I’m going through. It’s not fun. It scares me because last time it failed. It’s can be very painful. And… it takes 2-3 hours round trip every Monday for 6 weeks to complete it. I’m at week 4 next Monday.”

Do you think what she said was appropriate? Or am I just a “normal” person who shouldn’t be all over the map?

Then… she increased almost all my meds.

Bipolar – Glued by Medication

/ Robin

I’m feeling better now. At this moment. Better. Although I did think about my daughter who is and Airman in the United States Air Force over at MacDill, FL (I’m near Seattle). I was going through photos of her while looking through my pics for a suitable one of her to use . That’s all it took. She has always been my best friend. My rock. She doesn’t have to say anything. She just is there. When she was here we loved doing a lot of the same things or found it pretty easy to tolerate ones didn’t like. Drives to Mount Rainier were frequent and other close by places off in nature’s year round greenery. We are fortunate here in the Evergreen State.

I looked at pictures of her and I cried. I calmed down, and then I cried. My son just got home a bit ago and I told him. I started crying again. I was able to get myself to stop more easily this time, but by now I headache. Because of my meds I’m reduced to just taking Tylenol for headaches.

Yesterday I slept most of the day. Blah. Not as bad as being depressed out of my mind, but when you’re sleeping at awkward moments it can be about as bad. I don’t remember a thing. Today was better. A little adjustment in the timing of medications can work wonders.

Bipolar – Fractured

/ Robin

I don’t like to talk about the spin, the time when I free fall and cannot make myself stop. When anger and grief and pain explode in my life… not just my brain. What I think, this is what and who I am.

For the moment. Sometimes these moments can draw on for the proverbial eternity and we try to think, if we could, that we’re coming near the end, that we cannot stand this anymore.

I didn’t have more than brief moments of these things. Most of the time I have been so manic that I thought my brain would implode from shear spinning. You see my friend, I’m a mixed Bipolar 1. Those of you who aren’t familiar with this condition, congratulations. Today you win the lottery. This last few weeks have been terrible. I have been very depressed and unable to see it or deal with it. When it was suggested that this might be where my massive irritation was coming from I had a difficult time admitting that it probably was. (See how I did that? I still skirted around it.)

I have exploded, with my kids present, too many times. Recently, too many times. Okay, not exactly always at them. Sometimes just when they’re around. When I’ve considered my past I worry for the times they’ve been exposed to my insanity. Being a single mom and going ballistic for what seems now like for no reason at all leaves a mark on kids. They say it’s worse than divorce. I’m both. Bipolar and divorced. I worry for they scars they carry… because of me.

I’m a mixed state depressed and yet manic Bipolar 1. I have two kids still at home. I am alone. I have no friend to speak of accept one and we met on line and don’t speak of these things. I’m glad for that. I can be normal with her. She knows I’m Bipolar and she doesn’t care. I act rationally if a little meanderingly with her. And yet, I fear I’ll say something and she’ll walk away too. So many have that I’ve quit trying to find friends.

My family doesn’t (beyond my kids) understand. Not at all. When they care to try to… they… well they don’t. Recently I learned that when my mother took home stuff to read about Bipolar she never read them. She’s never looked it up on line. She’s now 72. She has no excuse. She knows how to use Google.

Yet we all know that even the great Google cannot explain this that we are. We are ourselves. We are great in mental volume, if not in order. We excel in emotion, if not in control.

I spent a lot of time this last few weeks in grief, anger, fear, irritation and depression. I suppose, don’t understand why I avoid that. I think it seems to my fractured mind that admitting depression means loosing the last bastion of my mind. Confusing, I know. New meds sedate me too the point where I simply cannot not sleep. This frightens me as well. You see, as my med provider put it, “We need to get your nerves calmed down.” Now, when I’m not so calm as to sleep, I’m not calm. There must be a middle ground. I must give my mind time to heal. Be patient.

My kids suffer I think. They are afraid they may have inherited my genes too much. But you know, after all of me, all of living with me, they still believe in themselves. They have ego. EGO. All three believe in themselves.

See you thought I’d never finish the “pride” letter didn’t you? Ha! They have pride in themselves that is good. It isn’t forced. It’s part of who they are. Part of their hardwiring. I asked them how they each manage to be so sure of themselves. This is what they said, each one said this:

“Mom, you taught us to believe in ourselves. You drilled it into us. You, you did this.” I did. I made them who they are. (Give this wording to me for now. I deserve it.)

I have my own ego. Ego born of an accurate estimation of ones abilities is a good thing. I’ve struggled with this thinking I’m really stupid because I never finish anything. But I have. I’ve successfully raised three amazing kids (young adults). I know what I’m good at and they are many things. I finish things when my brain lets me. One thing.

I’ve raised three amazing kids. I’ve been a wreck this week. But, I started on Lyrica for some of my physical pain. I should be scheduled soon for a shot in my spine and that should alleviate a lot of my other physical pain. My additional meds should mitigate some of my mental pain. Even though I’m up in the middle of the night again, I feel restless, but hopeful. For the moment. These moments will grow longer, this much I know from experience. I must stay the course and take all my meds every single bloody day.

I have one thing to say to you and I hope you will listen.

I’ve raised great kids. Awesome kids. I love them beyond words. I… have raised awesome kids despite myself.

My friends write to me and comment on my letter. I wish to read your thoughts. You too are important to me. Till the nest time, be well and be patient with yourself. Give yourself a chance to heal.

(Oh, and there are now 23 pot shops. (Oy veh)

Bipolar – Changing Meds Again

/ Robin

My title “Changing Meds Again” isn’t meant to be a negative statement. It is a part and a way of life for some people. People like myself.

I have many, many issues in the weave that is ME so please do not take what I say about myself and my plans (treatment and such) and assume they will work, or not, for you. They may, but that’s between your med provider and you.

Anyway. I’m at the point where my med provider (this time we’ll call her Toni) Toni, has put me on a “don’t argue, come see me every two weeks until this is straightened out.” schedule. Actually she told me something about my nerves and getting them to calm down. ;0)

Today I started Lyrica for FM. I’ve been waiting for 6 months for this to make it through insurance. (There’s that word again.) Speaking of nerves, it should help quiet a great many of mine I look forward to the possibilities.

Also, in the morning I start back on Wellbutrin. I was on it years ago and it seems like a good thing to try again.

Toni: “Are you depressed?”
Me: “When? Like right now?”
Toni: “All the time. Over all the things, would you say you are mostly happy or mostly sad?”
Me: Hemming an hawing… “Like all the time?”
Toni: gives me a look of ‘honestly, you silently scream depression creating irritation’
Me: regretfully admitting “Okay, yes, depressed. I didn’t want to admit that.”
Toni: “Because it confuses you being a mixed Bipolar?”
Me: “Yes!”
Toni: “Because you’re a manic depressive.”
Me: “Yes!!”

I’m on wellbutrin. I start taking it tomorrow (Thursday) morning. We shall see.We shall see.

Heres my medication list for Bipolar and other mental alphabet soup:
Lamictal
Latuda
Wellbutrin
Diazepam
Lyrica (not directly in the list, but a major player in my new “list”)
Oxycodone  (not directly in the list, but a major player in my new “list”)

I fired my counselor. Talked to the head guy of counseling assignments. I explained the problem. She is only 4 years practicing while I need someone who can handle me. All of me. From the head to the toe… toes. From my head to my toes. Eh. From Arthritis and FM, to Bipolar and ADHD, from chronic pain to degenerative disk disease/arthritis in spine. I need someone who can help me focus and go through my day still being me but maybe being more experienced and work in biofeedback, mindfulness and neuroplasticity. With my medications I think this is the next logical step.

Medications are not going to fix me. They will hopefully allow me to function without… you know don’t you? Without the craziness running what feels like all the rest of my life.

I need to be able to manage. I must be able to succeed and what I want to do.

Bucket list? That’s for babies. Try barrel mitigated by soup.

Be well my friend. More later. I’m going to begin answering questions some people have been asking. I hope it will be helpful.

Ciao