Comments for Straight Talk on Managing Bipolar Disorder

Comment on Bipolar Mania and Hypomania Test by Dwight Gunkel

Dwight Gunkel — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 00:13:55 +0000

Sometimes I sound like I’m arguing, when I’m actually not. I just have a way of putting my posts stronger than intended.

Comment on Buck Up Julie! by Admin

Admin — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 21:52:50 +0000

Hello,

This is a very important question- there is not enough information out there on the role of antidepressants and bipolar. I will answer your question in more detail in a future post. A quick answer is that anti depressants can’t cause bipolar disorder- instead, they bring out latent bipolar disorder. A person can go their entire life with a genetic predisposition to mania and never have it unless they take an SSRI. julie

Comment on A Note to Readers from Julie by Admin

Admin — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 21:47:41 +0000

Hi Sue! That is amazing. We all need people to advocate for those of us with brain disorders. I am glad you can get out of bed now- I certainly know what you mean. If you have time, there are a lot of questions here on the blog I can’t get to- but I know people would love your advice. Julie

Comment on Bipolar Mania and Hypomania Test by Admin

Admin — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 21:32:15 +0000

Hello Melissa,

This is a question I defintely want to address in the blog. Please keep checking in- I will answer it soon! Julie

Comment on Sleepy vs. Side Effect Drugged Sleepy by Admin

Admin — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 21:28:22 +0000

Hi Janice,

I certainly understand. I recently raised my Lamictal and had the sleepiness, but luckily it went away as my body acclimated. My book Get it Done When You’re Depressed shows how I deal with the inertia- I still struggle with it, but I use the strategies in the book. Sometimes I just picture what is in the book and remind myself to use the ideas. It’s even hard for me to remember what to do when the depression takes over!

Julie

Comment on Sleepy vs. Side Effect Drugged Sleepy by Janice

Janice — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 17:43:39 +0000

I would like to add that I too suffer from sleepiness during the day and I find it very frustrating. I can especially relate to the part about not being depressed but just needing to lay down “right now” or you might have to stop and lay down wherever you are at the moment. I take Synthroid and 20 mg of Prozac, 3 mg. of Klonopin and 225 mg. of Lamictal. This combination has worked well for years. My main complaint is the sleepiness that happens within a few hours after waking up and having breakfast and watching the news. The second worst thing of all is the total lack of motivation. I have all kinds of things I want/need to do but don’t seem to have the inertia or where with all. This makes me feel pretty bad about myself and disrupts my life in that I cannot make commitment’s and often tell white lies to get out of doing something. As I get older this gets worse. I just want to be able to feel like I have the energy and where with all to do what I want to do.