Posted by holymama on February 7, 2004, at 9:05:16
In reply to Re: Bi-polar. Is there nothing I can do? » VitalSign, posted by Sad Panda on February 7, 2004, at 8:51:26
Hi Vitalsign
I have recently started Trileptal as a mood stabilizer for Bipolar II. I too put off medication and agonized over the diagnosis. What it all comes down to is this: A mood stabilizer makes me STABLE. I feel great -- not irritable, not a horrible person anymore. My days go by smoothly and I look forward to what I can do each day. I am like a different person. I still have some problems with the meds -- we are still tinkering with it. Some days I get mildly depressed and I feel like a MONSTER. I feel like Jeckle and Hyde. I kind of like having those days to remind me why I take the medications. Your questionings and blaming yourself for just being a horrible person sound like me. Don't give up after only one medication. Read about others -- and decide which one you might like to try next. There is lithium, tegretol, trileptal (a newer version of tegretol), lamictal, depakote, and others. I personally have not had any side effects except some tiredness that went away after the first month, so there are definately some people who do not have the side effects you hear so much about.
I feel bad for you. It sounds to me like you have a mood disorder of some kind, whether or not it is bipolar is not really important -- if your doctors think you might be, try it out. Maybe they are right -- maybe another mood stabilizer might help. What if you MIGHT feel good and stable after taking one that works well for you? Isn't that worth trying? It was that possibility that made me try a mood stabilizer, and I am SO glad that I did.
Take care and good luck to you.
poster:holymama
thread:310410
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040204/msgs/310443.html