Bipolar Brides

I am bipolar to and currently off my meds for it due to lack of insurence... like you i still have plenty of time to get things done without stressing to much.. my plan of action is map out deadlines and such so that i can stay alittle aheda of the game and avoid as much stress as possiable. i always try to remember that my medical issues arent a a disability and that if i try really hard and give myself "timeouts" for example a long bubble bath to just clear my mind that i can still have control over the situation

Yeah, I don't like the term disability. I did an entire paper on bipolar disorder for one of my college courses and I addressed the terms disability, disorder, etc. Time outs are good. When I have too many things and too many people coming at me at once, I shut down, can't focus, can't even think of the right words to say to try to communicate what I'm thinking. It sucks.

Thats how i am .. ut not sure if its from my anxiety or bipolar ... maybe they go hand in hand.. but usually i can just walk away smoke a cigarett... i know bad habit.. but step away from it all and calm my nerves and head back in ... which is usually followed by an "ok one at a time everyone else be quiet" staement lol

Lol, that's ok. I used to smoke - quite 3.5 years ago. But it sure was a nice quick way to step back a moment and collect my thoughts.

It really is lol... FH hates that i smoke but after my first real meltdown in front of him he was ok if that willhelp then please do it lol

Lol, I've been stable for 5 years now and there are people who think it would be "fun" to see me when I'm not on my meds (or caffinated. I don't drink caffeine because it makes me all manic and is really annoying for me but other people find it fing hilarious!) >.< If they only knew...

>.

Ok, that's lame. lol -.- if they only knew

Apparently trying to do > . < (minus the spaces) makes it not post the rest of your comment for whatever reason.

Lol who knows WW deffinatly has some bugs in it lately

I have clinical depression, GAD, and some obsessive compulsive tendencies (usually comes out with my anxiety). I know there are a few other brides on here that deal with similar issues. I'm not currently on medication, mostly b/c of my pregnancy and dealing with insurance is a major PITA. We'll see how I do after giving birth.

@Missy - it deleted the rest of your post b/c that particular set of symbols sets up some form of html code. I've seen it happen on other posts

Ladies....I love your open approach to your Bipolar diagnosis. While I am not bipolar, I do suffer from chronic depression and anxiety. I have been medicated since 1994. Over the years, I have had to change meds to adjust to different stressors in my life. It was very difficult to explain to FH. He was of the mind frame, "Depression", but you say you are happy." The more mental illness is discussed openly and honestly, the better it is for all of us.

Thanks for sharing and good luck!

Missy K, when it comes to crunch time you will be in great shape, you have started nice and early and will have everything together by the big day. I cant speak to the bipolar question, but absolutely agree that openness is the way to go.

Thanks. Yeah Carole, a lot of people don't understand that there is more to Depression than just being really sad. I've been diagnosed with Bipolar 2 disorder, severe anxiety, and ptsd.

@julie, how is it going, being off of meds and being pregnant? I want to try to go off of meds when I'm pregnant and for at least the first month so that I can breast feed but I'm worried about what that'll do to me lol. I was talking to my pdoc a few years back and the meds that I am on are meds they'd put people on who have bipolar if they were going to have kids so I wouldn't necessarily have to come off of what I am on now. But I still think that being on something would worry me as far as fetal physical and brain development goes. My pdoc said that sometimes the depression is worse for the fetas than the medications so... we'll see.

Anyone else in a similar situation, either having a baby while on or off meds?

I'm not in the situation as having a baby on/off meds, but I've worked with a lot of clients in that position. When the time comes, I'd definitely work with your doc to find what works best for you and is safe for the baby. There are medications out that there that are completely safe to take while you're pregnant. The biggest thing they look for is if they cross the placenta, and there are specific drugs to treat bipolar that do not cross. The reason why your doc said the depression can be worse is that if your stress hormones are constantly elevated, it can be affect the development of the fetus. You may not see the effects in physical development, but definitely in behaviors, especially as your child grows up. Hope that helps!

Continuing to stay on anxiety meds was one of the best decisions I've made regarding the wedding planning! I've decided it's just too stressful a time to try and juggle everything and think I can control it on my way.

Thanks Amy, and definitely. Ativan is my friend when things get to be too stressful but it has to get to the point where I'm ready to shut down before I take it. There are certain people in my life (i.e. mom and dad) who really know what buttons to push to set me off. Of course they don't do it on purpose but still, grrr lol.

I also have some problems. I have a very short fuse (maybe ethier have biploar or double personalities).. But, I am not having a hard time with wedding planning. I dont take any medication and I refuse to, but in the past I have taken quite afew.

I was actually diagnosed when I was pregnant. My ex was having an affair. I was suicidal, and discovered I was pregnant. I often say God gave me my daughter to keep me alive, as I had been told I would never be able to have a second child(fertility issues). At the time(1994), very few doctors would prescribe a seritonin uptake inhibitor. I chose not to medicate, and wound up having a total meltdown and hospitalized for the same. I managed to get through the pregnancy with a home health care aid, bed rest and a visiting nurse 3X weekly. I medicated in the hospital as soon as I gave birth. I was then strong enough to tell the ex to shyte or get off the pot. My 16 year old is beautiful and bright. She is ranked 10th in her high school class of 351. She has had no behavioral or psychiatric issues at all(knock wood and thank God). In fact, she has rarely been sick with even a common ear infection or cold.

She is my miracle!

I was diagnosed with panic disorder and depression( along with numerous health conditions ), but do not take meds for it. When I was first diagnosed it was horrible, I couldn't leave the house for a year or more, but ended up getting into therapy and after getting out of my marriage at the time everything changed for the better. I can now see the warning signs and have learned how to calm myself down and bring myself out of the depression. I don't notice much of it anymore since I met my FH, but I do seem to be a little more anxious with the stress of the wedding planning. When that happens I just take a break for a few days and everything is fine.

I was on Zoloft before I got pregnant, which is the recommended anti-depressant for pregnancy. My OB wanted me to consider weaning off for the third trimester, but didn't want to add any stress, so she wasn't pushing super hard for it. Due to other circumstances - prescription running out, Medicaid sucking a$$ as far as psychiatric care, etc. - I essentially weaned myself off (not on purpose) right around mid- 2nd trimester. I've been doing okay. My OB gave me a Rx "just in case". I'm a little nervous that once I deliver and my hormones go nuts (again!) is when I'll need some prescription intervention. FH is being really supportive, even if he doesn't really understand it. He's one of those "but you're happy, right?" and doesn't see that it's not necessarily a happy / unhappy thing.

The listed side effects of a newborn with Zoloft withdrawal... not that different from a normal newborn anyways! And it's one of those things that if I do have to go back on meds... ctd.