Bi-polar with PCOS?????

missyrooloo · 01-08-2006, 02:18 AM

I've posted a few times b4, but was wondering if anyone else has been diagnosed bi-polar?I was diagnosed with it when i was 14.I have been prescribed abilify for the last 2 1/2 yrs.I've experienced the mania and ,of course the dreadful, depression. it's bad enough having PCOS (not to say that i'm worse off or anything of the sort) but having bi-polar on top of it really sucks.i just would like to know if any1 else has the same experience and how they cope with it.

thank you,
melissa 19

take care all

luv4deliah · 01-10-2006, 06:56 PM

Missyrooloo....girl, I'm right there with you. I suffer from bi-polar disorder, anxiety disorder, Adult ADD and PCOS. Fun, right? (lol) Some people are downright unlucky when it comes to the genes they get. I've come to believe that it's my cross to bear, that everything happens for a reason and the illnesses I suffer from somehow help my soul evolve. Remember, through adversity strength is born.

I am surprised the only medication you are on is Abilify. I was prescribed Abilify years ago but didn't have much sucess with it. Of couse everyone reacts differently to medication so don't judge it's effectiveness by me.

I personally am on Lexapro (anti-depressant), Trileptal (anti-siezure), Risperdal (anti-psychotic) and Strattera (for ADD). It has taken upwards of ten years to get me stable and on the right meds. It's a long road to recovery with bi-polar. If you feel like the Abilify is not working or it's just not enough, I would so encourage you to talk to your psych about it. Hopefully you're not going to your PCP to treat your Bi-polar. I know many people who do and they just aren't qualified enough to treat such a serious mental illness. Believe me, I've been through so many psych's I can't even count and it's taken me all this time to find the RIGHT doc to treat my illness. Always ask questions. Trust your instincts.

I hope some of this has been helpful. Good luck on your journey Cyster!

-Shana P

missyrooloo · 01-11-2006, 02:44 AM

thank u fro replying.i've been on the abilify for about 2 yrs.i was on depokote and then risperidal to.couldnt handle them.it has been an up hill stuggle.thank u for words, they r true.

prayinforbabyin2006 · 01-11-2006, 11:48 PM

Hi,
I was diagnosed with depression about 2 years after finding that I had PCOS. I was put on Paxil and then Prozac. Then in 2004 I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. I was on abilify and prozac. I found out a month later that I was pregnant. I was able to keep taking the meds up until I gave birth. I was going to breastfeed. I then started taking zoloft. It is milder. It wasn't doing anything. In September I went to see the doctor. He put me back on abilify and kept the zoloft. In December I went back to him. I was still feeling out of control. My moods were going up and down. He upped the abilify and still nothing. He upped it again. Nothing. Then he tried geodon. I ended up in the hospital. I stayed at the Behavioral Health Unit for 6 days. The doctor there put me on Lithium and Prozack. I'm doing a lot better, but still have a ways to go. I'm wondering if there is a place where they are doing a study of this. If anyone wants to chat my ID is oreonibbles for both msn and yahoo.

Barb
PCOS diagnosed in 1996
Depression diagnosed in 1998
Bipolar Disorder diagnosed in 2004
Meds:
Lithium 1500mg
Prozac 30mg

nicole47 · 01-14-2006, 10:14 PM

Barb-- I notice that you are on Lithium and your name is "prayinforbaby2006"... are you trying to conceive while on Lithium? Because I've heard that that can be very dangerous for a fetus.

prayinforbabyin2006 · 01-15-2006, 05:21 AM

Nicole,
When I signed up to the Message Boards we were trying. Then I started having problems with my meds and emotions. So now my main priority is to get healthy and then see if we want anymore children.

sharleenia · 01-18-2006, 05:59 AM

I too am bipolar. I agree with whomever said we had a rotten time when it comes to being dealt out our genes. What's up with MINE, I wonder most of the time?

Right now, I'm very depressed. I'm on Geodon and it doesn't seem to be working much. We moved away from our family in July, 15 hours away, and we just got home from visiting for the weekend, and let me tell you, I feel dehydrated from crying so much. I'm sitting here bawling my eyes out while typing! Does anyone know of something that might help me think positively? I'm so close to my family and want to move back, but DH says he is happy here in Ohio and doesn't want to move back to Arkansas. I'm so upset, I've thought about leaving him to move back to my family. I don't know what to do!

ABumpyGal · 01-18-2006, 06:44 AM

I'm Bipolar, Type II to be precise, as well. Yes, I too curse my genes!

I also have Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and dissciative problems to boot. Life is fun at my house! I take Neurontin and Zonegran as my mood stabilizers (soon to be only Zonegran, I hope!), Geodon, and Ambien on ocassion for help sleeping.

I'm so sorry you're having a rough time Sharleenia

It's certainly understandable as even "normal" folks have problems when they've moved far away from family and miss them. I've noticed that I can get "stuck" in a particular emotional state, as if things hit me harder and longer than "normal" people. I'm not sure if that's Bipolar or just me! What helps me when I get in a downward spiral like this is to do as much to distract myself as I can. I'll throw myself into a new project, work harder on the ones I always seem to have going, and just stay as busy as I can. Maybe it would help you to also call your family back home more often? I really wish I had the "perfect" answer, but things sometimes seem to just hurt so very badly. If you start showing signs of depression, make sure you get into the doctor ASAP! The sooner you arrest that, the easier it is to climb back out of the pit in my experience.

Hope things feel better for you soon,
Dana

isenephthys · 01-19-2006, 07:04 PM

sharleenia,

i'm sorry you're having such a rough time! i'm kind of new to the bipolar diagnosis, but i'm used to the depressive end of things. it's rough. and especially being away from home for so long! (i haven't been home since july and i didn't think it would make a difference, but i am so homesick sometimes it hurts!) i think it would be good to call/e-mail home often... it's perfectly natural to feel low after moving so far from home!

and i agree with dana- it's important to stop yourself from descending before you get more depressed. it's so hard to stop those depressive feelings, and i know what it's like to feel when you're in a new place and away from the support of your family and friends. call your doctor and see about adjusting your meds. also, are you getting out of the house any? do you have any friends in ohio? i know it's hard when you're depressed, but do try to get out some... it does help.

Sillie · 01-19-2006, 07:54 PM

Well, count me in too. I was recently diagnosed with bi-polar disorder. It's kind of hard to believe, but that is what my therapist and psychiatriast seem to agree upon.

Just one more thing to make me feel ostrasized (sp) from "normal" society.

sharleenia · 01-20-2006, 01:37 AM

Girls,

Thank you so much for your concern. Sometimes I feel like I'm all alone in my bipolar, PCOS, and life in general. Even my DH can't drag me out of this. He's given up, I'm afraid....and I'm depressed about our marriage now! As if missing my family wasn't enough, now I've got marital issues. Geez, when it rains it pours, right???

I just hope that I can talk to my DH and figure out what's wrong with him lately. I am not sure, maybe he misses his family too? We've never communicated very well to begin with....we just don't talk much at all.

Anyone got any ideas of communicating better with DH?

isenephthys · 01-20-2006, 10:09 AM

sharleenia, w/o being present, i can't say much about your communication patterns but i know you mentioned a recent move and i'm sure your recent melancholy has added some stress into the mix as well.

have you tried couples therapy? it was a huge eye opener for me and my (now ex) fiance. we did wind up splitting up, but i learned so much about communication and relationship dynamics, i'd recommend it to anyone who is going through a rough patch.

we did a lot of work from harvel hendrick's book "getting the love you want." i've also had some coworkers tell me that they've used it w/other therapists; it's all about the dynamics of relationships and communication.

hope this helps.

missyrooloo · 01-21-2006, 08:59 PM

wow, i didnt realize this thread would get this much action.i can really relate on some of the issues spoken here.my DF and i have been in couples counseling too.it seems no matter how bad i feel about him getting the bad end of the stick i keep being a royal pain in the u know where.fortunately he is really ,ummm whats the word, into sticking it out with me.the abilify doesnt help, now i'm not even taking it.my moods seem to have gotten better in the last couple of weeks, but u all know how that one goes. for me happy one day , crappy the next.my msn messanger is missyrooloo@hotmail.com

ABumpyGal · 01-22-2006, 01:37 AM

I'm sorry to hear that you're also having problems communicating with your DH Sharleenia. That can be so difficult under normal circumstances, let alone when your moods aren't stable!

Are you in any sort of therapy yourself at all? If you are, perhaps your DH could sit in on a few sessions and you could talk about these issues with your therapist. This has helped me with these sorts of issues with my partner in the past when my mood gets to swinging. If you aren't in therapy, I'd highly suggest it. Therapy can be so helpful in so many ways! Couples therapy might be a great idea to help your DH understand fully what is going on and how he can help. This makes life for both of you much easier and fulfilling.

I hope you're feeling better!
Dana

isenephthys · 01-22-2006, 09:40 AM

hi sillie! i didn't see your post up there... i've been a bit sleep deprived lately, so i've been missing things here and there. sorry about that. welcome, welcome. *hugs* don't feel ostracized. i was never "normal" before i was dx'ed bipolar and never really wanted to be... besides...*whispers* they're the ones we need to worry about!

missy, i'm glad your moods are better overall. i'm a little worried about your meds not working. have you tried other stabilizers in the past? maybe you might need a switch. i'm still getting onto a therapeutic dose of zonegran and d@m^, it's been rougher than i thought. i feel for you; these mood swings are not fun! i'm glad your df is sticking by you; it's hard on partners and it's great that you are doing therapy together. i hope it continues to go well.

sharleenia, how are you feeling today? hope you're doing better.