Does anybody have any experience with bi-polar?

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Worknprogress

Cathlete
A few months ago my 22-yr old son was diagnosed with bi-polar after a string of extraordinary bad things happen in a time span of about one week. With everything going on he had a seizure and was taken to the hospital. He has been seeing a psychiatrist since (past 3 1/2 months).

She believes he is bi-polar and the seizure was due to extreme mania. She began treating him with seroquel and xanax, changing dosage amounts often. Then it was seroquel and klonipin - dosage amounts being changed frequently as well. Although the drugs didn't help his anxiety much - they did made him sleep at least 15 hours a day.

So then he was taken off of seroquel and put on zyprexa along with the klonipin (not sure if I am spelling these meds right). This gave him terrible leg shakes and restlessness similar to Restless Leg Syndrome so she added another medication for that. Plus the zyprexa gave him other horrific side effects.

After weeks of that mixture - and it obviously not working she changed him back to the seroquel/klonipin - and now I've got my son is droopy all of the time. When he is not sleeping his anxiety level is still high because he has many unresolved issues that he is working through but until they are all worked out - he has anxiety.

As his mom, I do not believe he is bi-polar. I know he has ADHD and he has left that untreated for the past couple of years (at 22 and living out of my home there isn't much I can do about that) but this manic behavior only happened after significant things happened. I also think that he has struggled with depression for the last few years and I have encouraged him to see a doctor about it but he never did.

Any info anyone can give me would help. This has been a nightmare. I am at the point today that I am going to beg him to go to a mental hospital to get this worked out so he can work with a psychiatrist every single day until this is figure out. Would that be the next step?

Help..............
 
I don't have any experience but I wanted to send huge hugs to you and your son for all you are going through.

It sounds like an inpatient admission might be the best way to handle what's going on - is he a danger to himself? I think there must be a way to essentially force an admission if you are afraid for his safety but I don't know the first thing about what steps to take.
 
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My father is bi-polar. He had his first major episode at 17 which was in the early 60's - not a good time to go to a mental hospital. It is something I have been around my entire life. My sister and her daughter are also bi-polar.

It sounds to me like your son IS - it's usually diagnosed in young adults, you say he's been depressed. My father's manic episodes are not regular - he could go years without medication and then things would just unravel to the point of him not sleeping, having seizures, hallucinations, alcoholic tendancies, crazy behavior, etc. Usually, his mania was triggered by events - sounds like your son.

I'm not a doctor though - just saying your son doesn't sound that different from what I've seen in my dad, and sister, and niece. My dad and niece have a lot of anxiety, too.

Anyway - What I can tell you is that medication for bi-polar disorder seems like a real crap-shoot. Every person's chemistry is different and it can take a long time to get it right and it is always changing.

One other thought - you may want to see a counselor for yourself too. Dealing with a bi-polar family member is hard. :(
 
My sister is bi-polar and after two years of severe mania and several real breaks where she was institutionalized against her will, and then arrested multiple times, three times when she ran away to Kansas (she lives in NYC). The last arrest resulted in 6 weeks of jail which was the best thing that happened to her, it turns out. It scared her so much and got her sober (self medicating) so she finally admitted she was bi-polar and would take the meds.

She is on about 3 meds now- after trying many different meds. For her the clonipin (yea, I don't know how how to spell the names either) really helps her with the anxiety. Anxiety is definitely a part of her symptoms. She has two small children which she basically abandoned for two years - the youngest was not yet 3, and ran up over $80,000 in debt on credit cards...lost her job, of course, so yea, there are reasons for her anxiety, but the bi-polar doesn't help with this.

I guess I would have to ask why do you think your son isn't bi-polar?

And I would reiterate to join a support group. It is really, really hard to deal with, it is very helpful to have others to talk to about it.
 
My mom is bipolar, she was diagnosed with it in her 30's and she is turning 50 this year. I agree with cindi1 that the medications seem like a "crapshoot", it seems to be extremely trial and error. They are always making adjustments to her prescriptions. There has been times where looking back after a change, she believes that she was 'overmedicated' (or acting overmedicated because the prescriptions were just 'off'). She felt more lethargic, mind felt slower, and gained 50lbs in a SHORT period of time. There's also been times when a medication switch has thrown her into a manic phase. For your son, I don't know how much access you'd be able to have to his appointments (since he's an adult) but I think that an outside person can see certain symptoms better than the person themselves and if you can be his advocate at his appointments that could help a lot. Medication adjustments take time though and it will be on-going. My mom's episodes (either manic or depressed) can be triggered by an event (as well as being independent of circumstances).

From what I've heard regarding the mental hospital is that it feels like something in between being babysat or in prison. Unless he's talking or acting like he is going to hurt himself or is ever in a situation where he's completely out of medication and needs it immediately then I wouldn't send him there. There might be more options out there than your basic mental hospital if you have better healthcare, but I have no idea on that.

Has your son had long stretches of time where he's been fine? When my mom is having an episode of depression, it helps to remind her that she's been extremely depressed before and then been fine for a long time...that she WILL be okay again. Just saying that seems to get her through some of the hopelessness feeling.
 
My brother-in-law is bi-polar and was diagnosed some 30 years ago. In the last 4 years, he's been hospitalized twice and it falls on my husband to help his brother through each episode. He's also been the one to decide that hospitalization was necessary.

To be as supportive as I can, I started reading as much as I could about it. One of the books that helped me with general information was, I kid you not, "Bi-polar for Dummies." It gives information that helped understand not only the disease, but how one can help.

My BIL has also had a hard time with his medication and the process of fine tuning is frustrating. The challenge is getting the right combination before the patient gives up because they don't like how the medication is making them feel.

Seeing someone go through something like this and wanting to ease their pain is really hard, especially since sometimes it feels like you're powerless to do anything. My thoughts are with you!
 
My understanding is that Klonopin is a tranquilizer and is not standard treatment for Bipolar I disorder.

What you MUST DO is head to your local decent bookstore and invest in a book about this disorder. You cannot vouch for your son unless you are well read and know which are the major medications used to treat this illness. Certainly, he should not be so medicated that he is sleeping 15 hours a day. This may be OK for a couple of days, to get your son compliant with treatment, but it is not an acceptable long-term treatment plan.

You need knowledge. Then you can make informed decisions and ask doctors the correct, penetrating and pertinent questions.

Clare
 
Why are you questioning your son's diagnosis? I recently had a family member diagnosed with bipolar, and I'm also skeptical of the diagnosis. But I'm no mental health expert, and the family member isn't someone I'm responsible for, so I've just stayed out of it. I will say that this family member, after spending a year or so tinkering w/various meds, just quit them and is now doing some kind of vitamin supplement regime that he ran across on the Internet. I know, I know ... like I said, he's not someone I'm responsible for, so I'm just staying out of it.

I'm wondering if you question the diagnosis because you just don't want it to be true, or if you don't think his behavior fits the symptoms of bipolar. Did you tell his psychiatrist about your concerns that your son is being misdiagnosed?
 
I'm questioning the diagnosis because a lot of issues throughout adolescence that required therapy and psychiatric treatment along with 3 inpatient mental hospital stays. The only things that ever came up with the many doctors, therapists, was depression during his teenage years and ADHD which was diagnosed at age 7.

When he was a junior in high school he spiralled completely out of control with anger, cutting classes, and talked about feelings of helplessness, sadness, etc. and that's when the inpatient care began. But no matter how much professional help we were getting him, he turned to drugs.

By the time he was 20, he was a full blown heroine addict that could no longer live in my home.

That was 2 1/2 years ago. He has been through detox several times, even went to a halfway house for a couple of months, worked the program (NA) but the relapses were so frequent.

Last year he seemed to be doing better. He had held onto a job for over 6 months and the same girlfriend for over a year.

5 months ago, within the time span of 4 days the girlfriend broke up with him, he got in a argument with a friend in which my son was the one arrested and spent a night at the state prison. Because he was seen taken from his apartment by the police - he was robbed while he spent 36 hours in jail. The company he worked for had a no-show/no tolerance policy and since he was in jail, he missed the workday without calling in (bail was posted that night and he thought he would get out in time to make the call but they took all day to process him "out") so he lost his job no matter how much he begged.

At the bank, filing the paperwork for the illegal use of his ATM card, he had a seizure and was taken to the hospital by ambulance.

He was very freaked out that he had a seizure, so he started going to a doctor to figure out why. Because of how upset he was because of all that had happened, he was pretty amped up during the 3 appointments he had.

Now at these appointments, he was seeing a physician's assistant, never a doctor and it was the assistant that said he was manic and felt he was bipolar, put him on seroquel and xanax and set him up with a psychiatrist appointment for the next month. He has been seeing the same psychiatrist.

He is still out of work, the girlfriend never came back (he thought she was the one he would marry) and he also has to get the court thing worked out and hopefully it will get dropped since he and the ex-roommate are friends again but it's still looming.

The anxiety seems to be getting worse because the meds give such severe side effects that he can barely function. So he's getting more upset that he falls asleep and can't get out of bed for at least 12 to 15 hours. And when he is awake - he is stressed about not having a job, his bills, etc.

The psychiatrist knows he has ADHD but dismisses it and never talks about treating it. Plus I have found that "normally" bipolar people are treated with anti-depressants as well which he has not been given any.

I just don't know what to think. On the bright side - he is so frustrated with how he is feeling that he is starting an outpatient program tomorrow (insurance approved it today) at a mental hospital in which he will be receiving daily psychiatric treatment as well as therapy/support.

If it is bi-polar, so be it. I just would feel better if we had another opinion because if it isn't bipolar, then maybe they can treat him for what they believe he has. If it is bipolar, than I hope these doctors can get him regulated on medication that works and he can function normally again.
 
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Holy cow, that is quite a story. I am so sorry that you're going through this. Talk about stressful.

FWIW, when my family member was being treated for bipolar he didn't get anti-depressants either. In fact, at least some docs say the anti-depressants can make the manic episodes worse.

I hope he's off the street drugs. I don't know how that would mix with the pills he's getting from the psychiatrist, but I'm sure it's something you're supposed to avoid.

I think you should make sure that whoever treats your son knows that you are skeptical of the bipolar diagnosis, and exactly why you are skeptical. Hopefully they'll at least keep an open mind about his diagnosis and be willing to rethink it if things don't seem to be fitting together. Otherwise they may just rationalize everything to make it fit the bipolar diagnosis, since I'm sure docs are loathe to admit they made a mistake.

I really, really hope things get better for your son.
 
"As his mom, I do not believe he is bi-polar."


You unfortunately have to try to take the "mom" factor out. As hard as it may seem and trust the professionals. If your gut is telling you that the Dr. is wrong get another medical opinion. I got 5 medical opinions when my son was first diagnoised with autism and it cost me thousands out of my own pocket. It was worth every single penny. The minute we realized the diagnosis was right pretty much after the 3rd Dr. We jumped on the band wagon and researched everything and anything that would help. I hope this helps. You've gotten some really great advice here. Good luck.
 
petramom said:
Holy cow, that is quite a story. I am so sorry that you're going through this. Talk about stressful.

FWIW, when my family member was being treated for bipolar he didn't get anti-depressants either. In fact, at least some docs say the anti-depressants can make the manic episodes worse.

I hope he's off the street drugs. I don't know how that would mix with the pills he's getting from the psychiatrist, but I'm sure it's something you're supposed to avoid.

I think you should make sure that whoever treats your son knows that you are skeptical of the bipolar diagnosis, and exactly why you are skeptical. Hopefully they'll at least keep an open mind about his diagnosis and be willing to rethink it if things don't seem to be fitting together. Otherwise they may just rationalize everything to make it fit the bipolar diagnosis, since I'm sure docs are loathe to admit they made a mistake.

I really, really hope things get better for your son.
Click to expand...

Holy crap! It's Petramom! I'm so sorry to highjack the thread, but I had to say hi and ask how the hell you're doing!
 
My 8 year old son was diagnosed bipolar 2 years ago. My MIL and SIL are also bipolar. My SIL was not diagnosed until almost 2 years ago also and she does not believe she has a problem therefore she refuses to take her medication.

Bipolar is different for everyone. Not everyone has manic episodes. According to my son's Psychyatrist you can have depression for years until you have a manic episode.

My son and MIL are on Lamictal. Lamictal is actually a seizure medication that they also use to treat bipolar. Both of them have had much success on it. My son is also ADHD and ODD. Apparently with bipolar you usually end up with these other things (ADHD, ODD, OCD). This is also according to my son's Psychyatrist.....you should not treat ADHD until you have the bipolar under control. He said they need a mood stabilizer first. The anti -depressants can make them worse if they are not on a mood stabilizer first.

I am sorry for what you are going through. I know personally it is the hardest thing I've ever been through.

I hope some of this is helpful for you. I would suggest getting some books. The books describe bipolar very well. For me it was like they were describing my son to a T.

Also bipolar is very genetic.

Take Care,
Christy
 
I just have to say that my heart goes out to your son. Possible psychological issues aside, he has a lot of extremely stressful things happening all at once that would put anyone off kilter. Adding trying to diagnose a mental condition on top of that?

When my BIL is on his medication and doing okay, he's the one person in my life that I can't tolerate. But, when he starts on one of his episodes, it creates such inner turmoil for him that I'm able to see past our day-to-day relationship. So, even if your son isn't bi-polar but has something else, everything must seem extraordinarily difficult for him at the moment.

I'm glad that he'll be doing an outpatient program so that someone will be able to spend some time with him to ensure a more accurate diagnosis / treatment plan. I hope, for both of you, that he begins to feel some relief soon!
 
I'm so sorry to hear about all that your son is going through. From where I sit (obviously I'm not there to see all this in person), what you describe matches behavior I have seen in my family members with bi-polar: seizures, anxiety, long periods of depression, self medicating with drugs and alchohol, addictive tendancies, OCD, ADHD.

It sounds like he doesn't have the right medication which is very hard to get right as I said before. I also wanted to mention that I think you are wrong about anti-depressants being prescribed to bi-polar. Another poster said it is the opposite and I agree - everything I've read, heard, experienced is that giving anti-depressants to a bi-polar individual can cause a manic episode.

My dad took lithium for years, which was the drug of choice for bi-polar, but now it's toxic to him and he's switched to something else. He also takes anti-seizure medicine and anti-anxiety medication. My mom has a book of prescription drugs so she can research each medication. She also has a very close relationship with the pharmacist and my SIL who is a pharmacist. They have been dealing with this challenge for decades - it is very complicated.

The only other thing I can say is - is there some way you (or someone) can take away or diminish his concerns about bills, court, etc. Is he seeing a counselor/psychologist yet? Can you or someone help him focus on one problem at a time. Seems to me his personal situation is very challenging even if he were 'just' a recovering drug addict, but adding on the other psychological issues, it seems nearly unbearable.
 
Hi

I'm really sorry about what you and your son are going through. I hope he starts getting the best course of treatment. I have throughout my own life had panic attacks, severe anxiety, depression, OCD. I've seen a number of people over the years and one doctor ( I met with for only one session) suggested that I "may" be bipolar. My grandmother was diagnosed a long time ago as schizophrenic before she died but that one doctor I saw years ago thought that she may have in fact been bipolar instead. My most recent doctor says that he thinks I have just experienced extreme anxiety and depression, yet he did put me on bipolar medications and took me off antidepressants. I think he knows that I was afraid of being diagnosed bipolar and therefore won't really tell me that he thinks I am. Who knows. No other doctors that I saw for periods of time thought that I was. Every doctor can have a different opinion on diagnosis...which is why it can be hard to get the right meds. Anyway, I take Lamictal now...was taking lamictal with some abilify and it did work great for me. Maybe ask about that choice of medication. I wish you luck. It's a terrible disease but it can be like a magic transformation when you find the right medication.
 
First and foremost, thank you all for posting on the forum and another thank you for those of you that sent me PM's.

Several of you with bipolar experirence have said the same thing about my son not being prescribed an anti-depressant so I feel so much better. My pharmacist was the one to tell me that and once again, I was confused as to what to believe and what not to believe. But it would make sense. Since the mania is still apparent, that is probably why his psychiatrist has not prescribed him the anti-depressants.

And I also see that many of you think is could very well have bipolar. I am okay with that but will be at peace with the diagnosis if we at least get a second opinion.

I very much appreciate and thank you all for sharing your personal experiences. I learned and absorbed so much information from you all and another huge thank you for that.

It does get tough though. He is my oldest and an adult and I have 3 other children at home. A 17 year-old girl and two boys ages 6 and 4. So Cindi, I totally understand your recommendation to help him as much as I can. On his court date this week, my MIL took my youngest while the other two where in school. After seeing what happened with others, I truly believe it helped my son to have his mother there as well as all the paperwork from his psychiatrist.

I love my son and am doing everything I can to separate my personal feelings from the obvious situations going on. I had to learn that at some point throught the addiction.

Again, thanks to you all. I know a fitness forum may not be the best place to discuss something like this but I respect so many of the women here and that is why I posted here versus another forum.
 
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Being an RN and filling in once and a while on the mental health ward, I do believe he shows signs of being bipolar. But, first of all, I'm not the MD nor am I on watch with him during the day noticing behaviors or talking to him.
I do want to clear up your misconception about a "physicians assistant" -- they do EVERYTHING under the direct order of a MD! She may have told you the diagnosis, but the doctor for sure approved of it and the meds.
Speaking of meds: yes, they are a crap-shoot. There are 100s of meds out there to choose from with varying degrees of strengths. The "right" combination is extremely hard to find, so please be patient with this!
I'm glad to hear he is off the street drugs and is currently going to outpatient therapy. Please be sure to encourage him to be totally honest with his therapist and with the group therapy he will probably do. Being honest with feelings and emotions will only help his therapist assist him better.
I wish you all the luck with him, and please also encourage him to continue with his medication regime and to take them on time etc. Remember that certain psychotropic drugs sometimes takes weeks for the therapeutic effect to start.
 
Okay, well son was supposed to go into a treatment facility for a day program starting this past Friday but he wasn't feeling well and he was having extreme back pain that was going down his leg. Oh, he also thought he had a migraine headache too.

But then Saturday morning, one of my little guys has a T-Ball game at 8 am. My oldest son shows up at 7:15 to go with us which I thought was great. But all is not okay.

While we were at the game I asked him if he was going to go to the program Monday (today). He said he hoped so but "Mom, I'm going to be honest. I smoked some weed earlier this week and I am afraid it will show up in my system." And in the process of confessing that, he then tells me he is purchasing suboxone off the street ever since his last detox 1 + years ago but he only takes it when he has the urge to do drugs! After questioning him some more, I found out that although the PCP and the psychiatrist have ordered bloodwork numerous times - he's never gotten it done.

Also, had a conversation with his psychiatrist who believes he is overmedicating himself on the Klonipin and she will not prescribe anymore meds until he goes through this treatment program.

So this I know - he is taking Seroquel and Klonipin (he still has some left from the last prescription), plus he smoked pot (I am not stupid enough to think it was only that one time) and he is taking suboxone only when he has the urge to do drugs (again not stupid enough to think that it's not often). So those are the drugs he has confessed to using.

I was trying to support him so much these past few months because of the bi-polar diagnosis now I may have to do the tough love thing again but I truly believe there is a mental illness there as well. I want to help him get the treatment he needs but the line is getting blurry again as to where I am helping and where I am enabling.
 
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