Hi purplefoot,
Just wanted to say hello and welcome you to the bipolar forums.
Feel free to use this as your thread or start one for yourself.
I just returned from a vacation for the past 2 weeks, so I am trying to get caught up reading threads etc.
bizi

Thank you Bizi, and everyone else who has already welcomed me, for the warm welcoming. Welcome back home. I hope your trip to Indiana went well and was very enjoyable. Also, thank you so much for all your hard work putting so much information together on some of the sticky pages.

Welcome Alaina

Please keep telling us what we can do to help you.

donna

you can post whatever is on your mind even if it is not directly related to bipolar. let us get to know you!
bobby

Hi everyone, and thank you all for being so warm and welcoming. In case you haven't noticed, my name is Alaina and I was diagnosed as bipolar 2 during a stay in the hospital a year and a half ago, although I didn't find out about the diagnosis until my therapist got ahold of my psychiatrist's notes just a few months ago. I was never told that the diagnosis was changed from major depression which is what my initial psychologist tested me to be. Now that I am getting the proper treatment, I am doing much better. I still have my ups and downs, but don't we all.

I am rather shy and do suffer from social anxiety, so you're likely to notice that I will read more than I post. I do like to give support when I can though.

I found Neurotalk a few years ago while searching for information about CRPS/RSD. The CRPS has not been too exciting to have for me but the members on here have been wonderful and have provided a wealth of information.

I'm registered to take some college classes from home this fall. It will be my 4th attempt at trying for my degree in business administration, but it makes me nervous. The last three attempts have caused too much stress for me to handle and led me into a deep depression with suicidal thoughts and actions. I have brought this up with my therapist but she doesn't seem to be all that concerned about it. Her big concern is trying to get me to socialize more. What are your thoughts.

YOu know your body best.
If you have tried 3 times before then how are you going to approach this different this time so you don't end up in the same bad spot?
perhaps just taking one course at a time?
bizi

Thanks for the advice bizi. I am currently registered for 3 courses and of course my advisor wants me to try 4. I originally told her that I want to take things slower this time and see how I do with 1 or 2 classes and see how I do. Maybe I should go back to my original plan and just try the 2.

II don't think I like your therapist. If you are bipolar II you are already carrying a lot of stress with you besides taking on anything else. If you decide to go back to school can you do it part time so it won't be so stressful? Also a lot of us have social anxiety because we are different and tend to be more sensitive and empathic and self critical . Have you ever thought of joining a support group in your area? That can help you be selective and make friends. what medication are you on? I don't like your psychiatrist either.It is important to know your diagnosis to know what you are up against or to know if it doesn't fit.
bobby
ps i didn't see your post when I was writing mine

Bobby,
Unfortunately I live in a small town where medical care is very limited. I haven't looked into support groups in the area but I would be surprised if there is one. My therapist would have encouraged me to go if there was. I actually like working with my therapist. I mean I am nervous when I talk with her but she is helping. She just doesn't think school is important for me right now so she doesn't really want to encourage me to take many classes. As for my psychiatrist, I don't like him much he is a telemedicine doctor, but he is the only one around within an hours drive of home so choices are very limited. I have tried to switch there is just no one else around that takes Medicare around here.

I forgot to mention my meds.
Depakote 500 mg bid
Cymbalta 120 mg oid
Resperdal 4 mg oid

For CRPS:
Trileptal 300 mg bid
Low dose naltrexone 4mg oid
Terazosin 5 mg oid
Vitamin C 500 mg oid

For general health:
Estradiol 2 mg bid
Cytomel 20 mcg oid