So they put me on Meds and I am better?
 

I had my bout at the ER, was diagnosed as bipolar. I am on 50 mg of seroquil and starting on Lamictal. I feel better than before my manic episode. I feel like running, going to yoga, and I even went to a neighbors for dinner so I was a wee bit social. I went to my rinky dink job and performed so my question is what can I expect from here? Do I sit around and wait for the wheels to come off again or is this the new norm?

Of course with my TBI I am still forgetful, bothered by noise, ignorant people, I still feel clausterphobic and paranoid too and oh yeah, the Meds are making me crave things to eat that I wouldn't have craved before.

I love reading this board and appreciate input.

Thanks,
Hilary

Hi, Hilary,

I am glad that the psychiatrists at the hospital straitened you out.

Coming home after being inpatient is like coming home after surgery. You have gone through a trauma and need to recover. Take it easy on yourself.

Some meds make people crave sweets and carbs --- I think I read that right --- can't remember exactly -- I will look for a link later.
. . . . Anyway, stay active, sleep regular hours, minimize stress,eat healthful foods, and keep away from carbs.

The Lamictal helps lots of people. It will take a while for it to start working.

The claustrophobia and paranoia can be treated better. Maybe after the Lamictal dose is higher, the pdocs can tweak your current medications.
They might be able to get things better for you.

Do you keep a mood journal? You can keep an electronic one on line -- Google Mood Chart. Or you can keep one on your own computer. Basically you keep a daily chart of your
1 sleep
2 mood
3 symptoms
4 side effects
5 whatever else is going on

The mood chart helps you communicate with your pdocs and helps you see your own history.

Mari

Mood Charts
 

Hi, Hilary,



This is a free mood chart: https://www.moodtracker.com/


This links to some other mood charts:

http://www.psycheducation.org/FAQ/iCharting.htm


M

Hi TBI/PTSD It's hard to expect what will happen from here. It's best to live one day at a time. I to am on seroquel,and it can cause weight gain. It can help with claustrophobia,and paranoia.

It's nice to meet you. I'm brokenfriend.:hug::hug::hug:

yes the seroquil will help with the mania, lamictal will not. it has anti depressant qualities. and can be activating.
I take it along with an antipsychotic, geodon.
bizi

Oooowwwiie that mood tracker is great. Thank you. I have been keeping notes on my phone but this is superior! I really appreciate it as well as all your other info. I have weight issues so I am really worried about gaining weight. It has been hard to exercise with the heat. I will keep trying to resist my cravings and exercise. My sister is severe bipolar and gained about 100 lbs and I am petrified of that.

Thanks again for your posts. I hope you have a good day today.
Hilary

How is it going hilary?
bizi

Hi Bizi
 

Thanks for checking. I have been feeling like I am getting consumed by life again. I am worried about things that I can't effect like getting out of the military. Will I have to get another job? Can I work? I am worried about maybe having to sell my house. I wouldn't mind having something smaller but going thru the motions is daunting. I am worried about gaining weight but am depressed and don't feel like doing anything about it. The check engine light came on on my dash for my car. I feel stuck in one place but I am buzzing around in that small place around and around. Oh my service dog growled at a nice lady that came up to us very animated. I think she was afraid of dogs and was trying to cover it up and Trip, my dog picked up on it. My dog shouldn't have done that but he was soooooooo tired because I pushed and pushed us to do too much as I generally do. I can't sit still and relax. I feel guilty leaving my service dog home but I think I need some time to myself, probably sounds cookey but it is how I think. So....today....I am going to an AA meeting, yoga, and maybe for a run if I feel like it. I will go to the pool too.
There are things that I should do....clean out the garage, get rid of things I have but don't really like (I'll donate them or make a garage sale pile). But I have no desire to do things, I want to sit around in a heap and complain of boredom.

I am really rambling here, sorry. Thanks for asking.

I was wrong about my Meds I guess, I am building up my Lamictal but not peeling back on seroquil.

Hilary

Hi, Hilary,

The worrying seems to be part of depression and maybe anxiety.

For now, take care of one thing at a time -- like the engine light.


You have a full productive day planned. :)Remember to spend some time with yourself if that works for you as well. :)

M

Thanks Mari and everyone. What do you mean when you say "spend some time with you" meditate? Pray? Cook? I feel depressed and anxious. I went to my meeting, went to yoga but couldn't relax because the dog thing from Costco was on my mind and lunch too. So after yoga I went to Costco to see if she was there, she wasn't. I wanted to apologize. But instead I asked to speak to the store manager and asked him to sit down with me. I explained the incident, that I felt awful, that I made some mistakes too in the situation. I took a handout on service dogs and explained that I have TBI and PTSD, neither are visible which makes it hard. I explained that her super enthusiastically scared me and the dog weren't into protect mode. The manager was great, I was shaking with anxiety and I told him that I will always be villigent (hyper villigent....LOL!) about my surroundings but that it may be helpful to explain to his staff about invisible injuries. We shook hands and I feel I did the best I could. Now I am home and may cook or may not. I think I will try some meditation for sure. Thanks for the guidance and support.

you did wonderful today!!!!!! glad that he understood.
that must have been hard to do....good job!
(((((HUGS))))
bizi

hello!
 

Hi Hilary and welcome aboard! :)

I've been AWOL more often than not the past oh... what? maybe a month? i don't even know. anyway. trickling in here and there and slowly less and less, now gradually hopefully more and more.

so i'm catching up. Well pleased to meet you and boy you sure do you have a plateful with the TBI/PTSD as well as bipolar. It's neat that you have a service dog. In regard to the Costco incident, I bet a lot of "regular dog" owners would not take nearly as much responsibilty as you did. nor put as much thought into encounters with atrition like that. That is a darn shame because people habitually bring out dogs they truly do not know how to handle and that's how other people get bit. I do understand Trip is specially trained to tune into you and behave protectively if he senses a thread to you. Sounds like that's what happened, just coz the woman surprised you. But also her precipitous behavior is easily perceived as aggressive by a dog.

I've always been taught not to approach *ANY* animal i don't know full throttle because it is taken as aggression - makes sense.

But believe it or not i digress. Yes. and i say i'm not ADD lol, well, I do come back to my points. And my point was when i read what you did about going back to Costco and talking with the store manager (at first, i couldn't understand how the store manager might be involved).... well, i was just totally impressed! :)

You just singlehandedly bridged a huge gap in understanding of disabilities... and the way you expressed it "invisible injuries" covers a lot of bases really.

So for a day when you felt like doing a mountain of nothing well.... woww! that is a SERIOUS accomplishment!!!

Regarding your meds.... I personally didn't find Seroquel helpful but many people do. There is quite a range prescribable dosages for the problems you've indicated. Do let the doctor know if you are still experiencing the paranoia or other thought disturbances whne you next see them, or if it is very bothersome, call the doctor. I also wish you luck keeping the weight off too. Best shot is if you can avoid the ready carbs as has been said. You do have to fight the cravings - giving in will only increase them. If you notice weight coming on again don't hesitate - ask to try something else.

Anyway, pleased to meet you and hope you start feeling better soon.

~ waves ~

Good job.

You really went to bat for many invisible disabilities today.

Its not usual for a service dog to be with us as much.

I have TBI, and my son has epilepsy and a mild intellictual disability.

SO its hard to realize that a problem could come up.

Donna:grouphug:

Thanks Bizi, Waves, and Dmom
 

I slept really well last night, I think it was from handling business at Costco and sticking up for all of us and supporting Trip. I woke up to read the wonderful support from you all and I feel like it will be a good day today. I am armed with my list of tasks for the day after my biofeedback appt and yoga. I want to see if I can relax at yoga today having cleared my mind of the problem at Costco. I hope you know how you feed back impacted me-- it was wonderful to be supported. My mom said "you really need to take that lady flowers and keep that dog of yours on a leash" big difference between you and her--she just doesn't get it. Thank you.

Dear Hilary,

You did great yesterday. I wish I could send you flowers.

M

Such a coincidence!
 

I bought myself a big old summer bouquet, I forgot about them and left them in the car but I did buy em for me. So funny! Thanks.

Hope they didn't wilt to much.

I want to buy myself some flowers. But its too hot here.

So I'm waiting.

Donna:grouphug:

yes I am hoping they did not wilt too much when you found them...flowers can really pick me up. hubby will buy them for us...it is so nice.
bizi