bump........yeah the meds can be hard, but everyone is different, so they have to find just the right kind of cocktail for each person. This can be really hard on the person since most of the meds have harsh side effects and they take a long time, like 6 to 8 weeks to start taking effect. Makes it really hard to stay on them. You go in feeling like crap, get meds you are told will make you feel better,(and most of the time if you stick with it they can) and the meds make you feel even worse for almost two months. Thats really hard on someone who is depressed or manic. I know. I have BP

I had an aunt who had bipolar disorder. She was on lithium for many years and she was fine on it. I guess it is different for everyone.

I have a nephew that is Bipolar. He is only 7 years old. He is the sweetest little boy as long as the meds are working. They have had him on prozac for a while.

Just ran across this article and thought some people here might be interested too:

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1 Decade, 40 Times More Bipolar Kids

Child Bipolar Explosion -- or Rampant Misdiagnosis?

By Daniel J. DeNoon
WebMD Medical News
Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD

Sept. 4, 2007 -- Today's children and teens are 40 times more likely to have bipolar disorder than were the children of 10 years ago.

That's 20 times faster than the growth in diagnoses of adult bipolar disorder over the same decade. Are we only now discovering a huge reservoir of untreated psychiatric illness? Or is there an epidemic not of disease, but of misdiagnosis and overtreatment?

The study that provides this alarming data doesn't answer this crucial question, says study researcher Mark Olfson, MD, MPH, professor of clinical psychiatry at Columbia University Medical Center and New York State Psychiatric Institute.

"We found a striking national increase in the treatment of young people for bipolar disorder: from 20,000 youths in 1994 to 800,000 youths in 2003," Olfson tells WebMD. "The study does not tell us why so many more kids are being diagnosed and treated for bipolar disorder. But it gives us clues."

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The full article can be found here: http://www.webmd.com/bipolar-disorder/news/20070904/1-decade-40-times-more-bipolar-kids?src=RSS_PUBLIC

thanks AMP.........I have my own concerns about this as well. Hell when I was younger, like 20 yrs ago, if they would have diagnosed me properly, my life might be very very different, but you can compare to the massive over diagnosis of children with ADD.......lots of them weren't and they were given massive doses of ritalin. Now we have so real problems with soem of our teeen and young people. It can get real confusing and I know for a fact that my son did NOT need to be on ritalin, and I beieve that the drugs had a negative effect on him.

So I guess it can go both ways, but I think doping up our future with meth is a bad bad move!

So I don't know about the BP diagnosises......maybe all the ADD kids were really BP? SOemthing in the water? Moms not taking care of themselves while prego? No way to tell, although studies imply that most BP is hereditary and can skip generations. It is often misdiagnosed and confused with boarderline personality disorder which for the most part is not hereditary but the effects of any kind of negative trauma, which brings me to PTSD....they can go hand in hand, and niether responds well to drugs.

All they want to do is drug up our kids, and then they wonder why we have such and epidemic of screwed up young adults who have children who are messed up too.........I could go on and on. Sociology class is getting to me I guess. But I have first hand exprience as well, so are you as conffuzzled as I?

I think you have it right creationsfire, exactly my thoughts - especially with the comparison to ADD and how over-diagnosed that was. The fear is that BPD is the next catch-all diagnosis like ADD was for kids. But in any case, with that great of an increase of diagnosis... it's something everyone should consider and be aware of that's affected by it.

Some clinicians even consider PTSD to not just be commonly comorbid with BPD - but to actually be a specific form of BPD. Interestingly enough.

Borderline PD, PTSD, Bipolar PD... all three are so similiar and all three seem to be taking turns as the 'flavor of the month' diagnosis by clinicians. That's the problem with similiar disorders - so difficult to differentiate form each other.

But I think you are right, BPD might just be a simple replacement 'catch-all' diagnosis now that ADD has fallen out of favor.

I am bipolar...was diagnosed 30 years ago. Been on almost every type of medication out there...currently taking Lexapro. Nothing seems to work. Haven't tried EST, but I may have to.

My depression is unbearable now. I am very lost and at my wit's end. I am writing this just to have a pity party and blow off steam.

This is a serious mental illness that is very debilitating. I will never take my own life because of religious beliefs, but I really don't care if a bus runs me over tomorrow.

Everything I seem to touch turns out horrible. I don't know why this is, but I can't take anymore pain and disappointment.

Like I said, I just needed to rant. Sorry....

Ken

I have Bipolar Disorder (BD), Borderline Personality Disorder(BPD), and Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD). I take 30mg of Celexa, 50mg of Topamax, and 50mg of Zoloft in the mornings. Then I take 50mg of Topamax and 50mg of Zoloft at night. I see a therapist once a week and a psychiatric doctor for med checks once a month.

My oldest son, age 16, has BD and ADHD and Binge Eating Disorder. He takes 54mg of Concerta, 60mg of Geodon, and 50mg of Topamax in the morning. Then he takes 60mg of Geodon at night. He sees a therapist once a week and a psychiatric doctor for med checks once a month. He also sees a doctor and a nutritionist at an eating disorder clinic.

My daughter, age 14, is diagnosed with a Mood Disorder NOS (Not Otherwise Specified). Unofficially the doctor is treating it like BD due to her symptoms and her family history. She's also diagnosed with PMDD and Bulimia. She takes 10mg of Abilify, 50mg of Zoloft, .05mg og Cogentin (for the side effects of the Abilify) at night. She sees a therapist once a week, a psychiatric doctor once a month for med checks, a doctor and a nurtritionist at an eating disorder clinic.

My youngest son, age 11 will be turning 12 in December, is also diagnosed with a Mood Disorder NOS (Not Otherwise Specified). Unofficially the doctor is treating it like BD due to her symptoms and his family history. He takes 5mg of Abilify at night. He sees a therapist once a week and a psychiatric doctor for med checks once a month.

What helps us is being open and honest about our thoughts, feelings, emotions, opinions, how the meds are effecting us, with everyone involved, therapists, doctors, eachother. When we see one of us wanting to just give up on all of this therapy we hold eachother up... we hold eachother accountable. What helps me the most is knowing I must lead by example. I must stop the cycle of abuse, neglect, undiagnosed and untreated mental illness that has plagues not only my family for generations but my children's father's family for generations. I keep on keeping on day after day for future generations.

I to have Bipolar it's hard enough for me to understand and get through but when your kids and family don't understand it's hard..But unless you've been there there's no explaining to someone who has not...Good post

pk, i can relate on the family thing....my mom is the only one who truly understands, and that's only because she was diagnosed back in 99 (6 years after I was). try explaining sudden mood swings to your whole family at a get together when they're closed-minded.........NOT FUN.

i dont have bi polar but i do have panic /anxiety and do display manic behavior when i have to much sugar.i salute you people ..no one understands my disorder.they think its all in my head and i can control it.

anyone ever have a major panic attack while out with family and they're telling you (loud enough where the whole world can hear) to not let "it" get to you??????????????

it always seems to make my attacks even worse.

Yes, I have had panic attacks, but thank God, haven't had one for 3 years. I thought I was going to die the last time it happened. I weighed alot more then...maybe my weight loss helped?

Must be horrible to have a panic attack in public with people around you. My last one was outside, but I was alone.

how often are your attacks Jax and Amberdee?

MB, my panic attacks happen every time I feel trapped with no way out, so usually two to six times a week.

Hey Amberdee - do you mean 'trapped with no way out' in a physically trapped way? Like when in the middle of large crowd of people or in a confined space?

Oh my GOOOSSSHHH... I didn' t know there was a bipolar thread in here...... what a ...relief

all three hon it's getting to the point where i'm terrified to leave my home except to see the doctor.

welcome Alli

UGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.

Can't get out of this deep depression!!

So frustrating!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am losing my mind....

You're not alone Ken!!! If we work together maybe we can help each other?? just a thought

friends.... I'm so glad you're here

mommy is right.......

I didn't think I would find people suffering as I do on this site...but thank god for all of you