Comments on: Dr. Gupta answers your questions on bipolar disorder

By: Jessica

Jessica — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 11:03:32 +0000

I've suffered from bipolar disorder since the 7th grade and now at 22, I thank God every day my doctor had no problem prescribing me the medication despite my age. What many people don't understand is that bipolar is one of those disorders that is caused only be chemical imbalances in the body. Although childhood trauma or loss can make the symptoms worse, the typical manic depressive will require medicine for their entire lifetime. It's not a doctor's opinion, it's a FACT.

As for some of you who say that fitness, vitamins, and diet is all the help you need: More power to you. I went off the medicine my Freshman year in high school and tried to survive with that being my only treatment. 7 months later they put me back on because I'd become completely obsessed with being fit to the point of bulimia!

I've accepted the fact that I will take medication for a long time, possibly a lifetime. and I'm ok with that.

By: Kim

Kim — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 05:41:58 +0000

My 12 year old daughter was finally diagnosed after six years. She has been on so many meds that always caused side effects, mostly weight gain and not evening out her mood. Most recently we took her off seroquel because it stopped being effective and caused nonstop eating and weight gain as a result. She is now on lamictal and is doing great. Lost the weight and is very stable.

By: Sara

Sara — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 12:05:54 +0000

I have to say that I was also one of those who was misdiagnosed for many years and it took me three years to find the right medication. I have had 2 breakthroughs since then and have had to add an additional medication in order to maintain some sense of sanity.

The weight gain from the Seroquel is now at 50 lbs. I am not happy about that but I have to think of it this way, I can be fat and happy or skinny and suicidal. I prefer the former.

By: cindy

cindy — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 15:10:39 +0000

My son who is 10 years old now was diagnosed with ADHD and Bipolar disease 2 1/2 years ago. His cocktail is 40 mg of Focalin XR, 400 mg of Seroquel and 500mg of Depakote ER per day. His dr also prescribed 30mg of Ritlin per day on top of this. I left out the Ritalin dosing since he is not in school right now and am now questioning if the other three medications are over medicating him. I wish I could find a reputable dr for my son in the city I live in for a very needed second opinion. My insurance only covers one mental health center and now am forced to pay out of pocket to find someone that can help him.

By: Margaret Harrison

Margaret Harrison — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 04:31:34 +0000

dr. gupta. my apologies for wrting in the this space but it was all i knew to do in order to ask questions regarding my weight. but i am writing in addtion to to the bi-polar information . I was wrongly diagnosed for many years as a schizophrenic and took 2000 mg of thorazine daily– not sure how much mellaril and ellavil. i also spent many months at a time hospitalized for about 14 years. had at least 100 ect treatments as well over that period of time. I also gained weight so fast that i had really deep stretch marks–yet did not realize i was gaining weight of couse. (too drugged i guess). this started around 1973. i was last hospitalized in 1984 . Once i was rediagnosed/i was what they termed back then..manic depressive. i have had my bi-polar disorder under control using Tegretol .(i here toyou can be helped and very well tpsas
p[s I was started on lithium-the big thing back then–and then added the tegretol. soon after found the tegretol was what was working. so for the last 25 years i am totally functioning–have my life back–and yet now and since then of course, i have dealt with an extreme weight prob. brought on by the meds. it was like my metabolism stopped. i fear diabetes /heart attack or stroke. i hate this and yet there is nothing i can do. i would not take one million dollars to stop taking the tegretol. i saved my life–with the help of some eager residents at the hospital that knew a challenge when they saw one. i was quite lucky. i do not want to die after all the fight i put into getting healthy mentally, i do not want diabetes,. and i do not want any of the illnesses that come with being overweight. no one seems to know what to telll me to do.,i wrote you when u were doing that study but it seemed so focused on kids. here i am at 58 feeling like i may not make it to 60. i have had alot of other things going against me with the weight including falls and now i am in a real pickle. i i need advice andyet i can not figure what to ask first. i fight to stay mentally healthy and have a strong survivor instinct but i have to tell you this weight thing is way over my head. it is so out of control that i am not sure what to do. i do know your interest lies with probs with kids. i am only asking is there any hekp /advice you can give me as i have not got just 60 pounds to lose now, i now need to lose over 100. i see this as getting worse. as a adult i feel i am left by the wayside or am falling through the cracks - i understand we much protect children's health, but as an adult i have done all that every dr, ever asked of me for years. now i need help to lose the weight.–but more than just a diet plan. this is so out of control..and without me eating tons of food byw–that i have no clue that anything can be done now. eating the right foods ecercses, m

By: Elyssa

Elyssa — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 15:33:42 +0000

I'm 20 years old, and I wasn't diagnosed with ADHD and Bipolar Disorder until October 2008. I always knew there was something "different" about the way that I functioned in social situations and the way that I managed my mood. I have the inattentive form of ADHD, rather than the hyperactive or mixed form, so I was never a hyper child. Instead, I was quiet and cooperative. Combined with the Bipolar Disorder, my quiet nature made my mood swings less noticeable, especially since I experience hypomania or mixed episodes instead of full mania. The truth is, the two disorders can exist together and, as me and other family members of mine have experienced, ADHD can be masked by other mood disorders, like major depression or bipolar disorder. My father was diagnosed with depression when he was my age and has had trouble managing it his entire life. He seemed to be entirely unresponsive to most medications. Recently, his doctor began treating him with an antidepressant in combination with Aderall and, after treating his undiagnosed ADHD AND depression, his symptoms seem to finally be under control. My sister had the same experience, until she was diagnosed and treated for ADHD, her depression was unrelenting. If ADHD is present with another mood disorder, symptoms will probably persist until BOTH disorders are treated. It's extrememly difficult to distinguish ADHD from other mood disorders. My biggest issue was that I had developed ways to compensate over the years for my forgetfulness and inability to concentrate associated with my ADHD. I'm still trying to find the right balance of medications to treat both disorders effectively, but it would be even more difficult if my psychiatrist hadn't made that distinction. It's easier if you have a family history of ADHD and mood disorders, although my sister was the first person in my family to be correctly diagnosed with the two. This was what prompted my doctor to start asking questions. College would be significantly harder for me if I was only being treated for one or the other. No one should jump to conclusions about their own mental status or diagnosis and they should always be honest with their doctors. Going to proper doctor is also important, a psychiatrist, rather than a primary care physician, should always be consulted. Also, if symptoms persist after trying multiple medications and combinations of medications, don't be afraid to question your doctor's diagnosis or get a second opinion. Mental disorders are the most difficult to diagnose and diagnosing them incorrectly can make them even harder and more frustrating to manage.

By: Linda

Linda — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 20:00:10 +0000

Seroquel saved my son. My son was diagnosed with severe generalized anxiety disorder with somatization disorder. For the first 4 years of his life he spent much time with pediatric gastrointerologists trying to determine what was wrong with him. His symptoms were diarrhea, occasional vomiting, stomach aches, severe nausea and he was underweight because he could not eat. By 5 years old they determined that it was a psychiatric problem. From 5 yrs old to 13 yrs old he went to many, many psychiatrists who just treated his daily (sometimes for hours) panic attacks and nausea with prozac and anti-nausea medication. Nothing worked. He had daily panic attacks and continued to be sickly. At 11 yrs old, he began feinting, hallucinating, having psudo-seizures, loss of sight, loss of hearing severe panic attacks and he talked often about he just did not want to live anymore if it meant living like that. At the same time, he maintained an A-B average in school. He was finally hospitalized because he could not go more than a couple of hours without a panic attack, he was 57 lbs at 13 yrs old and he was feinting numerous times a day and he could not go to school anymore. They took him off of prozac and put him on Syroquel 9 months ago. He has had only 3 panic attacks since then and that is because he forgot to take a pill. All his physical symptoms are gone. He has lived a life he and I never thought possible. He was in the talent show riding his unicycle, he was in the school play and he was gone to the movies numerous times since he could never have before without having an attack from the noise. He has only gained 20lbs, which has brought him up to a normal weight. We don't know what will happen during puberty, but if he had only this time to live a 'normal' life, at least he has had this and I am thankful!

By: Mani

Mani — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 13:54:23 +0000

Not all Bipolar patients need drug therapy.There are 2 types ,BiPolar I and Bipolar 2.The latter can be called Pepsi lite and seldom requires drug therapy.Also one should read the article "Selling of Biploar Mania" in PLOS journal.In the same journal one can find the article on"Serotoni and Depression- Disconnect between literature and advertisement.Both give a different view.
One child age less that 5 years was treated at at an Ivory tower of research with disastrous consequences.

By: Char

Char — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 12:00:53 +0000

My daughter was diagnosed with bipolar 7 years ago. In looking back, I think that she exhibited signs of the disease at the age of 5.

Although she went to a treatment facility at the age of 15, she still wasn't properly diagnosed. I went through some really rough times with her until, at the age of 23, she said she just couldn't go on like that anymore and was suicidal. At that time she was diagnosed with Bipolar II, which mainly exhibits with severe depression. But even with the medications, it took her another 4 years before she was ready to take control of her disease and stop letting it control her.

My daughter still lives with me and is attending school to become a hair designer. But her life is still like a rollercoaster, and as a parent, I take all the rides with her.

About 3 years ago, I decided to get involved in something and it came to me that maybe I could help other family members dealing with what I have been. I joined the local chapter of the National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI) and have since become trained to facilitate a Family Support Group. It has given me a great deal of satisfaction to be able to help others and help myself too. I have learned a lot about mental illness and have learned to understand more about my daughter and myself. I would recommend NAMI to both consumers (the label placed on people with mental illness) and family and friends of people with mental illness.

Mental illness is devastating for all concerned. But knowledge is definitely power!

By: Priscilla

Priscilla — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 20:40:59 +0000

wow! reading over the comments left, some people are very aware of what bipolar is. a condition that cannot be "fixed" by proper diet and exercise. it is sad that such ignorance is still out there about mental illness. I agree that the side effects for these drugs are horrible and I wish more progress could be made in finding drugs that would be helpful and not so dangerous. Many of us who are parents of bipolar children do not rush right out to get our child medicated. After trying talk therapy and other alternative methods, medication was the last resort. Sometimes you just have to face the diagnosis and deal with it. There is life after bipolar if you educate yourself.