Diary Entries for Dit

Lithium Decrease

Dit

I'm now on 200 mgs of Lamictal and am slowly having Lithium decreased I went from 750 mgs to 450 mgs, if all goes well in 2 wks I'll be on 300 mgs, then a month after that down to 150 mgs, then a month later I'll be done. I know my body is adjusting slowly to this decrease been taking Lithium for 14 yrs. Changing to Lamictal is something i'm determined to try I can no longer live with Lithium side effects.

Since this recent decrease at 450 mgs I' [...]

Stressful Easter Morning

Dit

It was a very stressful Easter morning, my daughter woke up misrable and her and her brother started arguing, she got verbally abusive after he taunted her numerous times, then my son took one of his rages...he broke our shoe rack and smashed one of his skateboards (we already have 3 holes in our walls). We've been dealing with these rages now twice or more a week, I can no longer put up with this its scary for me and very stressful...once he took a dull knife and said he was go [...]

Link to psychology tools website

Dit

The following Link (given by a member under the MDJ Thread called Skills for Bipolar Recovery) for mine or anyone else's use it has great info on bipolar illness and other mental health illnesses

http://www.psychologytools.org/bipolar.html

Mindfulness Techniques

Dit

Meditation in motion. If you like to walk, try meditating while you stride. Focus on the sensation of taking each step, repeating a calming word or phrase in rhythm as you walk. You can use the same approach if you swim or use a stair machine or treadmill for exercise.Quiet contemplation. Set aside 15 to 20 minutes at least once a day to sit quietly and calm your body and mind. Breathe deeply and slowly concentrating on the sensation of inhaling and exhaling. Become aware of your body, gently re [...]

Update on Kids Mar.7/13

Dit

My husband and I went to Youth Services last evening with my son and we met with a counseller to discuss his 'anger outbursts' it went very well this place is more of a crisis centre but a lot got accomplished it got my son talking and my hubby and I were able to express our love and concerns with a counsellor present, it wasen't a pick on my son session we also discussed my son's strengths. We got a summary written up about our [...]

I'm Stressed With My Kids

Dit

I'm tired of arguing with my son about walking the dog he knows this is a daily chore why do we argue? he's 12, he also has an anger problem takes violent anger bursts punches holes in walls bangs things sometimes throws stuff swares, and does not eat properly and has OCD tendencies and he makes these weird sounds drives us all 'nuts' we are taking him to therapy next week. We had a few arguments already he threatended to punch another hole in the wall...I call my husband who is [...]

Update Feb.23/13 Florida & Therapy

Dit

Since I've been home from my vacation to Florida (10 days) the first 2 days I had a lot of energy and motivation...now i'm missing Florida I was gone for 18 days this was a long trip, I phone my sister just to 'connect' she tells me the forecast now its in the early 80s, when I was there we had 70s and 80s awesome weather and always sunny I kept very busy, now I'm trying to get back into my old routine, I need to change I was in a rut before I left (no exercise, [...]

Florida Vacation

Dit

I've been home now for 9 days it feels like yesterday I was in Florida spent 18 wonderful days, everyday was sunny, went to the beach (different ones) 5 times, also went to the pool quite a bit. I stayed with my sister she lives there 3 mos of the yr. I went with my other sister. Leaving my kids and hubby behind was hard, i felt somewhat guilty but hubby said to go and not worry about it.

Since i've been home I had a lot of energy the first few days I was very busy in Flori [...]

Update - Dec. 17/12

Dit

I'm doing ok my mood is fairly steady i'm posting that i'm a 5 sometimes a 6, maybe i'm feeling this way b/c i'm taking both Lamictal and Lithium. Right now i'm up to 75 mgs of Lamictal, still on 750 mgs of Lithium. Going up 25 mgs on the Lamictal every 2 wks so this Fri. will be on 100 mgs Lamictal, up till I get to 200 mgs then i will be reducing the Lithium slowly and going off of it...I can no longer stand the excessive thirst and peeing all the time, I need a [...]

Update - Nov. 10/12

Dit

Life has been treating me fairly well, i'm still going to therapy and my therapist continues to say i'm progressing well, I go every 3 wks. As of yesterday i'm starting Lamictal 25mgs will be going up in dosage very slowly up to 200 mgs (this will take 16 wks to get to 200 mgs) will be staying on 750 mgs of Lithium, once I hit the 200 mgs dosage of Lamictal my Lithium will then get reduced and I will be off of this med, I need this change been taking Lithium for 14 yrs i [...]

Country Home Getaway & A 'Low'

Dit

Last weekend I had a wonderful opportunity to spend 4 days up at my sister's country home where they own 100 acres its around a 25 min drive from my home no neighbors and there's a niceunderground pool...i enjoyed my time away i felt 're-charged' it was so relaxing i got to spend 2 days totally alone hubby came up for a couple hours for dinner then he went home to be with the kids. I came back feeling so at peace and energized.

For three days now i've been [...]

Therapy Apt. July 6/12

Dit

I had a great session today I listed all the 'good' stuff that's been going on, especially having more energy, sleeping right thru the night, doing a 'to do list', exercising atthe pool almost daily, spending more quality time with my kids, less islolating, walking my older dog daily...to name a few. My therapist told me he finds me progressing very well, this makes me happy that he said this to me. Its been a hard year soul searching opening up learning 'to [...]

Stability?

Dit

I've been feeling so good this past week and a half with no major bp symptoms, I do get a little restless at times not sure why but nothing too serious. I've been complaining for the longesttime of lacking energy motivation but this seems to be much better, maybe i'm finally on the right med combo, idk. I recently decreased my Lithium dosage from 900 to 600 mgs i do see a big difference i feel more 'alive' and less side effects, its now been over 3 mont [...]

Update 'I'm Progressing' says my therapist

Dit

Since my Lithium dosage has been decreased from 900 to 600 i have more energy and my thinking is clearer. Today I feel fantastic i'm a '6' been feeling great this is day 5 now of this wonderfulstate of mind i'm in...i hope this lasts. Two weeks ago i was lacking energy & motivation i was having trouble with my kids they were misbehaving and I was trying hard to discipline them and i was stressing out at the same time, i ended up shutting down, isolating and [...]

"A Thought 4/28/12" Stress & Bipolar

Dit

This is from an mdj member whom i'm good friends with and he inspires me very much and has been awesome support for me this past year or more, here's something he's posted and and I thought I'd log this in my diary for my personal reference:

Stress

Every situation or event can make some kind of impact upon us; emotionally, physically, or intellectually. Stress will make these situations or events exceed our ability to cope and will often cause [...]

Pdoc says NO... I say YES

Dit

I've decided to lower my Lithium dosage, was on 900 mgs now I've decided to take 600 mgs, today is day three of this decrease. 900 mgs is my usual dosage, been on this med for 13 yrs. I told my pdoc I can no longer stand the side-effects (excessive thirst and needing to go to the washroom all the time, weight gain, bloatedness, a 'blah' feeling with extreme tiredness & lack of energy, mild hand tremors etc.). When I spoke to him on the phone [...]

What Defines Me

Dit

I am a child of God first and foremost, I'm a wife, mother, sister and friend and I come from a family of 7 children me being the youngest.

Also "the way we think"..."our personality"..."that make us the unique individuals we are". I'm still trying to find myself, after a rough time I experienced one yr ago with a medication change...i needed recovery and did not feel well and needed to 'find' myself &nbs [...]

Don't Feel Like Myself - Part 2

Dit

I'm feeling better than the last diary entry...but over the past 3 days i'm 'feeling' and noticing it, i have calm moments, then i get overwhelmed, then i get insecure and childlike and don't want to do anything, then i get excitable, a bit restless & hyper...all this happens numerous tmes in a day, but i would say i'm mostly calm. I'm doing the EMDR Stress Managmt/Relaxation CD more than once a day & I often use it to [...]

Don't Feel Like Myself

Dit

I feel 'out of sorts' today, i'm shutting down, I feel spacy and withdrawn I want to hide and have been in my room off and on most of today, I don't want to be around people. Not sure where this is coming from. Earlier this morning I had anxiety so I took Klonopin and a few hrs later my mood changed to this...is this feeling i'm having just another way of coping by shuting down like this, i'm so used to stuffing my uncomfortabl [...]

Is This Depression

Dit

I feel depressed these days, I think I'm cycling b/c I feel alright early morning when i wake up (5 am) I love being alone while everyone is still in bed, i drink my coffee, go on the computer, but then after my son goes to school and i'm alone I go downhill from there, i'm soooo tired so I have a nap the i'm in and out of bed for most of the day (listening to my relaxation stress management EMDR CD, I may read, pray or meditate, then sleep). I've bee [...]