Bipolar Support Group

I have sooo many questions re my bipolar. My husband is of great support but of course cannot answer my questions from experience. I choose not to talk about my illness among my friends because of the stigma it carries. With all that said, I would really like to know a few things....

I have bipolar 1 and I have been hospitalized once in the 12 years I have known about my illness - is this good?

Should I expect to be hospitalized in the future?

Does medication really just stop working for no reason?

I take tegretol only, has anyone had good/bad experiences with this medication?

I have high anxiety and find that this med does'nt help very much for the anxiety but keeps my moods rather stable.

Thank-you again so very much for your supportive words, I feel like a whole new world has opened up for me

I was hospitalized many years ago so that was once...in `1972.

My son was first hospitalized at 14 yrs old and has been in the hospital 4 times since then, most recently in Nov of last year. He is 25 yrs old.

Each time he needed to go to the hospital it was when he was not taking medication. With medication he is fine and leads a normal life. I hope that helped you some...and we are here for you. Thanks for the positive post...that is so nice.

I have never been hospitalized, and hope I never have to be. In my crisis plan, that is a trigger for me, and no one in my support circle is to throw it around lightly. I have a fear of being around other mentally ill people who are unstable. I have been chased by mentally ill people a few times. It was pretty scary....LOL

But, If, I were to go any further with my illness without meds, I could end up there. I have been to jail, though, due to self medicating.

I have tried Trileptal, but, couldn't handle the initial side effects.

I am on 2 mood stablizers. I have bipolar 1, too. They don't take care of my anxiety, either. I take an anxiety med along with my other meds, and I have a heavier one for those really rough days.