Bipolar Type II Support Group

Hi all,

Thanks for your support its really helped me through this rough time. I went to my pdoc yesterday out of desperation, an emergency visit. I was starting to hear voices again, been many years since this happened, probably about 5 years since the last time.

She took me off the Emsam patch (selegiline) and put me back on Lithium ER 900mg a day. Slept 4 1/2 hours last night and my mind is slowing down not so jumbled thoughts. Feeling pretty good this morning. After going through my history it seems this happened last year with the depression just not as bad. That was when I was moved from an office with windows to a room with none as well as an office shared with 5 other people, which is very distracting esp. where there are toxic vocal people.

I have submitted a "declaration of disability" with work which is the first step in a part of the Americans disability act which makes companies provide accommodations for people with disabilities.

My pdoc has written up a paper of the accommodations I will need to prevent seasonal effective disorder from flaring up as well as a better hours and a quieter environment with less distractions.

Cheers to Lithium (((((((((((Group Hug)))))))))))))

I'm so glad you are feeling better Rick. Lithium saves the day. I'm hoping that this keeps up for you. I think it's great that your psychiatrist wrote you that note of accommodations that will help you out at work. Better hours and quieter environment will be way better for you. I'm glad to hear you are doing well now.

i hope the lithium continues to work for you Rick.

I had really good results last time, just some swelling in my legs. I can take that over the way I have been any day. I will still be off work until after Christmas, maybe by then I'll be feeling well enough to go back. I'm hoping my boss will make these changes for work by that time. I don't see any reason why it can't be done.

So far I have gotten little support, human resources has not contacted me in over two weeks and my boss wants me back at work. Though he did say he understood if I couldn't go back but also on the same note expressed he needed me back. Just more pressure I don't need right now. I'm going to try to contact HR again today because I really need to talk to them and get some answers.

I'm so glad for you Rick! Hope you continue to keep feeling better.

Wow Rick, that's amazing. I'm so glad the lithium is working for you! Hooray! Your pdoc sounds like she knows you pretty well. Good luck with the work front.

Good luck with work Rick. I know that's got to be stressful. I'm glad that lithium worked. It always seems to work for you. When you were on it before, you were very stable for a while.

I'm glad you're feeling better. I can really relate to the office situation. I went from an office with a really big window to one without one at all. The good thing about the move was that I was at least moved away from the toxic people I was working near. I now have an office to myself and can actually close the door if I need to.

It's really great to hear of your progress lately and I hope it continues for you.

Space at work in the main building is already pretty tight, and the places that would be perfect for me are not going to be given up. We do have cubicle space in the other office which is fine because I would be the only one in the cubes because right now they are not being used. Everyone has their own office there but none have windows, the cube area has natural lighting. So since we have that space already I think that's where I'll be moving to. My pdoc suggested taking off another 30 days and possibly going on short term disability. I'm only putting down on the FMLA to return to work on 01-09-2012 thats 16 days. I think that should be enough time to let the Lithium do its Job.

I have to be out of work 3 months to qualify for short term disability and I don't think I'll need all that time off. If work makes the changes to my location & change my ours back I think I will be OK.

It sounds good that they are at least trying to be accommodating. It sounds like you're really taking care of yourself. You should be proud of yourself.