Are any of you moms fighting bipolar or anything of the sort yourselves?

Martha - posted on 12/09/2012

Bobby Rosser.......My sons girlfriend is possibly bi polar. He started seeing her at the same age, almost 17. He is now almost 18 and in a world of trouble. Before he started seeing her he was a model son, very respectful, honest, hard working, dependable.......I could go on. I think in the beginning he thought he could help her. But now, the abuse has taken such a toll on him that I don't know if he will even graduate from high school. He has no self esteem, and will follow no rules. His personality changed so quickly that our first thought was drug use. We have had him tested numerous time, always negative. Her family refuses to get her help, we have reported this to DFS a few times, but I don't think it is doing any good. If I could get her to the doctor myself I would.



If I had it to do over I would take my family and move very far away. By the way, she is now 15 yrs old and pregnant. I am so sad that the fate of an innocent child is in her troubled hands.

Amy - posted on 12/04/2012

I gave birth to my daughter 4 years ago and 3 days later went nuts, beating my head aginst the wall, begging God to make it stop, then the Dr.s immediately put me on Prozac where I became momcomminicative, couldn't barely walk, talk, and wouldn't eat. This went on for 13 days until I told my mom I was going to jump through the window at her house. They put me right in the hospital and gave me a shot og Geodon which in 20 minutes brought me out of the psychosis I was in. They upped my dose of Geodon more and more each day and I was taking such high does of it, it caused me to have panic attacks and cry uncontrollably all day. 2weeks later I was admitted into a metal health hospital where they diagnosed me with severe post partum depression and bipolar disorder. Since then, I have been in mental hospitals 5 times with psychotic episodes of suicide attempts every time they messed with my medicine. I am now taking 1000 mg Depakote once daily, 60 mg Geodon twice daily, Lexapro 40 mg twice daily, and Ambien 12.5 ER once nightly. I have been stable since March but am emotionless. I have a 4year old toddler that my mom and husband...mostly my mom has raised due to my inability to be capable of taking care of her. I constantly think I might freak out and wonder when this cocktail is going to quit working, am emotionless except for the guilt of being absent from my daughter's life. I just want to lay in bed. I have no desire to want to play with her, teach her anything, do fun things with her. I just have no motivation for life to be a mother which causes me to live a guilt filled life. And each day that passes, I say I am going to bond with her or do something with her but I don't. You can see that she needs the emotional stabilty of me that I can not give her. I have tried many medicines and each time one is switched, lowered, raised, or added, I become suicidal and end up in the mental hospital when I don't want to be there but can't control what happens to me after the dr.s mess with my meds. But I know I can't keep living so emotionless. My daughter is grow up to feel unloved and I will ruin her life. Why did this have to happen to me. The dr.s said the post partum depression predisposed me to Bipolar and now I am full blown bipolar and won't ever be thesame and will always need medicine the rest of my life to live stable. But stable to me is showing no emotion but feeling extreme amounts of guilt, laying in bed because I can't get out of bed, not bonding with my daughter when she needs it so much now, not knowing how to bond, and just wanting to feel normal again before i was pregnant. I suffered from depression before I was pregnant but nothing like what i live in now. It is the worst thing and has damaged my life. Idon't know what to do. I may need my medicines changed but am too scared for them to mess with them because the outcome might be a suicide attempt or becoming detached from reality. Pelase someone tell me what to do. Please help me.

Shannon - posted on 01/28/2010

I have a 15 yr old son who has bipolar, ADHD and level 1 spectrum of Autism.. When he takes his meds he is a different kid then when he doesnt.. He can get very aggressive and takes his anger out on his younger siblings.. We are currently in therapy and he has been placed in special ed in HS. So far we dont have calls from school like we use to and all the teachers and aides in the class specialize in many of the problems like my son has. So far so good with school, compared to before now when we had calls almost everyday from school. My sons impulse control is very bad and he does many things without thinking..

Tracy-Anne - posted on 01/27/2010

Please don't give up on your daughter. Her behaviour is part of an illness - you wouldn't leave her if it was cancer?? I have suffered from depressive illnesses since childhood. My parents went through hell and back with me but I never did anything on purpose. I've given up on meds as I havent found one that suits me. I probably would have succeded in suicide had my parents given up on me. Stay strong. There is support out there for you too.

Brooke - posted on 01/27/2010

can i say something ladies....& gent i see there is one....i agree with AJ, be all that you can to your kids, you are thier only advocate!! I hate all the med I have to take, I have asked or actually begged my doc to take me down to something that is time released...or something but there is no way..i have been switfched up so many times on meds that it was crazy and made me crazy!!! Most of the meds the docs put me on, made me worse, depressed, lonely, anxious, psycho (as i thought) they were horrible....sleepy...moody, and worst of all ANGRY.... please for your sake and your childrens, go back and be honest, let the docs know exactly whats going on, if your constantly angry on the meds, tell them!!!! something is not right...let me ask~~~is one med, depakote?~~~ if so , get off it!!! Tell your doc NOW you want off it now!!! it tends to make people hear things and see things, it makes you almost schitzoprenic....like knife welding crazy.... get off the stuff!!! Right now I am on a combo of Celexa 40 mg, Abilify 20 mg, topamax 50x2 a day and xanax for my anxiety. which i havent had to take my xanax in a month!!!! I havent had the roller coaster of emotions in i dont know how long, and i am doing great! Yeah I get the normal nerves and moods, anger, but its the NORM..not over board, uncontrolable. Its been forvever since i spent a few days in bed because i just cant "deal" or spent the mortgage money...just because i had to have whatever..as us bi-polar people do.
In 2000 i was diagnosed, and it took till the last 2 yrs before i finally admitted i was bi-polar. TRUST ME...it takes a lot of meds to get the right "coctail" BUT there is help and HOPE at the end of the tunnel. If any of you ever need to talk please contact me, really....i have been there. I too by the grace of God have a hubby that stuck by me, when meds didnt work ,or when i went off my meds thinking I WAS FINE...i have been hospitalized too many times to count..because of insomnia, MANIA.....Depression... just no coping skills......its been a year come Feb. I have been on this coctail, and I thank God, its working. Its tough, but I am doing this. PLEASE contact me, if you need to talk.

A - posted on 01/24/2010

I have a 15 yr old son with bipolar plus others, he was diagnosed at the age of 7 with mood disorders, now is at bipolar. We have our ups and downs as a family, not sure what to do at times or how to feel about all this. Im his only advocate in his life right now. All the mothers you have children who depend on you like mine, be strong, they need your strength they can't seem to take care of themselves like they should. This is a tough journey....

Angie - posted on 01/21/2010

I'm bipolar and have ptsd. Been bipolar since I was 6 (36 years ago). I'm currently unmedicated so I can get the ptsd under control. I"m pretty emotionless when I'm medicated so I hate having to take meds.....

Beth - posted on 01/21/2010

I have Bipolar and severe anxiety. In my teens they would not diagnose me with it. After having a baby at 18, getting married at 19, and husband going back into the Army I was finally at the age of 21 somewhat diagnosed. It took 5 more years for them to say I had Bipolar. On top of that border-line personality disorder was brought into the mix. It took me 8 years to accept my mental issues. By the grace of God, my husband, and children have stuck by me every step of the way. I have also been on many meds. They found out anti-depressants were making my problems worse and some of the meds were just horrible. I have put many of my loved ones and friends through more than I most could ever imagine. I just could not control many of my actions. I would do things and then on the road to the DOWNS realize OMG did I really do that. Then the guilt sets in. My major problems were acceptance and medication. To accept who you are is the first and most important. Getting through the many different meds to find the right mix is another. I have for the past 5 years been enjoying my life. Not everyday is perfect, but having acceptance of you will help you see it is only a moment and will pass. There are warning signs to look for. Most people look at the lows as a warning sign, but with bipolar the highs are just as much of a warning. I am now being treated with ADHD meds, a mood stablizer, and anxiety meds. I don't know how any of the others have been, but with the illness when you take meds you are ultra sensitive to the side effects. That was also another problem with myself taking the meds. I have been on more than 20 different types myself.

RACHEL - posted on 01/21/2010

I suffer from horrible depression. After my car accident the Doctors put me on so many meds that I was doing myself harm. I was homicidal and suicidal. I feel for my whole family the pain I put them through. Finally I told the Dr. I didn't feel like me. So another med was tried this one made me paranoid and homicidal. My poor husband is very lucky I did not follow through on many of my impulses. I was so afraid of myself that I moved out of my home and back into my parents house and locked myself into my old room. If it were not for my husband's love I don't know if I would be alive right now. He was remarkably understanding and managed to get into that room somehow. He was able to get me to my Dr.s and get me on different meds. That made all the difference. So have faith the right mix is out there. Medicine is a fine art and getting the right mix is very hard sometimes. Remember they are messing with the brain not with bacteria. That makes things a little harder.

Christine - posted on 01/21/2010

I have was diagnosed with bi-polar a few years ago and I hate having to live the way I do. I get so angry at times and I find it very hard to control it most of the time, I have a soon to be 16 year old I feel so sorry for her because she has been trying to stuff my problems instead of trying to talk to someone. Her father who had died when she was only 6 months old had a sever case of paranoid schizophrenia.
I have found that some of the meds help sometimes for myself but not all the time I have been on probably 20 meds since diagnosed. I hate taking pills as it is but I try.. Most days I feel lost and angry, and alone. The only thing that keeps me going everyday is my daughter because I know I am all she has even though I am so screwed up.. I had a psychologist for 2 years that I really trusted and loved to go to, but I had to move to an other city and could not keep him. My DR. has sent me to a psychiatrist ( what a quack) and he has changed my meds so many times because I am starting to see things and hear things as well..
I have no supports when it comes to my family and dont have many friends at all they dont understand what I go through everyday and they think I have a weak mind and just dont want to change WELL I DO! it is very very hard to change when nothing seems to help. After the things I have done in my past and things that I still do I dont blame anyone for not wanting to be here for me. I know that I have to do this on my own but I just dont know how!! I beg of those that are just sick and tired and want to give up on those that have this shitty disorder, PLEASE do not give up on them!!!! You may be the only thing keeping them here...
My daughter will be 16 in 3 days and will be wanting to move out with in the next few years, What am I going to do when I am all alone with no one??? Hopefully the Dr's will find the meds that will help me before it is time for her to spread her wings and start her own life away from me

Jennifer - posted on 01/21/2010

I have a 15 year old teen daughter. She has always been very active and ADHD with hyper activity. She has been a handful to say the least. Now I think her behavior is moving more into bipolar because her deep mood swings from one minute to the next. Our doctor says this can happen. Anyways, all you can do is be there for her and never give up that there isn't a cure or the right medicine for her. My prayers are with you.

Bobbie - posted on 01/20/2010

I have had cousins with bi-polar and with the right meds they both live normal lives now just to get my sons girl-friend under control she has it and i hate seeing her be so mean and abuse my son he is only going on 17 and shouldn't have to deal with it

Stephanie - posted on 01/19/2010

I have a 16 year old pyzcho-affective and I myself am bipolar. It takes years and tons of medicine to get the correct cocktail of perscrtiptions. dont give up on your child if you do then who else does she have. Its not an easy road but its much harder by yourself if you turn her out what is to become of her. have a heart she has it hard enogh without knowing she hasnt got a parent that cares.

Brooke - posted on 01/18/2010

WOW Tina not to judge but WOW.... i have been living with bi-polar all my life an my mom about washed her hands of me 6 yrs ago..thank Gaw she didnt...there are the right meds out there, you just need to find the right mixtures. AND she has to want the help. So do you. I didnt wanna accept that i was bi=polar up till about 2 yrs ago....till then i was put on sooo many meds most of which made me insaine...pychotic...i mean almost murderous....i actually took a knofe a held it to my hubby throat at one pont 3 yrs ago...because of meds that were making me crazy. (depakote) I realized then holy crap!!!! I have been in and outta hosp. sionce i was 14. And got tired od hearing i was outta control....even lost my 3 older kids 6 yrs ago because of it. I wasnt putting them first. BUT i learned. Now i take a butt load of meds everyday, and have too. I spent 3 days in oct (a yr ago) in the hosp. and said screw this crap. what do i fix it...so i started a journal..of all my "roller coaster rides" as i call them..ups & downs each day....week, month...its alot..but good. LIKE right now, insomnia.... too many thoughts racing up late...took xnanx will sleep soon. "thats it". i keep it all like that...then when the week is through i can tell how i was maic or depressed or normal. this is normal. i just wake up at 3 am..i do sleep good..i just wake up early. lol.
Trina..your daughter just needs more help. TASHA.... I am on..abilify (hate the crap it makes me feel weird) celexa (no side effects but weight gain grrr) topamax (lose weight lol) lamictal (no side effects) xanax (uhmm for anxiety..u call the side effects lol) i keep a journal..i go to thereapy 1x a week, and 1x every 3 months for meds. I took charge of my bi-polar...have all my kids back. (3 went to live with thier father for 6 yrs) and had 2 in the meantime that styaed with me) wanna know more message me.... i have a lot to say...i also havea daughter who just came back from lving w her dad after 6 yrs who is bi polar..cuts and all sorts of stuff..i am better equipped to raise her...said the courts. BECAUSE i took control. :) good luck sweets

Trina - posted on 01/17/2010

My 17 year old daughter has bipolar and I am so sick of her. I have tried counseling, thousands of drugs, hospitalization and jail. Im not trying to scare you but this is reality. Mine turns 18 in 33 days and counting and Im washing my hands. I can only take so much abuse.

Kelly - posted on 01/17/2010

I have a 21 yr old daughter who is bi-bolar and shizzo-affctive. Not a lot of fun to deal with the disorders 'but i love her with all that i am and help her as much as i can.She is newly diagnosed and recently had a major setback but is doing better now !