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Need help understanding

Unknown userMember25 July 2017, 10:51 am AEST

Need help understanding

I have been diagnosed with bipolar for a few years and not yet had success with any form of medication.

I saw a new specialist the other week to help my GP get me on a treatment plan. I saw my doctor the other day who agrees with the treatment plan from my new specialist and he handed me over the specialist notes for me to read.

I read them and realised I have never been diganoused as bipolar 1 or 2. The specialist wrote I definitely have bipolar and I'm showing symptoms of bipolar 1 that rapid cycles.

I've been trying to read articles about what's the difference is and how this effects me and why I am me. But I literally can not understand the doctor lingo talk. If someone can explain it in plan 5th grade English to me I would really appreciate it.

19 replies

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In response to: Need help understanding

Unknown userMember25 July 2017, 9:47 pm AEST

Re: Need help understanding

In response to: Need help understanding

redheadedSenior Contributor25 July 2017, 9:57 pm AEST

Re: Need help understanding

@Former-Member my understanding is bipolar1 has bigger mania.

In response to: Need help understanding

Unknown userMember25 July 2017, 10:03 pm AEST

Re: Need help understanding

@redheaded I haven't spoken to you in a while. How are things? I hope better then last time. Have you been doing anything interesting?

In response to: Need help understanding

redheadedSenior Contributor25 July 2017, 10:09 pm AEST

Re: Need help understanding

@Former-Member I'm currently technically homeless so I've been trying to organise a few things. I still have no idea where I'm going to live. And I've managed to stay out of hospital for a week so I guess that's good. Though tonight I'm not coping. Anyway enough about me.
How are you?

In response to: Need help understanding

Unknown userMember25 July 2017, 10:26 pm AEST

Re: Need help understanding

@redheaded do you have anywhere to sleep? Do you have friends or family that can take you in? Are you with anyone at the moment?

That's great you been out of hospital for a week. I know how much you hate it. Must be a good feeling to be out of the place even though other things are hard.

My life has been borning. A few ups a few downs but feeling steady at the moment which for some reason sets off my anxiety. Just been working heaps and trying to set more schedules in my life.

In response to: Need help understanding

redheadedSenior Contributor25 July 2017, 10:33 pm AEST

Re: Need help understanding

I'm at a mates tonight @Former-Member

In response to: Need help understanding

Unknown userMember25 July 2017, 10:39 pm AEST

Re: Need help understanding

That's good your at a mates. Hopefully you can watch something interesting on Netflix. I'm going through Gilmore Girls for the billionth time lol.

In response to: Need help understanding

Eden1919Senior Contributor25 July 2017, 11:03 pm AEST

Re: Need help understanding

@Former-Member what part of the doctor lingo are you confused about specifically?

I have been diagnosed with bipolar 1 and the difference is mostly the duration/length of the episode. so for bipolar 1 you have full manic eposides and depressive episodes and the manic episode has to last for 1 week or more and the depressive episode has to last for at least 2 weeks or more. you can also have hypomanic episodes in bipolar 1. hypomanic episodes are a lesser form of mania so basically it is not as severe and intense as full blown mania is. you can also have a mixed episode in bipolar one which has features of both mania and depression at the same time.

bipolar 2 has hypomanic and depressive episodes and NO manic episodes. the episodes often dont last at long either and the hypomania may only last for a few days or even a few hours. the depressive episodes can last a little longer though like a week of 2 i am pretty sure. bipolar 2 is a less intense version of the disorder and also you dont get psychosis in bipolar 2 you only get psychosis in bipolar 1.

rapid cycling is when you go from depressed to manic really quickly it can happen in day or hours and it is like swinging from one extreem to the other but really quickly.

i hope that made sense if it didnt feel free to let me know and i will try and explain it differently.

In response to: Need help understanding

Unknown userMember25 July 2017, 11:30 pm AEST

Re: Need help understanding

Thank you for your reply. Basicky don't understand any of it.

What do you mean by mixed episode? Is that when I'm flying high but so empty at the same time?

Is it comon to be a rapid cycler and have Bipolar 1 as B1 generally is longer stints of episodes?

In response to: Re: Need help understanding

Eden1919Senior Contributor25 July 2017, 11:40 pm AEST

Re: Need help understanding

@Former-Member ok sorry it is kind of hard to explain. hmmm so a mixed episode is when you are having some symptoms of mania and some symptoms of severe depression at the same time so that could mean you are either really irritable and have pressured speech (when you talk really fast) and racing thoughts but at the same time you might feel sad and empty and worthless and be really suicidal. so yes when you say you are "flying high but empty inside" that could be a mixed episode. when i have had them in the past normally i feel like i am both happy and sad at the same time and i feel like dancing and singing but i could also burst into tears at any given moment. mixed episodes are complicated and hard to explain.

and i dont know if it is common or not but it is certainly possible to have BP1 and be a rapid cycler. normally if you have ever had a full blown manic episode you are diagnosed as having BP1 but that doesnt mean you cant rapid cycle.

is there anything else you didnt understand like any terms or anything that you want me to clarify? or any other questions?

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