bipolar 1

[oh crap]

lmao @ people still losing sleep over zak's mental health or lack thereof. don't understand why anyone gives a . dude is bat crazy and i promise, i will not lose one second of sleep over it. you're all playin' yourselves.

[koriwhat]

what the are you talking about you lttle got? I'm trying to be helpful, only a naive little like you would see it differently.

of all people, you calling me a got? hahaha!

What the are you talking about?

This is rambling nonsense. Have a little education in Psychology before blathering randomly about a subject. Bipolar disorder is a very serious medical condition that more often than not requires treatment, and research has indicated that modern medication can be extremely effective in allowing an individual to regain control of their life where they had none.

You don't know anything about bigzak's psychiatrist, but that doesn't seem to stop you from making assumptions.

it wasn't a bunch of rambling. maybe bigzak's psych is a money hungry prescription writing fool, i mean it's not out of the norm these days. i agree his best bet is to stay medicated but if the medication is making him feel uneasy in his own skin then it might have to do with how much he's taking and what he's taking. maybe the psych hasn't explored every avenue with zak.

if yall could stop being a bunch of dip s for a minute just because i post a reply then maybe you'd understand what i am getting at. whether or not i explained myself too vaguely is no cause to torch me. ask me simply what i am getting at and i will kindly respond.

[Darrin]

lmao @ people still losing sleep over zak's mental health or lack thereof. don't understand why anyone gives a . dude is bat crazy and i promise, i will not lose one second of sleep over it. you're all playin' yourselves.

I agree with your message, not your fervor. If he wants to fly solo without his meds, good luck, but it's going to be a bumpy trip.

[TimothyLeary]

I agree with your message, not your fervor. If he wants to fly solo without his meds, good luck, but it's going to be a bumpy trip.

Been on a few bumpy trips myself.

[Darrin]

Been on a few bumpy trips myself.

Me as well. It's not fun and you're left wondering, when it's all done, what the you were thinking! This disease sucks.

[TimothyLeary]

Croutons! Tossin knowledge around. I agree with everything you said 100%. unfortunately, though, unhealthy people don't want to hear any of it

Health nuts are also full of their own .

[boutons_deux]

Unhealthy nuts get sick early, go broke, and die young. GFY

[CosmicCowboy]

Unhealthy nuts get sick early, go broke, and die young. GFY

So the most bitter, angry, and potentially postal guy on SpursTalk is a health nut?

[Bipolar Bob]

In all seriousness...Bipolar disorder is not the same as any regular anxiety disorder that you can use cognitive therapy to work through. Most true bipolars cannot just make a manic episode go away and they are often unpredictable.

So true. Everyday my mood is like a box of chocolates for me. I never know what I'm gonna get.

[thispego]

Health nuts are also full of their own .

there's a difference between being healthy and being a health nut

[thispego]

of all people, you calling me a got? hahaha!

I also called you a naive little . No argument there, huh?

[Cry Havoc]

it wasn't a bunch of rambling. maybe bigzak's psych is a money hungry prescription writing fool, i mean it's not out of the norm these days.

It's widely exaggerated by the media. I agree that meds are over-prescribed but I would also argue that since most people aren't forced to go to psychiatrists, they go because they expect something wrong to be found with them and they usually expect to get meds to "fix" whatever little niggling problem they have.

It's completely disingenuous to suggest that a psychiatrist who goes to school for a minimum of 8 years to earn a Ph.D would risk his license and his practice to essentially become a brand-name advocate. Do you realize how phenomenally stupid over-prescribing psychotropic medication is? Bi-polar disorder isn't like depression, you don't toss a handful of Zoloft at a patient and figure it's no big deal if they overdose.

i agree his best bet is to stay medicated but if the medication is making him feel uneasy in his own skin then it might have to do with how much he's taking and what he's taking. maybe the psych hasn't explored every avenue with zak.

Or maybe his doctor finds it difficult to accurately prescribe medication to a patient who's so resistant to taking it. Maybe bigzak hasn't exactly been dependable with his meds, so it's nearly impossible to get any kind of scientific evaluation on how a particular drug is affecting his system because there is no pattern to the doses that are in his system. Maybe he IS struggling to find the right medication and dosage and needs the OP to cooperate so together they can find something that will help his symptoms while not giving him the above side-effects. The point is, you don't ing know, but you'll be damned if you let that stop you from tossing your unfounded, uneducated opinion into the ring to be read by someone who's making a life-altering decision, one way or another.

if yall could stop being a bunch of dip s for a minute just because i post a reply then maybe you'd understand what i am getting at. whether or not i explained myself too vaguely is no cause to torch me. ask me simply what i am getting at and i will kindly respond.

You offered an extremely strongly worded opinion (your shrink is nuts) without valid pretext or any kind of educational background, and making a "vague" statement about whether or not a person should continue taking psychotropic medication is only slightly better than telling someone they don't need to take their dialysis medication. Individuals with bipolar disorder are a suicide risk. They behave in unpredictable, often menacing ways when they are in the mania stage of the disorder. It essentially frees their mind of action-consequential thought.

You get your panties in a bunch when someone bashes an Apple computer without using one, and yet you think it's okay to comment on medical issues when you haven't even taken a single class in Psychology or general medicine? Are you really that stupid?

[mrsmaalox]

The "just get healthy" advice is damn good advice but realistically, even for a healthy, motivated, 100% clearly thinking and reasoning person, is going to take a long time. Probably a much longer time than he can spare in the mental state he is in right now.

The meds may take a while to reach full effect and may need quite a bit of adjustment but will get his mind to a more reasonable state sooner. With any psychiatric med, if you are feeling dulled or not normal, you are on the wrong med or dose; need to work aggressively and frequently with your provider.

The medications don't need to be permanent. He can use them now to get to a more stable mental state where he can actually be capable of making the commitment to improve his health. In his current mental state, he won't be able to maintain the changes he needs to make. With the help of the meds, optimal health is a reasonable goal.

[mrsmaalox]

Or maybe his doctor finds it difficult to accurately prescribe medication to a patient who's so resistant to taking it. Maybe bigzak hasn't exactly been dependable with his meds, so it's nearly impossible to get any kind of scientific evaluation on how a particular drug is affecting his system because there is no pattern to the doses that are in his system. Maybe he IS struggling to find the right medication and dosage and needs the OP to cooperate so together they can find something that will help his symptoms while not giving him the above side-effects.

I believe this is most likely the scenario in this case.

My husband is a psychiatrist, so of course I tend to give them the benefit of doubt But from my personal experience as a nurse (not in psych), psychiatric patients are the most difficult patients to stabilize in any health related situation because they are unreliable medication takers/reporters/follow-ups.

[clambake]

hopefully he doesn't spray a mcdonalds.

[marini martini]

IMOHO I think at this point, the almighty dollar has a lot to do with it. If I remember correctly, Zac lost his insurance when he lost his job. These meds. can be quite costly if you have to pay out of pocket. Unless he gets on medicare, he will have a hard time paying for the physchiatric help he so desperately needs.

Sadly there are many like him in our great nation with mental disabilities, that cannot get the help they need due to lack of insurance and/or money.

At this point, the only recourses would be to go to an ER, and tell them you need psych. help as you feel you are in danger to yourself or others.

Good luck & God bless, bro.

[JoeChalupa]

Whatever help Bigzak needs I hope he finds it. I was given Xanax and Effexor when I had some panic attacks after I had my toe removal surgery. I never took the Xanax and only took the Effexor for a few days and then I felt a "release" so to speak one day and I told the Dr I was going to stop taking the Effexor. He told me to keep the Xanax handy just incase. Been good ever since and have even laid off the hippie lettuce. I just don't let things that I cannot control bother me.

I wish you all the best Bigzak!!

[JoeChalupa]

I've been eating healthier since I was diagnosed as Diabetes II but I'm far from being a health nut. Smaller meals is what I do.

[FuzzyLumpkins]

With any psychiatric med, if you are feeling dulled or not normal, you are on the wrong med or dose.

Not if he is delusional with a worsening state. This goes beyond spending too much money and not being able to sleep. He is delusional with a condition that is worsening. You combine psychosis, religious fanaticism, and the not so wonderful attributes of manic, mixed and depressive states and what do you have?

[FuzzyLumpkins]

IMOHO I think at this point, the almighty dollar has a lot to do with it. If I remember correctly, Zac lost his insurance when he lost his job. These meds. can be quite costly if you have to pay out of pocket. Unless he gets on medicare, he will have a hard time paying for the physchiatric help he so desperately needs.

Sadly there are many like him in our great nation with mental disabilities, that cannot get the help they need due to lack of insurance and/or money.

At this point, the only recourses would be to go to an ER, and tell them you need psych. help as you feel you are in danger to yourself or others.

Good luck & God bless, bro.

The ones that they pimp on TV, abilify and seroquel, are still under patent. The rest are not.

[The Reckoning]

toe removal surgery

pics or it didnt happen

[marini martini]

The ones that they pimp on TV, abilify and seroquel, are still under patent. The rest are not.

The psych. visit starts @ $275. here in SA, out of pocket without insurance.

[FuzzyLumpkins]

The psych. visit starts @ $275. here in SA, out of pocket without insurance.

Not all doctors charge the same and I know for a fact that there are ones that are significantly less.

[Oh, Gee!!]

life must be one long rollercoaster ride in casa de bigzak

[mrsmaalox]

I fully realize the financial hardships faced by a huge amt of people. But financial considerations have yet to be mentioned by the OP in any of his mental health related threads so it's hard to say if that is a factor here.

And if it is financial, honesty with the doc should be the first course of action. There are many, many drugs out there, not just the ones with tv commercials. Ever seen a PDR or hospital formulary? Those things are as big as a house! Confide in your doc that financially/ insurance wise you can't afford it and an alternative can usually be found.

Most of my nursing career took place at the county hospital in El Paso; 80% indigent population at that time. Treatment and drugs are available to anyone. At least to anyone who is cooperative and willing to take responsibility for their own health. Why don't more pursue these avenues? Because it's not convenient. It often requires spending your day camped out at hospital pharmacies or endless appts with social workers. People aren't willing to do that. It's easier to wait until the next crisis and get on the spot attention. People always tend to choose convenience even at the risk of their own health care.

Sorry if this rambling but I'm posting from my phone and i can't review it clearly