Shrink Appt.. & Comments FIXED!
Posted by ivy | Under Ivy Unleashed Friday Jun 29, 2007So I had a shrink appt yesterday.. It actually went well.. I was completely honest with him and for the first time ever had a decent conversation with a shrink and didnt mind it so much. He told me alot of what I already knew and very little of what I didnt.. He said I have trust issues, control issues and needed to let go of some things. Of course I knew I had those issues.. but when he asked me for a plan to let go of things.. I laughed.. I dont knwo how to let go of my trust issues or my control. I cant let go of my control. And I cant let go of the past.. I’ve tried.. I dont know how.. And I dont know how to bring the walls down that i’ve spent years building up.. But he said we’d work on that.. He put me on risperdal. and since $ is an issue.. He said he’d cut back on his office visit fees for me.. WOO HOO!
he said a big part of this is accepting that this is part of who I am and that i’ll always have this. BUT that it doesnt have to be a bad part of me. That I have to choose how to handle it. He agreed with every other dr i’ve seen.. I’m bipolar…lol no big surprise there.. However.. He agreed with me.. 100% I do not require antidepressants and when my other dr was putting me on them it was only making me worse.. The other dr insisted that they were not making me worse. That I infact needed a stronger dosage.. I was NOT depressed! I was manic! So anyhow thats a small update.. I’m still trying to absorb everything that was said..
Do you guys do that? After an appt.. Take a while to take in everything that was discussed? and keep going over it in your head?
I had made a stupid error in my coding that messed up commenting.. Error is fixed.. Comments should work..
Yes, Ivy, it takes time to digest all that is said in a session with your psychiatrist very often — especially if he is a good one! Great that he is taking you off the antidepressants if you are manic. It has long been a matter of concern putting us bipolar folks on them for the very reason that it can bring on mania.
I am not on any antidepressant either. I am on a couple of antipsychotics for mania: Geodon and Abilify.
I will tell you something you might find interesting. Awhile back I went through a long period of depression and no antidepressant was helping. Finally, I asked my regular doctor when he told me that my thyroid was testing low normal..if we couldn’t up the dose of my medication because I was so lethargic and depressed. He agreed and
upped my Levothyroxin to 88 mcg one day and 100 mcg the next alternating daily. Well, within a week, the lethargy was gone, and I started to lose weight. I had gained up to 180 over the past two years with the meds.
Over six months I lost a lot of the weight and today I weigh 125 and I haven’t had the lethargy and depression since. He has cut the dose back to a straight 88 mcg now and I am now losing anymore. My level is at a
high normal. I’m just telling you this because you seem to be interested in learning about how the disorder works. Thyroid can have an affect on mood.
I’m glad you are going to start working on chopping down the walls. It’s hard. You’ve had them there for protection all your life. It’s a matter of building trust and that doesn’t always come easily. Sounds like you have a great doc. and he’s right, we don’t have to let being bipolar define our life. We just have to learn how to live with it. It’s taken me since
1993 but I found a good doc and therapist in 2002 and in the last five years I’ve found good
stability. So know that life can be good once you find that balance. If I can help, let me know. my email is michelecampbell@kingwoodcable.net. Michele
Usually if I am feeling depressed, my thyroid is off! I start to feel lethargic and gain weight. and sure enough, it will be low. I am on Levothyroxin for that. I lost a lot of weight over a period of six months once we discovered that and a state of depression that wouldn’t be helped by any antidepressant went away once on the thyroid medication.
Yes, I analyze every single thing said during my appt’s. It sounds like you have a good doctor!
I have a lot of the same issues that you do, and I guess it just becomes part of you? Maybe it is more of how you deal with it? It sounds like you have a wonderful doctor who is willing to work on it with you.
Good luck, Ivy, you’re taking great steps in the right direction! Keep us posted on your new medication!
I’m really glad that going to see the “shrink” is helping. I’ve been seeing a counselor for several years now and I don’t think I’d ever not go even if I feel fantastic
I”m glad your comments are working again too!
btw i have a new blog
http://cavaland.blogspot.com/
The hard part about anything related to what you’re going through is that doctors continue to misdiagnose and/or mistreat what the problem really is. My Ex was diagnosed as being bi-polar, but it took about 10 doctors before one realized it — one even said he was epilectic and had him on meds for it!