bipolar questions

 I am bipolar and have not yet undergone surgery and am curious about how bipolars adapt.
I am mostly concerned about getting really depressed about no longer being able to eat the way I am used to. Did this happen to anyone?  If so, what would you do differently?
Also interested in how you digest your meds. I'm pretty compliant with medication, but currently am having only  a neutral reaction to them -- neither positive nor negative. Whatever you can tell me would be helpful.

It has been my observation that everyone experiences a sense of loss when they no longer have food as a coping mechanism, or when they automatically think of a certain food, and can no longer have it due to sugar or fat content.

There are coping mechanisms that many people utilize to help cope with that sense of loss, as well as the urges to self-sabotage. 

I learned my coping skills years ago in Overeaters Anonymous and still use them a lot.  My therapist also taught me some of my skills. 

If you are not in therapy, you may want to get into it, and learn breathing exercises, and other self-soothing skills to help you. 

I have no problem with my meds.  When I first had the surgery, I cut them up, but now, I take them whole.  

If you do not have an exercise program, start one now, so it is not so hard to continue with after your surgery.  Exercise is a great coping tool.  So is group support, not sure where you live, but we have tons of support here in Pennsylvania, especially the eastern side.

Trish

Hi!!!

I am a year and a half out from surgery.  I lost about 50 pounds, but have gained back about 25 pounds.  4 months after my surgery my only grandchild died, and having Bi-Polar, I did not cope with this well.  I had a total addiction transfer.  I started drinking rum and, now, a year and a half after surgery, not only did I not reach my goal weight, but I've gained back 25 pounds.  BE VERY, VERY, CAREFUL HAVING BARIATRIC SURGERY WITH BI-POLAR DISORDER. 

It's not fun and it's not recommended.  BE READY FOR AN EMOTIONAL BACKLASH.  In those completely lame and useless "diet" classes they made me take for 6 months before my surgery never once did they mention addiction transfer or anything about surgery on the mentally ill.  That would have been helpful.

I can't say that I regret my surgery, because I don't.  I still feel it's a great tool to help me with my food addiction and the obesity that resulted.  But I'm saying, just be ready for hell.

Melissa

Melissa,
I knew about transfer addiction prior to the surgery, because I was already alcoholic, and a binge eating compulsive overeater.  I gained weight when I quit drinking.  A year after my surgery, I relapsed with my AA program and gave up over six years of sobriety.  It has been a long, hellish two+ years.  I ended up in a psychiatric hospital and a rehab.  I will have six months of sobriety in less than two weeks.

I hope you are participating in a recovery program, like AA.  I could not stay sober without it.

Trish

Congratulations Trish on your sobriety!!!

I'm not really doing anything right now.  My husband takes my car keys when he leaves in the morning and sit in the apartment until her gets home at night.  I physically can not go get anything to drink...that will wor****il August when I have to go back to school.  LOL  I'm hoping by then the worst will be over.

I highly recommend checking out AA.  I could not stop drinking and stay stopped until I went there and got serious about the 12 steps.  The 12 steps deals with the emotional and spiritual issues that led to my overeating and my drinking.  In Overeaters Anonymous we used the same 12 steps, and I would return there if I did not desperately need to be in AA daily.

Here are two websites you can check out to explore the AA program.  www.aa.org  there you can read two of the books online, the AA Big Book and the AA Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions that are how we stay sober.

The other website is a Yahoo group, like this here on Obesity Help.  http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/aabeginnersclub/     I try to post there regularly.  It is for people who want to learn about AA from people in AA.


IF you are an alcoholic, it will not get better on its own.  I thought mine would, and it got worse.  I ended up in a psychiatric hospital after not taking the right dose of my meds for weeks, and abusing vicodin and drinking.  I was cutting myself and suicidal.  They sent me to rehab.  

Good luck.


Trish

 Thanks to all of you for your responses. It confirms to me what can happen to bipolars.  My big fear is that I'll resume smoking. I quit a 32 year smoking habit four years ago, with the help of Chantix and a quit smoking group.  But since then I have gained about 80 lbs. (Reall 100 but I've lost 20 preparing for surgery.)  Smoking is a really, really tough habit to break and I don't want to go back but it's been looking pretty good to me lately, if you know what I mean.  I have recently started a little exercise which has been helpful and I am in therapy and have been for a long time. Good luck to all of you. We need to support each other as it is difficult to find real understanding support elsewhere. A lot of people are encouraging me to have the surgery but I don't think they understand the fear or another crippling depression.

I would definitely address your concerns NOW in your therapy, before surgery, so you'll be ready for it.  I didn't even know addiction transfer existed!  You're right to ask questions and be wary.  Smoking a bad habit to kick!  I started smoking when I was 16, but stopped when I found out I was pregnant at 17 with my son.  Because I had such horrible morning sickness with all my kids, it wasn't hard to stop, but after my first two were born I started again, stupidly.  I finally just stopped about 6 months after my second was born, so all in all I didn't smoke that long, and it was still HARD to quit!

I wish you much luck and I'm so glad you're investigating!  I sure wish I would have!

Melissa

Thank you Trish,
what you say is so right.  I have been skipping my evening dose of meds for months because I won't take them when I'm drinking (for obvious reasons) and now that I'm not drinking I'm ALL screwed up.  I'm just crying and angry for no reason.  It's good that all my kids are grown up and out of the house, I'm even losing patience with my dog!

I've never been in a psy hosp, though I should have by now.  I too, have cut myself and tried suicide several times.  My husband takes really good care of me..I just have to keep busy.  I'm okay during school because I have so much to do.  Who'd think that I am an honor student in college...I'm way messed up.

Melissa

 Melissa,


I would strongly urge you to resume your meds now that you have quit drinking.  I forgot my morning meds Saturday and had an absolutely terrible day and night. I was up all the next night, took a double dose, Sunday morning, and was fine when I woke up later in the day.   

Tonight I went to the mandatory education meeting at the hospital (the final one before surgery). It kind of hit me how close this is and that I have to take this seriously. I am tired of feeling terrible and hope it will help if I have the surgery. (knees hurt...and I just don't feel right weighing over 300 and being just 5'4."

It was also my birthday Monday. The big 5-0.  Thanks again for your input!