Physical Changes in Your Body with Hypomania?

[unionmary]

Question to all who have suffered and do suffer hypomanias, slight or otherwise.

"do you experience any physical change in your body?" while hypomanic.

I am one who professes to be cured of my bipolar, lol. Have not swung moods of a drastic sort for almost 3 years. Tinges, and right now I am having a tinge, of hypomania.

Well my symptoms have become physical, least some of them. Top of my list is sleep disorder, which I am sure any bipolar can relate to. I have solved that problem with a prescription for Lorazepam 1mg. taken as required. I hate prescrips, but sometimes there is a need. My body needs its rest.

Hardening and rapid growth of my fingernails. Now isn't this a weird one? I am sure their growth triples when i am feeling at all hypomanic.

Swelling of my ankles and feet. I take a water pill, well actually a very high dosage of water pills, all the time, but i find it is totally ineffective when i am in the throes of mania.

....and at the moment, this is all that springs to mind.

Anyone else who is experiencing some physical symptoms while manic, I would be interested to know.

 

[Andy]

Your finger nails rapidly growing is weird. Do you maybe get in more vitamins when your hypo, eat better? Weird. The body does some weird things. lol

I don't notice anything other then the usual sleep,energy,weight loss etc. I guess I do get really dry gross looking lips because I forget or don't bother drinking enough, unless of course it's alcohol then I seem to remember. lol I don't do that often though because I get completely careless and dangerous because all I want to do is partyyyyy, have fun and I am everybody's friend and they are mine. That was somewhat safe in my hometown but I have put myself in some bad situations in the big old city.

There was a bit of a ramble for you. Just for fun. (my new source of fun)

 

[unionmary]

did you get a chance to read my big long bipolar story STP. I found myself in the same sort of trouble, back in my inexperienced days of this wretched illness.

I can now recognize my signs and have my coping strategies....and if all else fails, can go back on meds i guess.

Yes, there is a will and with it, a way. I shall be well!!

 

[Andy]

That's good unionmary.
I didn't read your bipolar story. It was a little long and my attention span and concentration are slim to none. I will get to it one day when I can concentrate better, I just have no idea when that will be. It will happen though. lol

Maybe I could go off my meds too? Would be nice. :2thumbs:

 

[unionmary]

Yah that would be nice!

 

[David Baxter PhD]

Maybe I could go off my meds too? Would be nice. :2thumbs:

Yah that would be nice!

No, it probably wouldn't be nice. What you remember are the "pleasant" parts of bipolar disorder, the energy, the highs, the hypomanic or manic parts. But don't forget the other side of that - the terrible dark suicidal crashes that are always an inevitable sequel.

 

[Andy]

I hear you. I just was wondering if maybe like unionmary I too could go off my meds and "be cured" and feel fine because you never know when it could happen unless you see. It would be cool not to ave to deal with side effects anymore, especially like right now with my weight.

 

[David Baxter PhD]

As I said earlier, you're not really ever "cured" with bipolar disorder, in my opinion. It may just go into a sort of hibernation for a period of time in certain people.

 

[Andy]

Do you ever feel like your constantly repeating yourself? lol I do remember you writing that now. Wishful thinking. I can hear myself trying to talk myself into it when should no better. Maybe I could hibernate?

Speaking of medication, I don't suppose I could get ideas/thoughts on what I should do with a situation my psychiatrist put me in(well not really). I am on all these meds and I may have found a decent combination. Decent to everyone else that is. I mean it's ok for me I am just not happy with the side effects, weight gain,no energy,no concentration. I have had my dad and a couple Dr.s and my friend tell me they like this combination. The weight gain is not good, especially for someone with eating issues. I am not just whining about a couple pounds, my pants do not fit. My dr. gave me a lower dose of the one medication and left it up to me to decide whether I wanted to come off that med or not. Miss indecisive. If I stay on the med I am likely to get back even more so into my bad behaviours eating wise. If I go off the med, I am afraid I will risk having people not like me again and I am afraid we will be back on this decade old journey of finding the "perfect" cocktail.
Is this a stupid "issue". I mean I don't want anyone to say suck it up and be fat. I can do that no problem but that means bad health.

 

[unionmary]

I have battled with weight issues all my life,,,,my hypoactive thyroid (or hyper? it is lacking) has a lot to do with it, i suppose. Add in the psychotropic drugs (weight gainers) and bingo,,,i am overweight. I go through spurts where I try to take it off, but I am limited in what I can do for exercise...arthritis, right hip.

I must sound like a real whiner eh, I am not really. I turned 40 and my health fell apart. That is why in my mind i am 39 forever!!!

Going off my medications was a choice my doctor and i made together, and so far it has been good. You don't know until you try, you are right there, and I accept that I may have to return to them someday. But I also believe i have gotten better at dealing with my illness in my own mind. It doesn't seem as severe any more. Doesn't control me, i control it.

Keep plugging away STP

 

[Andy]

When am I going to be better at dealing with my illness in my mind. I mean I think I am good. Maybe things wouldn't be so bad if I didn't have to deal with side effects because that is what usually messes with me. :rant::sorry:

 

[NicNak]

Going off my medications was a choice my doctor and i made together, and so far it has been good. You don't know until you try, you are right there, and I accept that I may have to return to them someday. But I also believe i have gotten better at dealing with my illness in my own mind. It doesn't seem as severe any more. Doesn't control me, i control it.

It may have been OK for you in this situation while consulting with your doctor, but cannot be considered as advice for everyone, as everyone's medical history, needs and motivations are different.

 

[Daniel E.]

Also, in addition to the typical advice about trying a different medication, there is this info about adding Metformin when taking an antipsychotic medication, at least if dietary changes (like those recommended by a dietician) and changes in exercise (like getting a personal trainer) do not help enough:

http://forum.psychlinks.ca/schizoph...ght-gain-with-antipsychotic-medicatiions.html

http://forum.psychlinks.ca/dieting-...ight-gain-from-antipsychotic-medications.html

 

[unionmary]

Indeed they are NicNac,,,,i was not providing advice,,,just sharing my experience

 

[Chain Lightning]

Well I'm real late in replying to this thread but for what its worth:

Manic: I feel stronger, I can lift more weight and stuff. My stomach can handle eating more of a variety of foods than normal and they don't bother me. Very high pain/cold/heat tolerance. The biggest change physically would be my sex drive I have to say.