Hi all,
I was here a while ago before I moved back overseas, and now I'm back. I actually tried to post while I was away but psychforums just gave a big "Your IP address is banned" every time. Seems to have been for that particular country!
I had my first definite manic episode while I was away, complete with hallucinations and extreme paranoia. I absolutely terrified myself and I still don't know what was real and what wasn't about a lot of it.
I ended up hospitalised overseas, followed by a hospitalisation when I got home. Everyone seemed to have a different idea of what to do. Overseas the first thing they did was inject me with clozipane (the doctors back home were very upset about that). I had lost my meds and couldn't be sure I'd been taking them properly anyway (lamictal).
Once I was home they put me on Seroquel (GP) for a few days, then another admission with no meds (I think) for a few days, and finally I got transferred to a private facility with a psychiatrist who put me on lithium 500mg and risperidone 2mg.
I was pretty messed up prior to that, and really I should have come home sooner. It was a 2 month downhill spiral. Since I got home I've been in a state of depression ever since, and just can't find enjoyment in anything.
Then all of a sudden today I had a little "burst" of enjoyment. The nicotine arrived for my e cigarettes. I had been smoking up to 3 packs a day prior to my admission, but generally I'd classify myself as a pack (16) a day smoker. After my admission I haven't had a cigarette which is 2 and a half months ago.
I know it's a backwards move to pick up ecigs after I've been off smokes for so long, but I've put on so much weight as I've swapped smoking for eating. I'm just a bit shocked though at the profound effect it's had on my mood (at least in the short term). Can anyone else relate to this?
Also do you think it's still true about the link in bipolar disorder and smoking? I've seen figures up to 90% of sufferers being smokers but I can't see that being the case. My support group has I think one smoker out of about ten. My country has a particularly harsh stance against smoking however.