News of Bipolar Disorder Forum

I know that increased appetite is one of the side effects of depakote. So it is the increased appetite causing a person to eat more that causes weight gain and not the medicine itself, right?

If so, can a person just not eat more than usual and be ok? Like, set up a specific portion for each meal and not eat anymore than that? And by increased appetite, what does that entail? Your stomach growls ...

I was just diagnosed as bipolar today and was put on depakote. I don't want to take it. I've read that weight gain is a side effect and I have worked very hard to lose weight after having a baby and don't want to gain any back. Is it bad to refuse medication? I mean, am I going to get worse?

I am a college student and recently decided to drop my current classes because ...

Hi. I don't think i've posted on this forum before. I have schizophrenia, so i mostly post on that forum. Anyways, i'm just interested to learn more about other mental conditions, like bipolar disorder. I've done some of my own research on it, so i know the symptoms and such, but i was wondering if there is a general feelings involved in Bipolar. What i mean is, with schizophrenia, i feel a lot like i ...

My wife and I have been married for 4 years and been together for 6. We have two wonderfull kids age 3 and 7 months. Back when we where dating and first married she used to have small episodes of what I called Dr. Jenkle and Mr. Hide, where her eyes would suddenly loose it's sparkle and she would go off on some subject and become angry. That kind of went away after my daughter ...

Through recent years I have become concerned with my younger sisters behavior. She gets very irrational and cannot control her emotions. She can go from one of the emotional spectrum to another in a short period of time. I am attempting to learn as much as possible to see if this seems to be a symptom of something. She seems to be growing more and more irrational in her behavior with others. For example, she ...

Hey all. I need to know whether there are members out there who have a recommendation for a good doctor here in Nashville, Tennessee for bipolar treatment.

Your advice will be greatly appreciated.

do any of you guys know any ways in tell parents that that i need to see a doctor with out saying what wrong.

What is the most difficult symptom you have to deal with , with bipolar? I know there may be more than one, if so feel free to write, other .Such as if you are the caregiver or a family member of someone diagnosed with bipolar. Or if you want to chose more than one. You can chose to remain annoymous by not logging in to answer, or to post.
Thank you,

ddee

The definitions given below are from Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, 1994 (American Psychiatric Association, 1400 K Street NW, Suite 1101, Washington, DC 20005-2403 USA).

Bipolar I Disorder--Diagnostic Features (DSM-IV, p. 350)
The essential feature of Bipolar I Disorder is a clinical course that is characterized by the occurrence of one or more Manic Episodes or Mixed Episodes. Often individuals have also had one or more Major Depressive Episodes. Episodes of ...

hi, ive posted here b4. i dont have a username, but i go by fatryan. im bipolar I and in the process of finding the right meds. after trying basically every med, ive landed on geodon to control my manic episodes. it seems to work. ive been doing really bad lately with the depression side of my disorder and recently started taking wellbutrin xl again. ive noticed though, that every time i eat anything, i ...