What are the symptoms of Bipolar Disorder and is Lithium the best medication?

6 Comments

1. gurlieak says:

   May 26, 2010 at 9:30 am

   The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities and guarantees equal opportunities for individuals with disabilities in employment, transportation, public accommodations, state and local government services, and telecommunications. Two sections of the ADA relate to employment:

   Title I: Employment prohibits covered employers from discriminating against people with disabilities in all employment-related activities, including hiring, pay, benefits, firing and promotions. Covered employers include private businesses, educational institutions, employment agencies, labor organizations, and state and local government entities with 15 or more employees.
2. smartypants909 says:

   May 26, 2010 at 10:28 am

   Symptoms include manic highs which are a feeling of euphoria, deep depression, impulsive behaviors like shopping, gambling, and reckless behavior, feeling out of control. Lithium is only one of many medications out there, and not always the best one. My daughter went through many different meds before finding the right combination of three drugs, Depakote, Wellbutrin, and Paxil. Now she is just on Wellbutrin for the depression, but it something you should discuss in great detail with your doctor. And yes, it can make it hard to hold a job if not under control.
3. kat12 says:

   May 26, 2010 at 10:32 am

   You dont have to tell your employer that you have bipolar but I got to the point that I was missing so much work that I had to say something. So I would say hold off on that one and get a feel for what your boss would be like with something like that. I am on lithium and it definitely reigned me in or rather gave me a smaller box to jump back and forth in. Its not for everyone so you will have to discover with the help of your doc what works best. As for the symptoms there can be depression that flips over to mania where you need less sleep and talk faster do everything faster and engage in certain activites that would create the most stimulation such as sex, drinking or shopping sprees. Just remember the bipolar thing is just a label and everyone is different.
4. julie m says:

   May 26, 2010 at 11:07 am

   You shouldn’t have to tell your employer that you are bi-polar. It is legally none of their business.

   That being said…bi-polar people are often not consistent with their medication and it may be evident to your employer that you have ‘problems’ if you do not work closely with your doctor and take your medication faithfully. You have to treat your disorder as if it is merely another simple condition that you have to take daily medicine for, such as high blood pressure or diabetes. Statistics show that more often than not, people with bi-polar disorder do not consistently take their medication, which is the whole key to overcoming the disorder. If you are faithfully taking your medication and it’s not working, talk to your doctor about changing it until you find one that works.

   As a former friend to two different bi-polar people, I cannot stress to you how important it is that you take your medication and regulate your disorder. Whatever side effects you have from regularly taking your medicine are a small price to pay to help your friendships and working relationships remain healthy, and intact. For that matter, you doctor can help you fine tune your medication so that your side affects are not as severe or even noticable.

   You need the relationships around you, and if you do not control your disorder you will alienate yourself, I promise. This will absolutely affect your ability to hold down a job and keep friends. Which is why you often see people with bi-polar disorder have such shattered lives. You don’t have to live this way, if you commit to faithfully treating your disorder.
5. Susas says:

   May 26, 2010 at 11:44 am

   Yes to all but the Lithium. Lithium used to be used more, but there are now better medications. Bipolar has to do with extreme highs and lows and risky behavior. It is illegal to discriminate, but employers do it anyway.
6. Khadijah W says:

   May 26, 2010 at 11:50 am

   The symptoms of bpd are different in each individual. A list can be found in Webmd, and other good medical sites. Lithium is a very controversial medication. Today people with bpd have many choices, that can be made with your psychiatrist. Basically will be on a trial and error kind of way. Some medications might work for me and not for you. I have been in different medications. Good ones, and real bad ones. Having side effects that affected my heart and/or gave me diabetes. You and your doctor will be able to choose what is right for you.
   Bpd can affect the way you perform your work. I have a dual diagnose which makes it even harder to hold a job, concentrate and at times keep awake. Some employers are very sympathetic about your conditions and some others don’t have a choice but to keep you because they are afraid of going trough a law suit under the disability act.
   The more people is inform, the least we will get discriminated.
   Here is a good book that every one that suffers from bpd should have and read; “THE UNQUIET MIND.” by Dr. Kay Ridfield Jamison. Is like the bible for bpd. It help me trough some rough patches. I hope everything works well, keep in touch.