Bipolar & LL??

[Blonde Logic]

Hi Allan

Sorry your wife suffers from MD. She's lucky to have you to help support her. My partner of 2 years had MD, but he kept it well hidden until he moved in with me. It came as quite a shock - I was ill prepared for the life my life became as he spent most of his time in the dark side. I could not spot it coming like you can - and it would catch me unawares, and it was dreadful. He slef medicateed with Marijuana as well, which is about the worse thing he could have been doing. He was all over the show.

By then end of 2 years, I was pretty convinced that MD was contagious, (joking) but because when I got out of the relationship, my head was at an all time low as well.....it was scary.

Good luck everyone. xx

 

[Starlit_Cazza]

Funny isn't it, once you come out and talk about something, you find people all around you who either also have something, or have personal experience of living/working with people with it.

I have suffered from depression on and off over the last 10 years+ probably longer. Took me until my 3rd major bout to actually confront the issues that were making me so low, and I finally saw a counsellor and a psychologist and it did help me alot. Fortunately since my first major bout, I have been able to recognise in myself the difference between "a bit low" and "oh crap better get some help"

Fortunately I know that a few months of anti-depressants now will pull me out of a slump, and I just need to ride the storm for a few weeks while they kick in...

Anyway, point is, when I had the bad third bout I was working in a Community Mental Health Team (Im actually a mental health nurse by trade). Anyway was having a chat with a colleague and happened to mention I had been a bit down and had started on anti-depressants. She asked me which ones and then said "oh yeah they are the ones I take too." It then transpired that every member of the team was, or had recently been, on one anti-depressant or another!

 

[babs11]

i take citalopram for anxiety/ depression and it wasnt an issue in me doing the ll diet.
all the best, be kind to yourself.

 

[lynnwilliams]

There is a woman in my group with bipolar so it must be fine
Goodluck
xxxx

 

[That's_So_Fetch]

Hi all, thank you for all your support and sharing your expeiences. I hope you're all doing well and you're well and happy.

Sorry for the late reply but i have been so stressed this week with trying to sort out my course for university and generally feeling abit low. So have been out and about and keeping myself busy.

As for LL, i went to see the Practice Nurse on Thursday Morning without the LL form (it hadnt arrived yet ) and the nurse contacted the health team and enquired about if i could do the diet. Unfortunatley it turned out that i cannot do the diet because of the medication i am on. She said its nothing got to do with me being Bipolar and the effect it will have on my health but about the drugs. I was very dissapointed at this and thought of maybe asking my GP to look into it but then i thought theres no point.

Anyway, i will be ringing my local LLC on monday as she said i could be eligable for a new programmes for a lower BMI or something like that, i cant remember.

But i am thinking i will be back to CD on Tuesday. I dont mind but i am very determined to stick to it because i really want to celebrate my birthday this year instead of not bothering. I may not be starting university untill January (not sure yet) so i will have a nice break to sit at home and do CD.

Anyway, i am still dissapointed with not being able to do LL but i hope you are all doing well with your weightloss xx

 

[tara66]

Hi hun, if you can't get on LL then it is good that you will be able to do CD.

Thank you for sharing your experiences of bi-polar. My 22yr old daughter has just been diagnosed with it after a number of years of severe mental health problems. Just the fact that you have been open has meant that others have been on here and I am sure it will help people x

 

[Blonde Logic]

Aww, thats a shame MB. I am confused how CD is different, and how its safe, but LL not? Just be careful - you're health and well-being is most important.

X

Hope you will still stay here and chat with us too though.

 

[slendablenda]

Good luck MB

GOOD FOR YOU - for being honest about your bi-polar. Unfortunately there is still such a stigma attached to having a mental health condition that I'm sure there are many people doing both CD & LL who have bi-polar and haven't said.
Essentially the 2 food abstinence programmmes are very similar apart from the counselling/CBT aspect oF LL which I would expect to be beneficial.The danger would be doing something like it and ignoring the psychological impact.
Do you have a CPN? If not, maybe ask for an appointment with your psychiatrist to discuss LL. You may get a different opinion.
Good luck.

 

[That's_So_Fetch]

Hi all, i hope you're all having a nice lazy sunday, mine has been very eventful as usual, lol.

Tara - I'm not sure why i can do CD but not LL. My doctor signed the forms for CD and monitors my medication when i am on the diet. I dont know why i cant do LL but i will enquire with my LLC trmw. I'm sorry to hear about your daughter. I hope she is doing well and coping with her diagnosis. It took me a long time to accept it and i'm still workin on it. Bi-polar is very difficult to diagnose as its difficult to distinguish between the change in mood patterns. I really do hope she is ok and if you need anyting please feel free to pm me.

BL- I'm confused about the diets too. On the LL form there is a box to tick for bi-polar which prevents you from doing the diet whereas i think the form for CD just asks about severe depression and you can only do CD if the GP allows you too. Its all very confusing. I will definatley stay around the forums and chat to all you lovely people . I really appreciate all the help and support i have recieved from everyone and i hope i can do the same for you all.

SB - I have been well for a while now so i dont really have a CPN anymore, but i can ask for one if i need one. As for the psychiatrist, i do not get on with her, lol. I prefer to speak to me GP because he is so much more understanding. I did really want to do LL because i thought i would benefit from the CBT but i was told i couldnt do it . I will speak to my LLC about it tmrw but i think i will be back on CD from tuesday.

Thank you again for all your support and i hope you're having a good day on your diets xx

 

[minime]

Good luck on CD, shame about LL though, hope your LLC can answer your questions.

 

[KayMarie]

All other anti-ds have made me manic so far so crossed fingers that it doesn't happen again as this is the last medication for depression I can try and will end up having ECT in the future otherwise (which sounds horrible KD) and I don't want that.

You shouldn't let other people'sexperiences put you off ECT, if you do need it in the future, it will just cause further anxiety. The positives of ECT far outweight the negatives and some of the people ahave seen through it have had amazing results, it really is amazing.

Weight gain is always something our female clients are worried about, sometimes, its a matter of what do you consider better? Being mentally and emotionally stable or being thinner?

You could talk to your consultant about alternatives? Although I imagine if you have been stable on one drug for a while they may be reluctant but its worth a try.

Generally answering the thread about being able to do different diets with Bipolar, I think the sensible answer was to ask you to see your nurse. Food intake and the counselling side of things will affect your mental health and your stability at this time.

Hopefully speaking to someone and gauging where you are at this moment in time will help you figure out if its a good idea or not I think you should deffinately make it heard how you feelabout your weight, how it affects your mental health etc...

Good luck