We Are Not Alone! 2.4% of World Population has a Bipolar Spectrum Disorder, New Study Claims

A study released for the in the Archives of General Psychiatry reports the lifetime world population with bipolar disorder is 2.4%.

At times bipolar disorder can be isolating. Many women feel they are the only ones who struggle with the disorder. But over 2 people in 100 also have bipolar disorder. If you add other psychiatric disorders a large population suffers with depression, bipolar and schizophrenia.

• Bipolar disorder affects approximately 5.7 million American adults, or about 2.6 percent of the U.S. population age 18 and older in a given year.^1, 2
• The median age of onset for bipolar disorders is 25 years.⁵

I think age of onset is deceptive. Studies have repeatedly shown that it takes on average 10 years of seeing a psychiatrist before the proper diagnosis. I personally began seeing doctors at 14. After a series of doctors and hospital stays I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Eleven years later and I still working on maintaining my stability. 

The number one item that helps my personal well-being is my support system - family, friends, doctors and an online community of women like me. 

I am grateful for the support and hope I can connect with more people with bipolar disorder. 

I hope to post more often and look forward to your comments and emails. 

Best, Rachael

Are you Interested in a Bipolar Mom, Mom-to-Be Support Group?

We've done a few support group calls, but we had a lot more RSVPs than actual attendees. So I'm not sure if I should schedule another one.

I find support groups very helpful. The make me feel less alone, more confident in overcoming challenges, but most importantly I meet amazing women who are like me. They struggle and triumph with manic depression / bipolar disorder.

Having bipolar disorder is a challenge for everyone. It is even more challenging I think for a mother.

I hope you all want to talk soon.

Have a Happy Easter and Wonderful Passover.

With Love,
Rachael

Bipolar Support Group for Moms, Mom-to-Be and Trying to Conceive with Bipolar Disorder Wednesday Night

I've finally got the first call of 2013 scheduled for this Wednesday, 2/6 at 9:15PM Eastern (I know it is an odd time, but that's when my daughter goes to sleep) and I hope it is convenient for most time zones. 

Our second call will by on Sunday either around 4PM or 9PM. If you didn't get a chance please post your availablity on the Doodle Calendar:

http://doodle.com/5pw275ik5mx2swt3

Ignore the dates and focus on the day of the week. If you were an original poster, I am sorry that your responses were deleted please resubmit so I can schedule future calls. 

In order to maintain privacy and to get an estimate of how many will be on the call, you must email me at bipolarpregnancy (at) gmail.com  

There are two ways to join the call - the first is online with a microphone and speakers, the second is by phone it is an 805 area code, it may be long distance for you.  But since it is evening hours you may find your cell phone plan gives you free minutes and long distance.

RSVP now to  me at bipolarpregnancy (at) gmail.com  

I would like a minimum of 4 women to join the call in order for us to have it this week. 

Best,
Rachael

Bipolar Mom and Mom-to-Be Support Group Weekly Call Starts this Week

UPDATE: I've been sick with a bad stomach bug and wasn't able to start the week of the 20th. We can start as early as tomorrow if we have at least 3-5 participants who will definetly make it. Please either email me or take the Doodle Poll on the times you would be available for a call.


I'd like to know what day or the week and times are good. I have started a Doodle Poll to find out the best time. All times are listed in Eastern and the call with last for about 1 hour.

I had to check the dates and ti took out all previous responses. Sorry about that. So when looking at it focus on the day of the week  and time not the number (i.e. January 30)

Here is the link to repond:

http://doodle.com/5pw275ik5mx2swt3

You can use just your first name or an alias when you respond. Whatever works for you. You can also email me at bipolarpregnancy @ gmail.com (remove spaces)

I hope you all are having a great start to 2013.

With love,

Rachael

Phone Support Resuming This Month

UPDATE: I've been sick with a bad stomach bug and wasn't able to start the week of the 20th. We can start as early as tomorrow if we have 3-5 participants. Please either email me or take the Doodle Poll on the times you would be available for a call.

I've been asked by many people to resume our phone support groups. So with the New Year we will start a monthly call.

I'd like to know what day/time are best for you. I have started a Doodle Poll to find out the best time. All times are listed in Eastern and the call with last for 1 hour.

Here is the link to repond:

http://doodle.com/5pw275ik5mx2swt3

You can use just your first name or an alias when you respond. Whatever works for you. You can also email me at bipolarpregnancy @ gmail.com (remove spaces)

I hope you all are having a great start to 2013. 

With love, 

Rachael

Lessons Learned in Bipolar Motherhood and Planning for Number Two

It's amazing to think that I started this blog almost 6 years ago when I was planning to conceive. Three weeks ago my daughter turned 5 and it has led me to review the last 6 years as I am currently planning for baby number two. For me the planning process takes months as I need to get myself to a very stable place, reduce (and eliminate) some of my medication, and get back to my ideal weight so that I don't gain too much during pregnancy.

So I wanted to talk about what I've learned both good and bad. It has been helpful for me to think about it as I finally decided it was time to try for another baby.

I'll start with the negative so I can end on a positive note. Before I had my daughter I maintained a stable mood for 5 years. I was beginning to believe that I wasn't really bipolar. Maybe it was some kind of misdiagnosis. Of course then I would remember the hospitalizations, hypomania and mania with resulting psychosis that I had experienced not to mention the multiple suicide attempts.

I was confident in my ability to maintain a stable mood when I got pregnant. I worked very hard to maintain it - I believe that managing bipolar is more than just taking your medicine.

So, on to my challenges after having my daughter. I had an extremely stable mood during pregnancy. I mentally felt better than ever even though I had significant issues with hyperemesis (excessive vomiting during pregnancy). After my daughter was born I slipped into postpartum depressive than lasted a year. At first I was in denial, then I didn't want to make changes because I was determined to breastfeed for a full year. I also was under a significant increase in stress due to the financial impact of my husband's failing business due to the construction decline and my reduced work because of having an infant. And of course there was the sleep deprivation.

After a year, I finally realized something had to change. So I increased my Lamictal dosage and added Abilify. This was one of my biggest regrets. The Abilify caused me to start rapid cycling which lead to ultra rapid cycling. I also gained a lot of weight on Abilify It was one of the worst periods of my life. And somehow I didn't really recognize it. I told myself this was the life of someone with bipolar, I said it was due to stress and I started to believe it was just the kindling effect of bipolar disorder getting worse with age.  After 11 months of rapid cycling I realized the Abilify was the cause and stopped taking it cold turkey. The cold turkey was not recommend by my doctor and was extremely hard as I went through withdrawal, but I was at a breaking point. To this day I don't understand why no one close to me said anything. My family and some close friends commented that they knew I was doing worse on Abilify and just figured I knew and my doctor knew. Well, I didn't really know and psychiatrist rely on what you tell them.

So, after Abilify I stopped the rapid cycling and instead fell into regular bouts of depression. Some were mild, some were severe.

My migraines and cluster headaches returned. They had been gone for years and my doctors think the change in hormones after birth made them restart. 

So now that 5 years have passed, I am doing better. But better means I am still having some mood fluctuations. And I had really wanted to get back to a really stable place before having another baby. Which means I need to go back to what I used to do: more regular and higher intensity exercise, super healthy eating and finding more of a support system.

Now to the positive. My daughter has caused some amazing changes in my life. She is amazing. She brings me more joy and happiness than I could have ever imagined. She makes me want to be better. But the most amazing is she has stopped my suicidal ideation and helped give my life meaning.

My daughter is the most kind and compassionate child I have ever met. She is always thinking of others.  When I don't feel well with migraines or depression she tries to make me feel better.

Her kindness has rubbed off on me. She makes me want to be a better person. She has daughter me to be patient. She has made me realize my heart has an infinite capacity for love. She makes me want to be healthier. She reminds me to exercise, she reminds me to take care of myself.

Lately every day she has reminded me how much she wants a sibling. And I too want another baby so she can have a lifelong friend.

So, my journey continues into bipolar motherhood. I am working towards getting ready for another pregnancy, but I have some work to do - map out a backup plan with my doctor for treatment during pregnancy should I become depressed or manic. Exercise 6 days a week (I know it included my mood) and will help me lose 20 pounds. I do not want to have to buy a whole set of new maternity clothes. Reduce my medication - lamictal, figure out if I should take Lithium in the second half of the pregnancy, get off Nuvigal, stop getting Botox injections for my migraines.

Some of this feels monumental as I was on less medicine before my last pregnancy, exercised daily and was at my ideal weight. But, I am determined to get all of this done in the next six months.
Wish me luck.

And I hope that all of you are having a great start to 2013. I have been tardy on responding to emails but promise to improve in 2013 - this blog and my readers are part of the support system I need to restart.

All the best,
Rachael