Now we are here today and the past
year or so. My pdoc is great, I really like him
and am happy that I get to have a say so in what
medications we try. The fact that we discuss this
and make a decision together is wonderful, and many
people I know don't have this type of relationship with
their pdocs. All I can say is please talk to your
doctor, you will feel great with a measure of control
over what is happening and you will learn a lot.
That has been one great factor in all of this is that I
get to have a small portion of control, so I feel
better. I'm not just taking medications that they
subscribe. I'm now on a couple of new medications
and it is great, I really like them.
My therapy is a little harder to get to as my tdoc has
later afternoon appointments and traffic is horrible
that time of day in Seattle, a real nightmare. But
I continue with my online support group, reading books
and with my friends and family for more support. But the
beginning of the new year I am going to get back
involved in more time with my tdoc than this past year.
I do believe that is one of the most important aspects
of dealing with BiPolar Disorder. First you must
have good relationships with your p and t docs, then
medications is the most important and then therapy right
behind it.
I currently am not working, when we changed my meds
around it was a little shock to my system and I was let
go and had to leave another job due to it. So I am
working with DSHS (Department of Social and Human
Services) to have money coming in to pay bills and
support myself and spending more time doing therapy.
Hence, one form of therapy is to begin this site as a
creative outlet. And I have assigned myself the
task of going to school to get my Insurance Agent
Licensing. I was going to go in December but
didn't make it to registration quick enough so I'll go
in January.
One thing I have found is that you have to find
something that you really enjoy when it comes to
working. If you are in a job you don't like, with all
the stress no matter how much therapy and great
medications you have it will come down to the stress
messing you up and preventing you from operating on the
right levels. So that is what I am currently
working on.
I've been in Seattle for almost 9 years now and it is
still a small shock with the weather here compared to
Florida. I went from almost constant sunshine to
rainy and grey. Which is another reason therapy is
so important. Weather does play an important role
in coping with this illness. I find I need lots of light
and others I talk with in groups also feel the same way.
No dark and gloomy rooms, or weather! If so,
finding things to keep you up and feeling good are very
important. In my room I have a great big window
where when the sun is shining here it comes into my room
and I have lots of plants to take care. It is a
very happy place for me to be at.
So life over all is good, and I have a plan to go
through and am getting married in 2011! I'm very
excited, I've got a great man, and on our second date is
when I told him about my illness. He asked if took
medications and I told him about them and therapy that I
do. It was wonderful to have the acceptance in his
eyes. This is a very important factor, you must
have friends, family and significant others that
understand your illness and accept you. There is
no sense in trying to hide it. The stress of trying to
do so will make your medications ineffectual and you may
lose relationships you counted on.
So I'm going to add a lot of information to this site
for everyone, those with BiPolar Disorder and those that
love someone who is. This will all be on the Links
page above. I hope I can help others as much as
I've been helped.
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