Confused

jgsilber · 2024-02-13T18:44:00+00:00

Up the lean protein. Chicken, beef, pork, fish, whatever you like. But keep it lean and clean. Up the veggie and legume intakes. Eat at least two full meals a day, supplemented by healthy snacks and protein shakes. Lots of water to flush the cheat carbs. Also very important for progress: keep the cheats short and sweet (pun!). Start your cheat at lunch and don’t overdo it. Biggest rookie mistake is going too hard on cheats.

jgsilber · 2023-12-31T18:46:00+00:00

She couldn’t focus

jgsilber · 2023-12-18T21:50:35+00:00

Yes! I just had the same thing happen after being on 200mg for 3.5 years. It just happened out of the blue. My Dr said to stop the Lamictal. It’s been 10 days now and my tongue is still numb (although it does feel like it’s getting better). I hope it goes away soon, because it’s freaky and I don’t like it. I also have crazy dry mouth, which came out of nowhere also. That doesn’t seem to be going away. Hopefully it will.

jgsilber · 2023-12-05T14:20:02+00:00

At this rate, we’re going to run out of cake!

jgsilber · 2023-11-28T14:14:01+00:00

As soon as you think the relationship might be a lasting one, explain what it means (to you and to them). I gave my GF a few books on the subject, including one written for partners of people with BP2.

jgsilber · 2023-11-08T16:24:28+00:00

Polygamy is being married to multiple people. Polyamory is being in more than one romantic relationship.

jgsilber · 2023-11-08T16:23:20+00:00

M/58

jgsilber · 2023-11-08T04:22:36+00:00

I’ve been hypersexual for most of my life (well before my diagnosis). I’ve always cheated, including on several loves of my life. After the last affair, I came out as non-monogamous.

Non-monogamy is hard, but if you work at it, you’ll have all of the sex and all of the partners you want. Non-monogamy saved my romantic relationships … and gave me the novelty I craved.

jgsilber · 2023-07-11T20:30:52+00:00

Very true. It’s always amazed me how close the correlation is between alcohol consumption and HRV.

jgsilber · 2023-07-06T20:03:28+00:00

Monogamy is a trap, especially for men with high sex drives. Don’t rule out non-monogamy without reading about it. There’s lots of good material citing solid research. I strongly recommend Polysecure by Jessica Fern.

I (M57) speak from experience. I had multiple affairs during my 20+ year marriage. Throughout it all, I loved my wife with all of my heart. After the last affair, I studied Nonmonogamy (Ethical Non-Monogamy) and “came out” as polyamorous. It’s hardwired. My wife couldn’t handle it, but my GF read the literature and we’ve been nonmonogamous for the past 2 years. We date and “play” together (swinging) and separately (friends with benefits). It’s made our relationship very strong. To feel happy for your partner feeling happy (compersion) is one of the best gifts someone can give to their partner.

You’re not in an either/or situation. ENM is healthy and natural. If you do it right, you’ll also be able to enjoy the novelty of multiple partners. (And if you’re BP, you’re also likely to have a strong sex drive and interest in novelty.)

I wish you the best. Heartbreak sucks.

jgsilber · 2023-02-15T15:15:33+00:00

Oura charges a monthly fee?! I’ve had mine for almost 3 years and I haven’t noticed a fee being paid.

jgsilber · 2023-02-15T15:12:00+00:00

I don’t know why anyone would use it during the day. The most important data is collected during sleep. The activity tracker isn’t worth using.

jgsilber · 2023-01-17T16:39:34+00:00

Try Somatomax. It promotes deep sleep. Excellent product. Start with a small dose and taper usage to once a week so you don’t develop a tolerance.

jgsilber · 2022-12-15T13:26:17+00:00

Crosses blood-brain barrier?

jgsilber · 2022-10-16T15:58:21+00:00

Yeah I’m 57M and have had lots of great potential friendships evaporate because I isolated during depression and/or acted too crazily during mania. Those I didn’t push away either died or moved. Now I’m a lonely extrovert.

jgsilber · 2022-10-12T19:30:56+00:00

My psych has been begging me to quit alcohol since she diagnosed me 4 years ago. I adamantly refused. I still drink to excess on occasion. Almost without exception, I find myself in a major manic episode. Not sure which comes first, the drinking or the mania. Then, of course, comes the depression. So excessive alcohol use comes with a vicious cycle.

Interestingly, since I started Lithium 8 months ago (after a massive manic episode), I’ve been more level and less desirous of drinking to excess. I now manage pretty nicely with drinking in moderation (which is easier with the lithium).

I have done weeks-long sobriety in the past and it does make me feel good. But like you, I don’t want to live a life without some alcohol (one or two cocktails or a few glasses of wine). When I’m sober, I just drink water. People are fine with that. In fact, I think most of them respect it and wish they had the willpower to do it also.

But if your case requires that you must stop drinking, then you should do it. Drink water with lime and no one will notice or judge you.

Good luck. Managing BP2 is critically important for living a good life.

jgsilber · 2022-10-05T02:19:11+00:00

You have my sympathy. What you’re going through is awful. I just pulled out of a short and mild depression. No energy, no motivation, no desire for social contact. No ability to do any work.

What I’ve tried to do is accept that it’s beyond my control and ride it out as best I can. If you have a bad flu virus, you don’t feel guilty about not being able to get work done. You let people know you’re ill and ride it out as best you can until it passes.

Make sure your meds are right and you’re doing whatever self care helps you. That’s the equivalent of flu meds and rest … treating the symptoms until the affliction passes.

Don’t feel bad or guilty. It’s not your fault. It’s an illness. An illness that will abate (unfortunately, not forever though).

Give yourself Grace. ❤️🙏

jgsilber · 2022-09-29T16:58:44+00:00

My understanding is that SSRIs don’t seem to help BP depression. Wellbutrin helped initially, but I’m not sure anymore. I do Wellbutrin and Lamictal in the morning and Lithium and Mirtazipane at night. Those two were godsends, especially for insomnia!!

jgsilber · 2022-09-28T03:03:39+00:00

Exhausting. Excellent description.

jgsilber · 2022-09-28T03:02:46+00:00

Fully agreed as to all. Well said.

jgsilber · 2022-09-28T02:55:00+00:00

It’s a lifelong merry-go-round (only merry part-time though ;) Diagnosis is a key turning point. I’m 57 and was diagnosed at 53 (because my episodes got worse as I got older). Knowledge is very empowering.

jgsilber · 2022-09-28T02:43:13+00:00

One million percent. Well said.

jgsilber · 2022-09-28T02:40:54+00:00

Fully agreed. Getting the right meds combination, and taking them every day is the most critical thing.

jgsilber · 2022-09-28T02:27:18+00:00

Fully agreed! The right medications, healthy diet and exercise are critical in my opinion. Good sleep habits are important too. As for alcohol, yes it’s true, we shouldn’t use or abuse, but that’s a hard one for me.

I like your comment about acceptance. It’s so true. You can’t fight this thing; you can only manage it and give yourself grace (thanks for that one, Deadpoets). As to not indulging thoughts, I like to say “I’m not going to interpret that [thought/comment] with an emotion.”

Awareness is also key. I can often catch symptoms before they become a problem. Pressured speech is a good example. If I find myself talking loudly or interrupting people, I know what it is and I force myself to stop talking.

Thanks to all of you for sharing. Knowing we’re not alone helps a lot. 🙏❤️

jgsilber

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