September 25th, 2011 
admin Due to unexpected issues, All About Bipolar is being rebuilt with a brand new look. All the original content will be restored and the site will be back to normal as soon as possible. In the meantime, if you need to talk to someone about your struggles with bipolar disorder or the struggles of a loved one dealing with bipolar disorder I am always available to help via email at support@allaboutbipolar.com. Thank you for your patience and understanding during this temporary glitch.
~Amy, admin
July 21st, 2011 admin If you have it, as I do, you’ve probably wondered if there are many celebrities with panic disorder. The answer is yes! There are lots of famous people with panic disorder.
Charles Darwin suffered from mental illness that was believed to be panic disorder accompanied by agoraphobia. This brilliant recluse is responsible for the theory of evolution. President Abraham Lincoln, poet Alfred Lord Tennyson, author Charlotte Bronte, Emily Dickinson, Isaac Asimov, artist Edvard Munch, author Anne Tyler, Author John Steinbeck, philosopher John Stuart Mill, inventor and engineer Nikola Tesla, poet Robert Burns, Sigmund Freud, Sir Isaac Newton, former First Lady Barbara Bush, poet Robert Burns, W.B. Yeats, Winston Churchill, Michael Crichton, and former National Security Advisor Robert McFarlane all have panic disorder. Read more »
February 3rd, 2011 admin It wasn’t until several months after my husband’s suicide and several years after his diagnosis with bipolar that I saw it. I was reading Frederick Buechner’s memoir, The Sacred Journey and had somewhat of an epiphany.
Buechner was describing his life as a child and recounted the many times his family moved because his father, who later took his own life, was prone to changing jobs. I closed the book recognizing the pattern and did the math. Eleven times – eleven times in 32 years of marriage, more than once every three years… That is the number of times we moved. To be fair, not all were related to Steve’s angst over his job, but enough were that I immediately identified with Buechner’s conformity to life with a loved one who deals with bipolar.
It wasn’t until 18 months before his death that my husband was diagnosed. A gentle giant of a man with a generous heart and kind spirit, our only clues to his Bipolar NOS were his random outbursts of anger and a subtle melancholy even when all was going well. It wasn’t until his first suicide attempt that the professionals finally identified that elusive thing we had all been trying to grasp for years. Unfortunately for our family it was too late.
February 2nd, 2011 admin Peter S K Lynch chronicles his life with bipolar disorder through chapters posted on his semi-autobiographical blog. Peter says:
I’d welcome you to check out my semi-autobiographical account of a young man’s descent into madness. The first chapter is located here:
http://newmanx.blogspot.com/2010/10/chapter-i-sunday.html
Here is an excerpt from the first chapter:
For reasons not quite forthcoming I feel the impulse to create a blog, and even as the thought coagulates in my brain, I hypothesize that I’m not motivated enough to reliably maintain and update it.
October 17th, 2010 admin “NeuroStar is an alternative to medication to treat depression in some cases. It is transcranial magnetic stimulation, which is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for treatment of patients with major depression who have not benefited from prior antidepressant treatment. It does not involve surgery or anesthesia, is not taken by mouth and doesn’t circulate in the bloodstream.
TMS sends MRI-strength magnetic field pulses into the cortex of the brain, which creates electric currents in the brain. This stimulates the firing of nerve cells and the release of neurotransmitters.”
NeuroStar is being used to treat depression related to bipolar disorder and is stated to be quite effective. For more information, visit
August 13th, 2010 admin FDA: Aseptic Meningitis Risk with Use of Seizure Drug Lamictal
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a warning that the drug Lamictal (lamotrigine) can cause aseptic meningitis, an inflammation of the protective membranes (meninges) that cover the brain and spinal cord not caused by bacterial infection. Aseptic meningitis has a number of causes including, but not limited to, viruses, toxic agents, some vaccines, autoimmune diseases, and certain medications, including Lamictal. Symptoms can include headache, fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, stiff neck and sensitivity to light. Hospitalization may be required for some patients with aseptic meningitis. The drug’s manufacturer, GlaxoSmithKline, will work with the FDA to update the prescribing information and patient medication guide for Lamictal to include this risk.
August 10th, 2010 admin Amber says:
“What drives me nuts is that no one ever says how medication can interact with alcohol. I know that they can interact, some more than others, but I would like specifics so that I can make an informed decisions as to whether or not I’ll have a couple of glasses of wine. Self-medicating with alcohol is obviously a huge problem, but it’s in a different category.”
We all know alcohol is a depressant.
June 24th, 2010 admin I put in another call to my doctor on Tuesday and told him the rash had cleared up. I was instructed to continue the Lamictal. I started taking it again that night and I am back on the right track. I had a pretty bad headache most of Wednesday but the withdrawals seem to be almost gone today. Odd, isn’t it? I could tell a difference after taking just one pill. The nausea lifted immediately and the shakes were gone within 24 hours. I still have a bit of anxiety but I’m sure that will fade in the next few days as well. I should also mention that the psychosis I experienced during that time wasn’t very bad–no where near what I expected.
I started back working yesterday and have even gained some new ideas for a book I want to write. Now I just have to find the time. Oh, I could make the time but it would cut into what I am making. I prefer not to. I am eying a Jag and hubby said I could have it if it’s still on the lot. Yippee! Off to work I go!
June 22nd, 2010 admin I’m not so sure. I am pretty sure I exist but I can’t swear. That’s how disconnected I am.
I have tried my best to work today. It’s impossible. I am self-employed so I can take off as long as I want. Of course, I don’t make any money when I don’t work. I can afford it financially but I’m not sure my self-esteem can. Regardless, I am stuck at the moment. There is no way I can write like this.
So, what’s up with my withdrawals? My eyes itch so bad that I feel like clawing them out. Drinking tea makes me want to throw up so I have decided not to try eating. Cigarettes? I can’t taste them but I can’t put them down. They add to my nauseousness but comfort me at the same time. Does that even make sense? If I blink just a bit much, I feel like I am going to fall into a coma. I can’t close my eyes because I have a hard time opening them up again.
Right this minute, I am struggling with horrible nausea. This is ridiculous.
June 22nd, 2010 admin Well, I decided not to take the lamictal any more and it is now day…well, let me think about this. I don’t even know what day it is. How in the world am I going to work like this?
My hands feel tingly and my body is numb. I am disconnected from myself. It’s impossible to connect with the world right now. I’m not sure how I managed to make it this far without flipping out. Wait. I can. My family has been absolutely wonderful taking care of me since I stopped taking the meds. Today is my first day home from vacation and I’m pretty much on my own.
I should have went to see my doctor today but I don’t think it’s safe for me to drive on my own. I drove a bit yesterday and I felt like a drunk driver. It feels like being drunk. I don’t like this feeling. I don’t like feeling out of control. Why in the world do people want to feel like this? I don’t. I would just like to be able to feel my hands. I can see myself pecking at the keys on the keyboard but I don’t feel it. It’s weird and I don’t like it.
