My life partner has Bipolar ii

[Sophie1]

Hi @Former-Member 

I really feel for you figuring out how to advocate for MrD .. is there any help coming from his psych team on that count? I'm sure you are chasing all options down as you are very resourceful .. and if you are out of medical options then it must be awful to sit with that - then really you could only be reasonably expecting yourself to follow your instincts and keep asking questions when you can (as I know you would) .. just being there would be such a massive gift to MrD .. sending you love abd hugs 🤗 💕💕💕

[Former-Member]

Psych team is supportive @Sophie1 and I have ensured pdoc has been consulted along the way.  Pain control options are limited and are constantly tweaked, baseline med will change again at the weekend - making a switch to a drug that can be administered via methods other than standard tablets. 

[Shaz51]

good evening my friends
hope you day was ok
my mr shaz has a question ??
my mr shaz has had lots of diagnosis and the latest is Bipolar 2

he is thinking of stopping his meds or changing his meds as the side affects is weight gain !!!
any tips or hints on how to stop the weight gain would be great

@Faith-and-Hope, @Corny , @Determined , @Sophie1 , @Former-Member , @Tiggeroo 

[Corny]

Hey @Shaz51 it is so so so hard. You have to work twice as hard as everyone else and eat half of what they eat and still struggle (this is pretty much what my NDIS Exercise Physiologist said in a nut shell today) .....I hate that side effect. As a women another aspect that I have found really hard to assert in a male dominated field of medicine such as Psychiatry is my sexuality. The sexual dysfunction is acknowledged with men but if women try to say that I won't let you chemically castrate me which is pretty much what it feels like, they glare at you like you are some sort of freak but they fall over themselves if a man says I can't get an erection and will never have an erection ever again on these medications and I am about to lose my relationship. Maybe his Psychiatrist will let him have breaks from his medication......its hard to say. Then again some people are really lucky and have very little side effects. Also with nutritional advice he needs to take in to account any other health problems he may have. We are all very much our own individuals when it comes to what we need nutritionally...I can't eat gluten and I have always been anemic. Depending on what your husbands physical health constraints are he may only have a few choices of meds.....its hard to say, I wish you the best of luck Corny 

[Determined]

Hi @Shaz51 . 

I  will share some of my experience cautiously as I don't want to breach any guidelines.

Darling and I have both struggled with weight as a direct effect of meds, but this year have had some success around weight gain with how we eat and exercise.

Best talk to a dr around diet but for me/ us small changes have helped. The biggest gain for us has been in cycling. We both use second hand road bikes and trainers from gumtree. Still not cheap but there are economical options if you are patient. Darling is far better than me at trolling online classifieds for bargains. 

Would love to share some more specific benefits but unfortunaly guidelines won't allow. but I hope this is helpful and gives you something to research. 

[Shaz51]

thank you @Determined , @Corny 

yes the meds are helping so he does not really what to change and mess it all up , so what is more inportant ??

also once the sunshine comes back here, it will make a difference 

but this year have had some success around weight gain with how we eat and exercise.--- this is great @Determined  well done 

yes if we just change a little bit in his daily eating will make a different 

[Corny]

treatment is such a juggling act @Shaz51.....its so hard if your husband has found a med that works and gives some relief, but has unpleasant side effects......we are all such individuals and have to often chop and change. 

The way I see it, if he is getting some respite from his suffering he is a lucky man.....being on the ward some patients will be burnt into my memory forever.....not so much them as people, I didn't really know them, but their suffering. It was largely treatment resistant, they'd tried every medication there was to try and ECT was the last resort....I wish your husband the best health he can have given his circumstances and pre-existing conditions. Corny 

[Shaz51]

@Bipolarcarercome and meet @Sophie1 , @Faith-and-Hope , @Determined 

[Peri]

Dear @Shaz51, Try keeping a food and drink diary for a full week. It is boring, but you can see that way exactly what and how much of what is being eaten. Then can make decisions about how to change. Has Mr S seen a dietitian? Does he drink sweet drinks, they are a killer. It is worth a discussion with the dr, but not going off the meds if they are helping him to feel better. But I understand what a problem weight gain can be, it can really affect self esteem and confidence. Exercise is probably a key, but that can be hard if not naturally motivated that way and if the weather is lousy. How are you? @Shaz,

[Shaz51]

Hello my awesome sister @Peri 

I have kidney disease and diabetes 

Mr Shaz has bipolar 2 

Xoxo @Corny , @Determined , @Sophie1 , @Faith-and-Hope