Middle Son’S Been Diagnosed With Bpd

[Smowball]

After years of him in and out of doctors, extreme moods, hyper then sobbing his heart out, depression, attempting self harm...... And just constantly put on various meds, he has seen a new doctor and now been diagnosed with Bi Polar Disorder. Have read up all afternoon on it and it’s him to a T. He’s been referred to a psychiatrist but am at a loss as to where we go from here. He doesn’t live with me, but we speak almost daily. What does the future hold?? He’s only 25.

[jno]

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/bipolar-disorder/treatment/

[Mamyalynne]

He's still the same person he was before the diagnosis and although it's not what you wanted to hear, it's better than not knowing.

He and you need to gather as much information as possible and get access to advice and help from those who know all about this.

There is a future for him Smow.

[wolf63]

What Mamy says about him being the same person is important.

This website might help too - https://www.bipolaruk.org/

[Smowball]

I admit it had been at the back of my mind as his moods were so extreme. He was either phoning me and talking so fast and hyper that I had to get him to slow down, or else he was sobbing his heart out and verbally insulting everyone he knew.
Thankyou for both those links - it’s going to be a learning curve for both of us x

[bednobs]

is this the son that was in prison smow?

[murraymints]

this condition can be lived with, with the cooperation of the sufferer, diagnosis and recognition then owning and managing it...

[waterboatman]

Knowing what the problem is makes a good start. Managing it can be planned now.

[rowanwitch]

I have a bipolar friend, hasn't stopped her raising three lovely some and while she has bad spells mostly no-one would ever know, took a her and her doctors a while to find meds that suited her so she would actually take them, but she has a normal life when she does.

[BagPussAA]

Its hard being the person on the outside looking in when someone you love is suffering with a mental health problem. The most important thing you can say to him is that you are there for him, no matter what. That will be important to him to hear. Once they have got him on the right medication, his life will be pretty normal. He will have the odd episode but he should be stable. It will be finding that right combination that is the hard part. He will be ok.

[Smowball]

Sorry bedknobs, yes it is.

[DTCwordfan]

a very close friend of mine has it - and if she comes off her medication, lithium base, all hell can break loose. She's been sectioned some 8 times - I've been there for one of them and it's certainly not pretty. I sympathise with you.

The thing that really helps her is that she, her hubby and her kids (now adults and with their own children), have a team to call on (any of them if they have concerns) if she starts to slide either wat, a police rep, doctor specialising in bp, a psychiatrist and a nurse) and they can help nip things in the bud and keep her on more of an even keel in the emotional tunnel that most of us experience - and that's the way I describe it, they have far higher ceilings and deeper floors - and being on the ceiling is as dangerous as being deep down in depression..... She's in Surrey, not sure where you are Smow, but worth asking about this form of support.

[ummmm]

Don't worry too much. There's medication for it.

[Smowball]

Thanks everyone. I will support him the absolute best I can x

[DTCwordfan]

It does take enormous patience....my friend's husband qualifies for sainthood in putting up with her highs and lows....don't think I could have stood it.

[Patsy33]

My Mother in law had it and she was taking lithium for years. The only thing was, she would decide to come off it at times. It was awful to see her in such a state. She was sectioned quite a few times. She was fine whilst taking her meds. My poor FIL suffered through it. I sometimes think my husband has it but a milder form.

[wolf63]

I was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder in 1996. I continued to work until 2004 when I was awarded early retirement on health ground. I was forty.

I have been on Lithium most of the time since. I find that the side effects from the Lithium make me feel ill. I get easily confused and have (according to the psychiatrist) cognitive Dysfunction.

I hope that you your son get good support from the medical people.

[Smowball]

Thankyou everyone (and I didn’t know that Wolf)
Had yet another stressful phone call from him yesterday. Was talking so so fast and then bizarre laughing. I feel completely useless.