Topic Title: Bipolar disorder
| |  "Bipolar disorder"
, Thu 8 Dec 10:21
Hi there,
I was wondering if anyone knows of any herbal remedie that can help with bipolar disorders...I heard St.Johns wort might be helpful...but my findings are too vague and not as supportive with this finding studies/research or testaments.
Does anyone know of some good resources related to my question...Please help as my sister has this and am soo concern as to the drug she is taking...
Posts: 0 | | Registered: Thu 8 Dec 2005 10:16 |
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| |  "Re(1):Bipolar disorder"
, Thu 8 Dec 14:27
I agree with Tom - watch out for mania if you just use an antidepressant for someone with bipolar. I've got Borderline Personality Disorder (which can be sorta called a rapid-cycle bipolar type of behavior) and I've always got to be carefull not to stimulate my mania. I no longer have health insurance and can't afford prescription meds (I took Wellbutrin for depression and Depakote for mood stabilization) and tried to go au natural for 3 years and have finally decided I need some chemical help again. I'm starting SJW, but gotta say I'm pretty nervous of getting into a manic state. I've told my sigif. other to keep a carefull watch on me. Its dangerous, though, because the mania can (initially) be such a HUGE relief after being disabled by depression. It really can be difficult to stop taking something after that euphoria of mania starts to hit.
What drug is she taking? I tried Paxil for a few days and HATED IT. Supposedly my grandpa took Paxil and it helped him, so it was believed it would help me, but I responded poorly to it. Wellbutrin literally saved my life and I regretted not taking it earlier in my life. I had been distrustfull of meds and scared of the long-term impacts on my life if I've got the "Depressive" label on my medical record.
I'm hopefull about SJW because, after a week of taking it, I have feelings similar to those when I was on Wellbutrin. I think it'll be helpfull to me, but, like I said, I'm pretty nervous about the mania.
Posts: 1 | | Registered: Wed 7 Dec 2005 20:28 |
| | | "Re(2):Bipolar disorder" , Thu 8 Dec 16:22
I've got a rapid cycle thing too. I never knew exactly what it was. It's probably all the same anyway. The doctors just make you take a paper test. It's no chemical test, and they don't CAT scan your brain or anything. If they did, then I'd believe the doctors knew better than the herbalists. I just started using St Johns Wort after reading about it on this site and others. Between St John's Wort, eating hardly any sugar, and not smoking hardly, and various herbal teas, I'm OK. I have insurance and I still can't afford prescription meds, lol. The herbal stuff works. A little bit of American ginseng root in my morning tea every other day controls my mania. I started seeing an herbalist for my mania, then without that relief, I had much depression. Then I started combining St Johns Wort with it, and it was perfect for ME. I'm no doctor or herbalist for that matter. This is just what works for me. I'd have your sister check with an herbalist. Make sure she tells the herbalist what she's taking and the herbalist understands.
Posts: 1 | | Registered: Thu 8 Dec 2005 11:1 |
| | | "Re(3):Bipolar disorder" , Thu 8 Dec 19:13
Tom - thanks for the ginseng tip to mellow the mania!
Carefull when you read about BPD, because "our kind" are notoriously difficult for therapists (and friends and family) to work with, and they don't have a lot of nice stuff to say.
I bought an expensive book by Margaret Linehan, and found her to be the most compassionate and truly understanding of the condition. I cried when I read it, because FINALLY everything about me started to make sense.
Posts: 4 | | Registered: Wed 7 Dec 2005 20:28 |
| | "Re(1):Bipolar disorder" , Thu 8 Dec 11:55
It may work very well, and it may throw your sister into a horrible mania. I guess it depends on how bad her manic episodes are. You can do all the reading you want, but you got to try it to see if it works. I would visit an herbalist with your sister though. They know more and have more experience with herbal medicine.
Posts: 0 | | Registered: Thu 8 Dec 2005 11:1 |
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