Bipolar disorder

[Ellen Madono]

On Wed, Apr 22, 2009 at 2:45 AM, Teresa Kramer wrote:

Dear Theresa,
That is really good to know. I had a bipolar patient who would get
very constipated with the lithium. I was trying to get the remedy to
take the place of lithium and failed miserably. The right remedy with
the lithium I have a feeling would have worked much better. Anyway,
water under the bridge.
I had another patient who learned homeopathy with me and was very
smart and aware of herself. She learned to change her remedies, to
watch her symptoms and did very well. Eventually she got off her
drugs, but outside help was only a small part of her journey. Self
awareness, record keeping, willingness to experiment etc were the real
teachers.
Best,
Ellen

[Jean Doherty]

This discussion has been most helpful to me. That and doing an online
module on Bipolar and related disorders.
This am I checked on a client I saw a few months ago with rapidly
changing moods though holding down a challenging job. I realized that
the remedies might need some help and she has not returned for follow
up. In fact refuses to return. I have been quite anxious about her.
At that time ,I think and her Mother thinks ,she did take a few doses
of Crocus Sativus 6c.. . I wished to alert Mother of things that may
need help such as sleeplessness,high activity etc. I was pleased to
hear that she was doing very well at the moment.
This off course may be normal course of condition but I wonder if the
Crocus helped.
Thank you so much to those who shared, Jean

[healthinfo6]

Ellen,

You bring up some interesting issues. It's more than just a high and low mood, it's a constantly changing repetitive cycle. Imagine a sine wave curve on an x-y axis, going up and down See 3rd graph http://www.doctronics.co.uk/signals.htm#sine The amplitude, height, are the mood extremes, the period, widths, are how long they last and fast they change. It would be hard to plan and schedule a busy homeopath, mine are months in advance bookings, to actually catch you at an extreme and one would have to be off meds and risking hospitalization to show those extremes. Very risky if they're BP I with a strong history. Plus, it may be hard for a non-psychiatrically trained homeopath to stay objective if they were being cursed at, threatened, verbally abused, etc. or watching someone appearing to have a nervous breakdown, hysteria, etc. It might be an interesting project to plot remedies along the graph as to where they may be useful for acute episodes in the manic and depressive stages. But you would only be seeing someone at a moment along the curve. And if they are rapidly cycling you need many remedies in sequence. One early homeopathic MD I was with felt checking into a homeopathic hospital where you would be constantly monitored and given remedies as you cycle off drugs would be an idea, but it would have to be in a country like India that could handle this.

Constitutional treatment is best at decreasing the cycling and extremes. While many think of this as just mood, it is multidimensional and fits perfectly into Vithoulkas' description of the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual planes which is why constitutional treatment is so helpful. Bipolar can be integrated into one's total being. Also to consider is, what are you trying to cure and why? The positive aspects of bipolar are as important as the negatives. You can Google all the famous bipolars and their creative accomplishments. Personally, I benefit from the multitasking capabilities I can do when in the right "mood" and don't mind having to deal with some of the negatives which will follow. At another stretch of constitutional treatment I was experencing what "normal" felt like, I could tell I was temporarily not bipolar. Honestly, it felt boring, linear and I just couldn't think quickly and do what I was used to. Sorry for all you "normal" people! Eventually that remedy dose wore off. . It's more common to be more on the depressive side in bipolar and antidepressants, like Prozac, will cause a bipolar to go into a hypermanic state and should not be used. It's much harder for a psychiatrist to manage this with multiple drugs which is another reason some acute homeopathic prescribing can be helpful in addition to bipolar drugs. My particular genetic variation of bipolar causes one to go into a catatonic state when left untreated which would be the ultimate extreme. Not sure what homeopathic remedies are used when someone can't respond. Constitutional prescribing seemed to help avoid this when off drugs once, but as I wrote before, hard to consistently reproduce and test. Also, keep in mind, one can be on a consistent drug dose and will still have mood fluctuations. Lithium levels depend on water, sodium, body fat, etc. which can vary with extended changes in f luid intake, exercise, sweating, etc. Another lithium feature seems to be less is needed as one ages.

Since I had at least 6 years of constitutional treatment before diabetes went full tilt, that head start gave me enough info to know for the future how to use that remedy when I want to but that remedy did not prevent and doesn't help diabetes. Now I'm focused on dealing with diabetes, homeopathically, herbally, pharmaceutically and lifestyle and completely content at staying on lithium as it works so well, is consistent, easily adjustable and plain simple. Much too difficult for me with remedies.. The bipolar miasm doesn't deteriorate one over a lifetime if you're controlled well, it is consistent, while diabetes and other chronic miasms will do so.

For homeopaths wanting to tackle bipolars, it's easy to scare someone away from homeopathy through aggravations from right or wrong remedy, too potent remedy dose or, in LM prescribing, too frequent. It also isn't fair to the patient if you are not available to quickly handle the aggravations which will certainly arise. As for weaning from drugs as a remedy is working, you may be pleased, surprised or shocked at what could happen so be forewarned. Think Linda Blair in The Exorcist.

Susan

[Teresa Kramer]

My “bipolar disorder” (diagnosed with that term and later as Bipolar II by several psychiatrists) does not work like that at all. Mine has been a slight high (I feel good and work hard; no other symptoms), followed about 6 months later by a deep depression and “total insomnia”: the inability to fall asleep—at all.
The total sleeplessness can go on for months; I know because last time I tried to wait it out. I slept only very briefly with a psych drug (Klonopin) usually used for seizures, I believe, for three months. Homeopathic treatment to no avail… Then had to go back on lithium. So it appears that “bipolar disorder” does not necessarily have ups and downs that cycle noticeably or even rapidly—or else they need a different name for my individual sort. Teresa (Northern VA)
Susan wrote:
Ellen,

You bring up some interesting issues. It's more than just a high and low mood, it's a constantly changing repetitive cycle. Imagine a sine wave curve on an x-y axis, going up and down See 3rd graph http://www.doctronics.co.uk/signals.htm#sine The amplitude, height, are the mood extremes, the period, widths, are how long they last and fast they change.

[healthinfo6]

Teresa,

You seem to have been properly diagnosed within the DSM-IV classification. Bipolar II , major depressive episode, hypomanic episode, no manic episode

See http://www.psychnet-uk.com/dsm_iv/bipol ... m#bipolar2 and http://www.recurrentdepression.com/site ... -criteria/

Your cycles are just long ones, but are still cycles. Rapid cycles are not required.

You may remember my lyghtforce posts, went through many USA homeopaths and remedies until seeing Andre Saine in Montreal. He specializes in psychiatric though has no formal training in psychiatry. His wait now is probably a year or more, put yourself on his wait list and in the meantime see if you find another USA homeopath who can help with a proper constitutional remedy. Andre seems to find the more bipolar specific one vs the obvious choice. Possibly you may have been given the right remedy but not strong enough, repeated often enough, etc. He uses Dunham, and they are powerful!

As for Klonopin (clonazepam), known to work well with BP I and lithium. Only started using it since diabetes miasm, sparingly, works great for insomnia, though one can become physically dependent on it if used daily.

Susan

[Luise Kunkle]

Hi Teresa, Susan et al,

That seems to mean that Lithium works to balance, not to depress
(i.e. it normalizes both states)?

@ Teresa specifically: How do you feel with the Lithium as far as
energy level, work , feeling good is concerned. Less of it than at
your "slight high"?

Regards

Luise
--
One thought to all who, free of doubt,
So definitely know what's true:
2 and 2 is 22 -
and 2 times 2 is 2:-)
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