After a few weeks of being really well and pain free…
January 30, 2015 6 Comments
I ate walnuts and figs at 9pm and now been awake since 1am with pain in my gut.
My old GP used to say such pains that kept me awake were due to me no longer taking drugs for bipolar disorder.
He was wrong. There are definitely foods I need to keep avoiding.
Anyway, a little 4am yoga helped and the pain has gone now.
On the plus side, being up in the night has allowed me write 1,400 words which I can have on an editor’s desktop for breakfast time.
Whether big changes in mood are called bipolar or simply attributed to obvious causes, like eating the wrong things at the wrong times, it isn’t much of a disorder if we are still able to do useful things and we are not disturbing those around us.
About Roger Smith (in the UK)
Roger Smith (in the UK)
Rethinking Bipolar 
Dear Roger,
I laughed out loud when I read what your GP said about your gut pains being due to you not “taking drugs for bipolar disorder.” In fact though, it also brought tears to my eyes. The absurdity of such a medical pronouncement is horribly unprofessional, indeed inhumane. That same GP would likely label my reaction symptoms of a mood disorder. Take care today to seek a nap if you can and try not to react too strongly if something bothers you. I believe we all tend to be more emotional when we are sleep deprived. Keep up the great work.
Cheers from across the pond.
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Thanks. I’ve not even been to bed… just worked and walked dog, had a open fire going in the lounge and had friends around. So so tired now though. I been careful with food today and will sleep well tonight. 🙂
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Yes I agree it sure sounds ridiculous…
Alien
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Roger my GP Dr wants me to take a much higher dose of Tegrotol than I believe is necessary ( or desirable)… my Psychiatrist has prescribed Quetiapine ( to eliminate anxiety symptoms. ) the dose prescribed I found can be halved to eliminate my anxiety problems…so will be telling him . As a patient I monitor my symptoms and because I’m “very self aware ” aware these I believe what Drs prescribe is an average dos however we all respond to medications as individuals so it’s “not a one size fits all” on terms of medication.
What are your thoughts on this?
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My GP has me on a dose 400 mg of Tegrotol …however 100 mg seems fine if I take 200 mg “I zone out” it leaves me devoid of emotion and lacking in ” motivation “….Alien
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Reply to Alien,
A few years back a colleague of mine said, “I’ve lived with myself all my life.” She was certain that we always know how we feel better than any doctor ever can.
There have been studies confirming that most doctors prescribe anti-psychotics at higher doses than necessary. I know Dr Moncrief writes about this in one of her books. Video of Dr Moncrief here:
https://rethinkingbipolar.com/2014/04/21/changes-needed-in-psychiatry-a-short-video-from-dr-dr-joanna-moncrieff-psychiatrist/
In my first book I share my view of life being like a journey on a river. Sometimes we have to make our own choices about dosages to negotiate bends in the river. If life were the same everyday then it would be more like a straight canal than a river and the same dose of a drug everyday would be fine.
http://www.moodandrecovery.co.uk/stop_paddling_reviews.html
I think you are saying that you are taking 100mg and are staying pretty well. If your doctor is being unreasonable can you do what I did and change doctor?
Meanwhile, I am increasingly thinking that, so long as dosages are not way too high, the psychiatric drugs may be more a of a side issue compared with our food choices. Have you ever managed to go without ALL wheat containing products for a week? If not it is worth making a plan and see how different you feel if you can go without wheat. Watching this and the videos that follow on from this one may give good clues on how fix disorders through better eating…
http://www.drperlmutter.com/low-glycemic-vegetables-protect-promote-brain-health/
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