Bi-Polar and poor hygiene.

[Oreo0430]

My wife has been diagnosed with Bi-Polar Syndrome for about 6 years. After 3-4 years of psychiatric care, therapy and clinics, she is essentially 98% in bed, totally apathetic to everything and for the last 3-4 months, ignoring normal hygiene like bathing and washing her clothes. Trying to get her into ElectroConvulsive Therapy (ECT) but just wondering if anyone has gone through or experienced this with a loved one and have any suggestions on what can be done to help?

[32Punch]

I'm so sorry it has all come to this. Bipolar can truly be a nightmare for the sufferer and their suffering loved ones.

Living this myself with my mother, my best advice for you is to be your wife's best advocate and bridge to her doctors. I would lean on her drs to get the latest treatments available. I'm glad you are looking at ECT. (My mother refuses to do it.) I've heard ECT can do wonders. I've heard Ketamine treatments can do wonders. There may be newer options, too.

After experiencing my mother's active bipolar struggles for over 18 years now, I have reached the point where I fully accept her illness is unmanageable by us and out of our hands. It's an amazingly painful, and at the same time, a somewhat freeing state. I have worried myself sick, cried a million tears, tried to control, cajole, humor, argue, etc. against the symptoms of her illness, to no effect.

It sounds like your wife is in a terrible down cycle right now. You can help her by being incredibly persistent with her drs for different treatment options.

[Celtic274]

First of all ect is not.the answer to everything I've had family members have had it and it didn't do much for everyone of them ! I would read up on ect and you might change your mind about it dont allow your self to be talked into it I wish you and your wife all the best and hope she gets well soon

[designguy]

Sorry to read about what you and your wife are going through. One thing you might consider is having her do a psychopharmacological test which will use her dna to determine which meds are best suited for her genetically. It helps take a lot of the trial and error and guesswork out of the process. It's a simple noninvasive test and mine was paid for by my insurance. I had tried a half dozen meds for depression without any success and then tried one the test recommended for me and it has worked well.

[KazOCBP in reply to designguy]

Thank you for the info .. I should try this .. did it work for you ?

[designguy in reply to KazOCBP]

Yes, it worked well for me, i'm still on the same med that the test recommended for me over a year ago and doing fine.

[Hidden in reply to KazOCBP]

I suffer with Bipolar depression and have stood looking over the edge many times. I'm 61yrs old now and it seems tougher than ever to keep my meds balanced. I took the genetic test and was hopeful that I would be able to add an adjuvant drug to pull me out. My test said my system would tolerate that type of drug, so I was prescribed Lunesta. After being given the smallest dose I was ok the first morning. The second morning when I got up I was a little dizzy and wobbly, but attempted to drive to work anyway. I could barely keep it between the ditches. I ended up turning around and going home. On the third day, I went completely off the rails. The mental effect wasn't the problem, but man, did it make my body go haywire. I sat up to get out of bed, tried to stand but my legs went to jelly. I found myself on the floor unable to get up. I went into hysterical laughter (as in rolling on the floor laughing) and I had to pee so bad. I had to crawl to the bathroom. I had to lay on the floor for a minute before I could pull myself onto the toilet. I couldn't keep my balance without slumping against the wall, and when done, I basically slid off the toilet onto the floor. Yes, more laughing, crawling, and rolling. Needless to say, I had to call my daughter for help and she then called my doctor. I don't remember how long it took for the drug to clear my system and while comical now, it wasn't fun to feel so out of control. I'm toying with idea of trying another adjuvant, but I'll definitely need some free days and someone with me. I so wish insurance would cover ketamine treatments and they're way too expensive without it.

[KazOCBP]

Sorry you are going through this .. sounds like me .. just been about 3 years not 3 months .. so disgusting I am …