Pills, Pills, and More Pills

I recently read the 2 Bipolar Chicks Guide to Survival, and while I recommend it for everyone from the bipolar themselves to caretakers, I want to share something that it brought to mind. The book is seriously countless tips and tricks to get through life with a bipolar diagnosis, or help a loved one with one. They start out right away with managing my/your meds . When I say "meds" I really mean all of the pills (medications, vitamins, supplements, your pills) I (or you) take daily.

Many people I know take prescription medication for one reason or another, take vitamins and/or supplements.  Some people I know should be be don't. I am always confused by those that don't; I mean, don't you want to try and live a normal-ish life? Anyway, I digress, the first chapter in this book brought me to realize just how many pills a day I take.  12. Twelve. I take twelve pills over the course of the day, I take pills three times a day, every day, like clockwork thanks to the alarm feature on my cell phone.

Twelve pills every day, which does not include my as needed anti-anxiety med or anything for allergies. That is 84 a week, approximately 361 a month and a whopping 4,368 a year, not including the occasional Tylenol or allergies. Taking meds three times a day has me living around my pill boxes, yes, I have two.  One is in my purse with my afternoon and evening doses, plus I carry around the bottle for my as-needed med and one morning dose of everything in case I forget and remember when out.

This seems like a lot of pills, right? Well, it is, but everything is important and works together. I think it is worth mentioning that twice: they are important and work together. Because I am sensitive to side effects, I am on pretty low doses of my medications. I work very closely with my doctor to try and keep them manageable but also getting the full benefit of that medication. I take vitamins for energy to battle the fatigue from the meds, and supplements to help with some of the other side effects, such as constipation. No one likes to talk about that one, but it is really popular and should not be counted out.

So what does my medication management look like? Well a typical day starts with me waking up and downing my morning meds:

• 3 different ones for bipolar
• 1 for birth control & hormonal balance
• 2 vitamins (multi-vitamin for women & iron-for energy)

Six down, six to go!

My alarm goes off at 2:00 and I take:

• 1 more of the same for bipolar
• 1 vitamin (B12-for more energy)

At 9:00, the alarm goes off again and the final dosing of the day is done:

• 2 more of the same bipolar drug from 2:00 (and the morning)
• 1 vitamin (D3-for depression)
• 1 antacid (Pepcid)

What we missed in this is that I use a fiber supplement, like Benefiber, to help keep everything moving, and the need to stay hydrated. In a typical day, my water intake is at least 102 ounces (or expected to be) for my weight.* Remembering to eat a couple times a day is important also.

Are we dizzy yet?  

Why do I do it, it seems like madness sitting there every Sunday planning out a weeks worth of meds every week, making sure alarms are set on my phone, carrying around my meds every where so I don't forget? So I don't forget. I have a son, three cats, and a dog that depend on me, not just for food and shelter, but for things like being there, being stable, and making good decisions. I need to be able to do that for them, and myself. 

Wanna hear the best part? One of my medications interferes with alcohol, so I consequently drink less. To be fair, it interferes with a lot of stuff. Another one is possibly causing me to gain weight, at the rate of 10 pounds a month, but that could be me dropping the ball on my daily food regime (another blog entirely). Drowsiness is a side effect I deal with (vitamins). If I am not on birth control, I pretty much go insane. Even though another child would never happen with me, I am sure it would kill me mentally, I will never have that option and be able to lead a normal/semi-normal life. I would have to give up my pills.

I take the good with the bad, and the unusual. The benefits of my meds outweigh the negative side effects. I say negative because there are some positive ones, like an extra dose of drowsiness before bedtime. That is an amazing trick (except on New Year's Eve)! Since starting the one I take 3x a day, I sleep amazingly better! Insomnia has always been a problem, as with most bipolars, and sleeping pills don't work for me. I cannot emphasize how important consistent sleep is for maintaining a stable state. 

Taking your meds is important. Working with your doctor, being honest with them, and being able to trust them, is essential for numerous reasons. The first and probably most important is being a stable feature for your family, those that depend on you. 

Actually, no, the first and foremost is to be happy being stable for you! I enjoy stability so much now, that I freak out at the first signs of mania. At the 1st signs I whip out the journal and start writing till my wrist, hand, and fingers hurt. A call to the doctor is made, and also to the therapist. The therapist will more likely have an opening before the doctor, but he can review my file and make med adjustments via phone. This is my crisis plan, my strategy, my standard operating procedure. 

I reach out to my support system, advise them of what is going on, what my plans/strategy is, it makes me feel better telling them, saying every thing out loud. My support system is amazing and I could only hope every one has one like mine! I ask them for any help I might need, even if it is just hanging out and watching a movie. 

Please take your meds. Please work with a doctor you trust. You got this!

*weight in pounds divided by two equals water in ounces to consume daily