The chicken or the egg??

I mentioned to someone yesterday that I can't believe how many s/s of ADHD I have and we started talking about being Bipolar and having Narcolepsy, and what about being ADD on top of that? For those who don't know, I am Narcoleptic - this is a neurological (NOT mental) disorder that manifests itself as frequent unexplained bouts of uncontrolled sleepiness and/or loss of muscle tone.. look it up (https://health.google.com/health/ref/Narcolepsy) . This doesn't mean I just fall asleep and fall over, or anything like that - mine is not that severe. There ARE difinitive tests to diagnose this and I am so there. Anyway...

I take Adderall to combat the Narco, but this is contraindicated (not recommended) for people with Bipolar. Consuming a stimulant can throw a Biploar into a manic state, or can bring a depressed person just enough out of their depression to allow them to do something bad to themselves. I, however, haven't felt or functioned this well in YEARS! After the first day, I saw my life start to change. It was amazing to think how much of my life I had lost to Narco. I could get up and clean the kitchen AND do laundry without having to go back to bed. Taking a shower no longer wore me out. I was less irritable, and because when Addy wears off it causes a rebound sleepiness, I was actually sleepy at a decent hour like 'normal' people (insomnia resloved). I started sleeping at night, being more productive, and was a nicer person all around. I can't believe I had missed 30 years of my life! But what about the risk from Addy + Bipolar?

I was diagnosed Bipolar II in October 2007 (though I already knew for years that I had it) My current psych and my neurologist both question my Bipolar diagnosis, but I don't. They said I should be a lot crazier by now taking the Adderall. When I read the s/s of Bipolar and my diagnosis came out positive, it was like a weight was lifted! I was textbook! It solved a lot of questions for me and my hubby. Only since starting the Adderall have I felt like what I believe a non-Bipolar feels like. Also, difinitively knowing what I was up against gave me the artillery to work toward controlling it. I still have hypomanic tendencies, but I am better able to recognize them, remove triggers and change behaviours before they get out of hand.

But back to yesterday's converstation...  So the question was this - Is my Bipolar so much better because I take the Adderall -> fewer, less severe sleep attacks -> not seeking out stimulants like food/sugar/caffeine, being more productive -> weight loss -> feeling better about myself and less stressed/again, less eating -> being able to go to bed at night with a calm mind -> less less daytime sleepiness, etc? (the Narco feeding into my Bipolar swings) OR ... The mania doesn't allow me to sleep at night -> extra sleep attacks during the day, inability to concentrate, feeling rushed all the time -> non-productivity, memory problems, pressured speech, concentration problems, etc -> increased STRESS -> overeasting and sleepiness as a stress response -> seeking out sugar/ unstgable glucose levels in the body (sugar highs and lows) -> increased Narco s/s? So which came first? Both Narco AND Bipolar begin to really show during adolescence (check and check) Both are helped tremendously by maintaining regular patterns of sleeping (check) Both are helped by eating a well balanced diet of nutritious food, and both are exacerbated (made worse) by eating large amounts of sugary, calorie-dense (fattening) food (check). For me, both are also made worse with increased levels of stress. It's a mystery I guess I'll never solve.

But what about the ADHD (which I have never been diagnosed with, but one of my children has and it tends to run in families...) IF THAT'S what the Adderall is helping, then WOW!! Like throwing a theird team onto the basketball court - now you've got a whole new game! So here's my non- medical explaination for it all - Adderall does (for me) as I explained in the above paragraph, so the lack of concentration, flight of ideas, sleep attacks, insomnia - all improved. Why hasn't it made me 'crazier by now'? Many Bipolars have what's known as paradoxical reactions to medications. I can take almost any pain med or allergy mad (including Benadryl) and it's doesn't make me the least bit sleepy, and caffeine makes me clam - not stimulated. A good explaination is here - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paradoxical_reaction.


I'm going to stop typing now because my very supportive loving husband tells me people won't read this because it's too long. Good-bye for now.