Relationships and You...

#NHBPM #HAWMC Day 19 Prompt: 
“Best of” post. Grab a post from your archives and repost it! Add a few sentences at the beginning to frame it. Why you chose it. Why you liked it. And why it should be shared again.


I veered off the prompt this time and pulled up something I had in draft I was working on


One of the most important relationships you can have is with your doctor or doctors no matter what you have been diagnosed with. You will have your primary doc (pdoc) and whoever else may be on your care team. When it comes to Your health all of you need to work together in order for any treatment to be beneficial.
What is vitally important in this relationship is Honesty. The client (that's you) must be honest with all the docs on their care team in order to get the best care possible provided for them. There is no "One size fits all" when it comes to anything in health care.


If you have been seeing a health care provider for any length of time then you know what questions to ask and what to bring with you for each visit. I am going to share some tips that I have learned over time that will serve as a refresher for for some and come in very handy for those of you who are newly diagnosed.  If you are seeing any doc for the First time you will need to arrive at least 15 minutes early in order to fill out paperwork which includes a COMPLETE MEDICAL HISTORY and Insurance Information. If really is a time saver, not to mention easy on the brain, if you have all that info handy and with you when you head to the doc's office. Remember to list all over the counter medicines and vitamins, as well as any other doctor you may be seeing... 
Fibromyalgia - Rheuma/Specialist: I keep a pain journal for my Fibromyalgia. I highly recommend keeping one. They do not have to be fancy. Plain notebook is fine. Decorate it with stickers or whatever you wish. Personalize it!  Point is - Journal ~ Write in any and All changes in symptoms. I also include what I have eaten and drank that day, my emotions and the weather - including Barometric Pressure. Weather can and does play a big part in how we feel quite often. Cold and damp - I am in tremendous pain. Trust me when I say this, you will not remember all the questions you want to ask your doc when you enter the office or exam room. Put them in writing in your journal and BRING IT WITH YOU! 
Write the answers in your book...Any tests you have done you are entitled to a copy of. YOU are the patient, the client. Ask politely and the receptionist/nurse usually make you a copy before you leave with no problem. I ask for mine letting my doc know I want to have them in my personal file. 
It has never been a problem.
Mental Health - Depending on who you see, private psydoc or community clinic this can be interesting. Still, You are the client. Bring all info with you. Journal with meds, doses, what you take them for - Even if this is the prescribing doctor.....
USE Your Journal..It comes in handy....If you have had to make any trips to the Emergency Room in between doc visits for any reason - Log it in your journal. Time, Date, Reason, Result.....I even put the ER Doc I was seen by in my notes when I was very sick. (Bronchitis was a kicker) 
This all benefits you... 
I know I have left out something I probably wanted to cover in here. I will cover it again in another post. Thanks for stopping by and reading!
My mind has trouble recalling five minutes ago LOL! My Pain Journal was one of the best things I ever did!


Peace,Love and Light
This post was written as part of NHBPM – 30 health posts in 30 days: http://bit.ly/vU0g9J

Kat you inspired me...

#NHBPM #HAWMC Day 18 Prompt: A comment as a blog post. 
Pick someone else’s post (from the past or from today) and write a comment to them. Write that comment as your blog post for today. Link back to them to let them know you were inspired.

I am going a slightly different route with my blog post today. I want to give a shout out to a friend whose boldness in sharing her world was the inspiration for me to step out and finally begin sharing on my mental illness. 
Kat, even though we have not met in person, yet, you have made such an impact upon my life and I just wanted to let you and the world know how amazing you are and how much I appreciate you! 
Sharing authentically your life, no matter what you feel or how you feel, you write what you are moved to share. I Love your authenticity my friend!!!
Thanks for being you and for blessing my life:) 
*Meow*
Bipolar Disorder and God only Knows 

Getting the most out of medication

#NHBPM #HAWMC Day 13 

Prompt: Open a book. Point to a page. 

Free write for 10-15 minutes on that word or passage. 

Post without editing if you can!

Getting the most out of medication is the topic here. I am uncertain I can write for fifteen minutes on this but I'll give it a whirl. 
This topic comes from my bipolar workbook that I won from the bp Hope Website and it is really an amazing book. I opened it up and was "WOW, I can relate to this!" 
When we receive the diagnosis of Bipolar we are also prescribed medication to help keep our symptoms in check. Medications will vary from person to person and whether or not you are bipolar1 or Bipolar2. 
To get the most out of your medications they must be taken daily at the prescribed times. Often we  may go through phases where we may not take all our meds. We may take some of our meds all of the time, all of our meds some of the time and then there are those who do take all there meds all the time.....
Our meds are not effective unless we take them ALL the time as prescribed. Unlike an illness such as a sinus infection where antibiotics are prescribed and taken until finished - our meds must be taken continually in order to keep us on even keel, to keep moods in check. 
Bipolar Disorder is a mental illness and will not go away with medication like an infection or virus. 
It was incredibly comforting to read I am not alone in my desire to want to toss my meds, all of them right out the window. I hate taking them. I go through stages like this. I hate taking my meds, wish I didn't have to, wish I did not have this illness called Bipolar2 or any of it's friends. 
I go through this stage now and then where I wish to toss everything in the back yard and "have a burn party." My desire to get rid of it all and start fresh I guess. Like I don't have this illness. 
I go through phases of acceptance. I will have to take these meds the rest of my life as far as I know, unless a healthy naturopathic alternative is discovered. 
Until then, I keep a small shelf in the kitchen just for my meds. A place I go daily so I will not forget them. 
Peace, Love and Light


This post was written as part of NHBPM – 30 health posts in 30 days: http://bit.ly/vU0g9J


The book I opened is "the bipolar workbook" Tools For Controlling Your Mood Swings by Monica Ramirez Basco, PhD