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Bipolar Disorder/Bipolar disorder/Fibromyalgia

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Expert: - 11/12/2007


Question
I am a 41 year old woman who has lived with depression forever.  As a teenager, I began to experience a lot of fatigue and body pain.  I have had episodes of extreme self hatred and euphoric highs when I am creatively inspired and recently, when I spend money erratically.  I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia five years ago, and a new psychologist has suggested I might have bipolar disorder.  Are there any treatments that help both the pain and the bipolar mood swings?  I currently take 40ml of Lexapro, and have started Lyrica.

Answer
Dear Teresa,

As a nutritional psychologist I recommend drugs as a last resort. It is of course difficult to say from a distance whether you are Bipolar or not. But I suggest that you I would eliminate the possibility that you are hypoglycemic, This can easily be treated by going on a hypoglycemic diet.

Please check yourself with the

The Nutrition-Behavior Inventory Questionnaire (NBI) at:
http://www.hypoglycemia.asn.au/articles/nutrition-behavior_inventory.html

If you score high try out the hypoglycemic diet.

It is interesting that fibromyalgia has also been associated with hypoglycemia.

See:

http://www.voxau.com/fib/fibro/21hypog2.htm

Look up

What is Hypoglycemia at:
http://www.hypoglycemia.asn.au/articles/what_is_hypo.html

Also check out a natural treatment of Fibromyalgia at:

http://www.deliciouslivingmag.com/healthnotes/healthnotes.cfm?lang=EN&org=nh&Con...

_______________________________________________
Jurriaan Plesman BA (Psych) Post Grad Dip Clin Nutr
Editor of
The Hypoglycemic Health Association of Australia.
www.hypoglycemia.asn.au
Author of "Getting off the Hook"
Freely available at Google Book Search

Bipolar Disorder

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Jurriaan Plesman, Nutritional Psychotherapist

Expertise

Have worked as a psychotherapist for overv twenty years, dealing with many personality disorders

Experience

I have a degree in Psychology from the Sydney University and a Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Nutrition. I am also the author of “GETTING OFF THE HOOK” which deals with the nutritional and psychological treatment of personality disorders. It is freely available on the internet at Google Book Search. I am interested in the relationship between nutrition and behaviour, and as a Probation ans Parole Officer facilitated groups for offenders, many of whom were alcoholics and drug addicts, sex offenders or compulsive gamblers, as well as the whole gamut of “personality disorders”. I am also the ex-editor of the Hypoglycemic Health Association of Australia Newsletter, a quarterly publication dealing with hypoglycemia and related health problems. Its web site, together with a shortened course of PSYCHOTHERAPY can be visited at: http://www.hypoglycemia.asn.au

Organizations
Editor of the Hypoglycemic Health Association of Australia. Its web site is at:

http://www.hypoglycemia.asn.au

Publications
Author of the book "Getting off the Hook", It is freely available on the internet at Google Book Search. Various articles in the Hypoglycemic Health Association's Newsletters

Education/Credentials
BA (Psych) (University of Sydney), Post Gad Dip Clin Nutr (International Academy of Nutrition)

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