Posted by Toph on February 15, 2005, at 16:49:25
I'm not certain if this board is only about medication but I'll see if this is appropriate. I have bipolar 1 disease, a pretty bad case with serious psychotic mania and major depressive episodes. Symptoms are well controlled with lithium and a Lamictal supplement. There is no detectible history of anyone in any past generations having this disease, none of my four siblings have symptoms nor any of my eight nieces or nephews.
My greatest fear is that my 23-year old son or my 20-year old daughter may have the disease even though they are asymptomatc for now. They are becoming old enough that I am beginning to feel that they are out of the woods. But I wonder how others feel about passing mental illness on to their children. If a child inherits an illness do they resent their parents for it? Have you discussed your illness with them so they will know what to look for symptomatically or does this just needlessly worry them?
Toph, feeling like he's writing Dear Abby
poster:Toph
thread:458299
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/child/20000813/msgs/458299.html