I'd like to share my situation and get some feedback on what you all think I should do. This will most likely be long so please, bear with me. Two weeks ago, I went to my family doctor about my mood swings and to talk about the possibilities of me having OCD. He reqested I see a psychologist so I did last Tuesday. She asked tons of questions about my history and so on. I went back last night and we talked some more. She reached a diagnosis. Since she can't write prescriptions, she wrote a letter for me to give to my family doctor. I faxed it to him today. I'll now
share her letter.

The above patient was seen initially on 11/28/06 and again 12/4/06. Her diagnosis was Bipolar Disorder, mixed, severe, w (the w was underlined) psychotic features. Her most significant symptoms are 1 rapid cognitive
processing-obsessive & paranoid ideations, poor concentrations, easily distracted, always thinking, racing thoughts. 2, Physical complaints are headaches,
back aches, bowel problems and feeling tired. Her appetite is an emotional eater. 4; sleep problems, takes up to 30 minutes to go to sleep, wakes up at least 2x a night
or more, dreams of dead people & tired in the am. 5, visual hallunications, flashes of a nightmare type of experience, a sense of a bad feeling; 6, mood swings. 7, paranoid
regarding work situations (my company is outsourcing to India). 8, quick temper always. 9, severe anxiety & irritability with moderate depression and anger. 10, compulsive
behaviors, counts/rituals. 11, strong family history, one cousin commited suicide, one attempted, drug addicts, alcoholics, bipolar disorder. maternal aunt and parents are very anxious, seems to have great enmished relationships
with mom. she was sexually abussed by bf in the past. her symptoms/history are very similar to others who have responded well to: Mood stabilizing drugs such as Lamictal 25 mg HS x14, 50mg x14 days, HS, 100mg hs x 14 days, 100mg BID & increase based on clinical response; and Resperidol .5mg 1 1/2 hr pre HS & repeat x1 if not asleep. Please call if any questions. She has agreed to come for weekly therapy.

She makes me out to be crazier than I feel. I faxed this info to my doctor today and then called later to make sure he got it. His words were, "this woman is crazy, I don't think you're fitting her description and would rather you see a psychirast (sp?)." He initially requested me see a psychologist because he didn't feel he was qualified
enough to treat my symptoms and I needed a mental health specialist. So who do I believe, someone who has only met me twice? Or do I believe a doctor who has treated me for nearly 20 years? She really upset me last night by telling me that I needed to distance myself from my Mom. My family means the world to me. To me, when you're needing support, you automatically turn to family. I'm just so freaking confused right now. I'm also not so comfortable with how blunt this woman is. She's just an older southern lady and doesn't choose her words very well. She speaks exactly how thoughts come to her. To me,
someone in her profession dealing with people with these symptoms, she needs to be a little more kind in her words.
I don't know who to believe. My husband is on the psychologists side simply because he doesn't agree with decisions my family doctor has made in the past. That incident wasnt entirely his fault. My obgyn diagnosed me with Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome 10 years ago and
gave me birth control pills to treat it. This past July, I had surgery to remove cancerous cells from my cervix due to the PCOS not being treated properly. So I really don't know what to do. My next appt. with the psychologist is a week from today. I'm on the verge of a bad panic attack. I took half a Xanax, which the family doctor gave me 2 weeks ago just to ease the anxiety. It doesn't seem to help, only makes me sleepy.

Any help that you all can give me will be soo very appreciated. Thank you.