Quote:
Originally Posted by Mamabug1981
I think HOW I was diagnosed helped me. My primary care doctor asked me a question at one of my appointments that I found peculiar. I went home from that appt and looked up possible reasons she would ask me that. I discovered it was a huge red flag for bipolar. So I researched more (being able to research and learn things for myself so I can go to appts and have an informed discussion gives me a sense of control) and realized it really fit. And it was almost a sense of relief that there was an answer to why I felt the way I did. So by my next appt, I was able to ask her if that's what she was thinking at the time, and when she said yes, I could simply say I agree, and here's why. I even had a list of the meds, based on what my insurance would cover (researched that too!) and my top two preferences marked, which she ended up prescribing me one of them.
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Mamabug1981, that sounds like a really helpful way to find out and I can see how that would definitely help. And that's awesome that you felt comfortable in discussing meds preferences!! My first psychiatrist put me on zyprexa without even telling me much about it- as an 18 year old girl, you can imagine how impressed I was about that! Grr .
My experience was so so different. I think my psychiatrist is absolutely fabulous (and he is known very well in the city/surrounding area) but he doesn't really believe in labelling until he is very certain. (More a focus on treating te symptoms, which I MUCH prefer). I've been seeing him for 5 years and he never told me I have OCD for example.
He definitely let me know in a way but he never explicitly diagnosed me until late last year when I was in hospital and I got referred for treatment for it.
Same with bipolar. I've been on lithium all these years but it was easy to tell myself it's "just in case."
Hearing those words just shocked me because we've never really discussed it. (Though to be fair, I was definitely not open to discussion...)
I think he doesn't want me being influenced by my own ideas or the internet when answering his questions but **** it was a surprise still. Plus I felt WONDERFUL when he told me this so i guess that makes it harder to believe you're sick! Finally I'm not feeling depressed and then this hahaha