So, I've tried some natural supplements to manage my symptoms. I thought they were working - I've been relatively even for more than a year. I didn't really get any of the good hypo - but I still got some irritability and anxiety. I didn't get the long drawn-out depressive episodes, but I have had depressed days. I figured it was working since I was managing pretty well and my highs/lows were not as severe.

Until lately. I have been all over the place for the last several weeks - maybe 5 or 6? Looking back, the depressive side of it has been symptomatic since before the holidays, but it sort of crept in and I didn't really notice for awhile since some of the symptoms weren't sustained. It's gotten severe (for me) over the last week or so, and now I think I've been deluding myself because it's been rapid cycling. I'll get a terrible low, then a few hours later I'll swing to highly irritable and flashing anger. I don't have much experience with rapid cycling (that I recognize/remember), so this is catching me off guard. It's hurting my family. And it's devastating me.

So, I think it's time I accept that I need more help managing this. I don't know any pdocs where I live. I've checked in my insurance, and 1 is listed. He has 7 years experience, but 2.5 out of 5 stars from reviews (there are only 2 reviews). The two areas where he got lower marks were for Accurate Diagnosis and Followup. He got high marks for Bedside Manner, Spends Time with Me, Promptness, and Ease of Appointments. I kind of feel like the first two areas are the critical ones, though.

Also, my insurance lists him under Psychiatry, but his degree is an MD - I thought pdocs were PhDs? There are no other covered pdocs within 50 miles. One of the reasons I've resisted getting a pdoc for so long was the fear of the journey through the mire of meds to find the right meds. I'm worried if he's an MD it'll be a fishing expedition through the rxs. Is that a realistic fear?

In case it wasn't overwhelmingly obvious already, I'm really scared of this process. For those of you who have a pdoc you like, how did you find him/her? How do you know whether you've found the right person?