So you all know I had 13 months sober and then relapsed this Dec. During that time of sobriety I did have some rapid cycling and mixed states that were awful. I did not get zippy manic or down in a hole depressed. I was treated with BP1 meds bc that was what I was dxed last with. (ugh, sorry I just ended a sentence with a preposition.) Anyway I have been dxed with BP1 three times, BP2 twice, Major Depression twice, Dysthymia once, Cyclothymia once, ADHD once, Alcoholism six times, Anxiety and Panic three times, BPD once.

My t said she didn't Bp or BPD in me, only Depression so I asked the Dr. at the hospital and he said, "You have to be SIX MONTHS off all alcohol and street drugs to get a correct diagnosis. If you are drinking and go get a dx you will be dxed with Bipolar. Because drinking alcohol produces the same symptoms as BP. And that doesn't mean actively drinking on that particular day you go to the Dr. Maybe you had a few scotches three days ago and a week before that got drunk on a 12 pack. Then you are moody and unstable and go find out what is wrong and you get copped with a BP dx. And it's wrong!

Have I been dxed at 6 months sober, no, because I didn't need to. I thought I was already dxed correctly and didn't think about questioning it. My issue is this. Dx is important to me bc it tells me what meds to be on. I've been struggling with depression of late, and because being dxed BP I wasn't given any ssri's because of the mania concern. Now I am on ssri's and what if it makes all the difference and my life could have been so much better this last year had I known it was ok to take ssri? My current pdoc says he doesn't give out dxes. He just treats the patient with meds, wherever they are. I like this outlook in a way. It doesn't block me in but it also limits my understanding and connection to others who share a common peril.