Hi Crook. I wouldn't say I saw a neurologist for bipolar disorder, specifically, but I saw some for symptoms that may or may not have been related to my bipolar disorder. That was part of the question from the beginning. Atypical bipolar symptoms? Seizure activity? Something else?

The complications answering the questions were that my "atypical symptoms" did happen more often during episodes that included manic symptoms. A couple, maybe not.

Once during a mania, I experienced a brief catatonic state (the more well-known type without movement and including mutism). That's not usual for bipolar disorder, but not unheard of, either. The hospital decided to give me a CT scan and typical EEG. The results were negative for seizure activity, so it was let go.

Some time later, I had other strange atypical symptoms. My psychiatrist ordered a PET scan. [Note: I had had a couple MRIs before that that showed nothing of interest beyond a totally unrelated pituitary tumor (antipsychotic related).] My psychiatrist referred me to a neurologist to interpret the PET scan. She said there was nothing of concern, but after hearing my story of some odd symptoms, ordered additional EEGs. I had a 2-day video EEG and the results were normal. Then I had a sleep deprivation (aka sleep deprived) EEG. That yielded a result that she suspected might be Simple Partial seizures (psychic and sensory, not convulsive, and ones had while conscious). She recommended I take Tegretol (carbamazepine), which coincidentally my psychiatrist had just started me on for my bipolar disorder. I was still on a low non-therapeutic dose, titrating up.

Some months later, I went to an epileptologist for a second opinion, who said the sleep deprivation EEG results were actually NOT definitive. He wanted me to have a 6-day in hospital EEG. My husband disliked that idea, and that I would have to stop my Tegretol before and during the stay, since it was an anti-epileptic (in addition to moodstabilizer). He discouraged the idea, so I didn't do it. Tegretol had stopped many of my abnormal symptoms already by then (at therapeutic dose), including distressing musical hallucinations. My bipolar was also more under control than for a long time. Destabilization was a major fear.

I have not had any significant "abnormal/atypical" symptoms in a very long time. I have had plenty of occasional breakthrough typical manic episodes, though. My Seroquel XR works fairly well at squashing them. So, maybe the Tegretol handles the weird stuff and antipsychotic the more normal, for me?

Once I went to a consulting psychiatrist, for three 60-minute sessions, who also focused on neurology. She reconfirmed my bipolar 1 diagnosis, which had already been reconfirmed several times over. However, in regards to my "atypical" symptoms, she said that it is highly possible that "bipolar disorder episodes, themselves, may be forms of seizures". She also reconfirmed something my long-time psychiatrist has always said, that we all have our own "flavor" of the disorder and that presentations and symptoms are not all the same in all people with the disorder. Also, that they can change in various ways over time. That's clearly true.

Anyway, my situation may be different than yours. There may be different concerns about your illness and/or why you may or may not need a neurologist.