[kokopelli]

Have been treated with sssr's for last 20yrs for Depression, also on Diazapam & Tamazapam for last 15yrs, say P doc yesterday, as I am convinced that my symptoms are more in common with Bipolar dissorder, and feel I have been diagonsed wrongly. I asked him if I could possibbly be suffering bipolar, and he immediately jumped (i felt) in with NO!, when I asked him to explain why he was so sure, his answer was, that if I had biopolar Dissorder, then I would of either been, "Hospitalized, or gotten into trouble during my "High" periods.!!!!!!!

He refused to change my Antidepressant from Prozac to something else, and that when I ? him about being on Diazapam and Tamazapam on high doses for over 10 yrs could not be good, he said "All the more reason to stop these ones gradualy, and as I said I was not prepaired to carry on with Prozac as my episodes have become decidedly worse over last 11 months on this, I am left with occupational thereapy!!???
I am at the end I have no more fight left, I need some sort of help as I have resorted to self harming once again, which is to distract me from doing worse to myself...... confused and desperate Kokopelli????

[Fire_Star]

Hey, I'm a newbie here too. If you feel you may be wrongly diagnosed and your pdoc doesn't seem willing to explorer/ give you the clarification you need, maybe try and get a second opinion.

At the moment, i haven't been diagnosed and the doctors I've seen are saying it's 'depression butt.... hmm maybe bipolar' as they haven't had time to really get into my history. I'm the same as you - I don't feel it's depression, too many events have occurred for my highs to be 'normal' but I've never been hospitalised for them either (though maybe in some cases, I should have been).

You're the only one that knows what feels wrong - if you're open with your doctors and you don't feel they're listening, go elsewhere. They work for *you*; you don't need to do anything for them but be honest.

[Ascension]

Hi, Koko. I am sorry to hear you aren't feeling very well. I have been dealing with mental illness for the whole of my life, I am 36 now, and I can relate to feeling like things will never be right. More importantly how hard it is to feel like you are not being completely heard by your health care providers. You may to consider a second opinion. It's important that you feel heard. Don't give up hope and stay safe and in touch.

[perpetuallysad]

A lot of the times bipolar is misdiagnosed as depression because when you are manic you don't feel badly (usually) so you don't mention those times as much. It took me 4 years into therapy before my t/pdoc decided I was definitely bipolar and not just depressed.

What are your moods and symptoms like? Obviously, I am not a doctor or anything, but having suffered from bipolar for so long, at least I could help by telling you if your moods mimic bipolar at all.

Maybe he was quick to say no because he'd already thought about you being bipolar and decided against it.

[captain123]

hi koko,
i am also new here and so far it's been great support. If you feel you have been wrongly diagnosed, a second opinion won't hurt. I am diagnosed bipolar and i've never been hospitalized or "in trouble"....His refusal to work with you kind of comes off as unprofessional and pompous as if you don't know what you are feeling. My p doc constantly tells me "i'm not gonna give up on you" That's the kind of support I feel like all of us need. Someone in our corner...it's their job!! Hang in there...

[lonegael]

I agree with the second opinion. I have bad mixed episodes that were always diagnosed as depression, and with a father who was a physician, I didn't get hospitalized, as I got a lot of help at home. The problem can also be that some types of depression without manias or hypomanias seem to have a bipolar componenet in the underlying mechansm, because they actually seem to respond better to medications for bipolar than to straight Antidepressants. That is just a thought. If I were you, don't tell the doctor that you had this conversation with your pdoc before you get a second opinion. You don't want to prejudice the doc doing the second opinion. huggs and good luck.