Desperately seeking input!

I just registered on this site. I've got several things going on and I need someone who's BTDT to answer my questions. We're in the process of having my son diagnosed bipolar. Freaks me out. My sister was once told she is bipolar. She never did anything about it. I think there's a good chance she is. So here's the question in a long sort of way...

For the last few years my sister has had all kinds of health issues. It started with numbness and tingling in the extremities, then slurred speech, slower cognitive abilities, dizziness, and complete weakness. She figured out that gluten seemed to make her symptoms worse. She's managed to avoid gluten and has been doing a bit better. But now she can't eat at all. Eating causes her so much pain. She collapsed in front of her 6yo dd and had to be taken to the ER. Her kidneys and gall bladder are fine, she doesn't have MS, no other allergies, all normal bloodwork - all tests are always normal but something is obviously wrong!!! Could it be that untreated bipolar disorder could lead to these kinds of symptoms?

My guess is that the answer is no, but I need to rule it out. She doesn't want to see a psych cause the last one she saw wasn't good to her so I can't even suggest she go this route unless I have information to back up my quasi-theory.

As a newcomer I know this is fairly loaded but I'm desperate and very hopeful you all can help me out!

Thanks!!

i have never heard of bipolar causing anything but rapid mood cycling,, often meds have nasty side effects, but nothing like what you are describing...

sounds like you need a brain specialist of some kind, if not a pscyhiatrist, who will almost certainly be biased in favor of " Trying a Psych MED",, at least some one who will order a brain scan,, ?? i'm no med student or anything, just been around a while,,

good luck with getting your sister to seek out the help she needs~! and best wishes with your son... Gus

How is her weight & her eating?
Honestly, however, sounds like a neurologist would be the Dr of choice to see at this point....who knows, it could have started off being a mild stroke that wasn't detected. I have known several people who have had this happen to them......but only a dr can really give a good DX on something like this.

Welcome, jaylee! Don't be freaked if your son is dx'd BP. It is what it is.

Whether your sister is BP or no... have to say, those symptoms sound nothing at all like untreated BP (I was dx'd about 15 years into it, even with clear cut symptoms, soo... have some "mileage" in the untreated catagory).
As far as the sister, it may be something strictly medical, but it may also be an ED thing (couple decades ago had a roomate who was anorexic... what you describe--as in eating causing pain-- is the closest to anything you've described and I've experienced at close proximity..I may be way off there, but...)

Thank you so much! I expected they had nothing to do with one another but couldn't rest until I checked it out. I can't tell you how much I appreciate your responses!

My son sees the psych on Monday for the second time. I just want to help him no matter what the diagnosis is. He's 8 and we've been working on his behavior since he was 3. It would be nice to have something more concrete to work with. We already have a diagnosis of ODD.

Welcome! I too have had all of these symptoms and many more, I've been bipolar for quite some time but just last year finally got a diagnosis, I went in for the symptoms you listed and other symptoms. The Dr. did tests to find out what is wrong and to rule out other stuff (not finding anything on test results either), he said most tests are to rule out other problems, and that autoimmune diseases are difficult to pin point which one it is because most have the same symptoms. He diagnosed me with bipolar, Multiple Sclerosis, and Trigeminal Neuralgia (very painful shocking in my face caused by my MS). He tested for Lupus first because of joint pain etc...but nothing showed on my blood test for Lupus, so he did other tests to rule out other autoimmune diseases and he said he thought from the beginning it was MS...autoimmune diseases run rampant in my moms side of the family so I was kinda assuming the same. Now I just need to get back on insurance and see a Neuro for further testing/treatment options for the MS.

Also, I have an 8 y/o stepson who was just recently diagnosed with bipolar...it is very difficult, I think it's harder for me to handle than his dad...because I too am bipolar and I think we both trigger each other sometimes. I can definitely see how not every person with bipolar have the same issues...his is totally different from mine (the word no, just totally sets him off into another person), luckily he has insurance, now we are just trying to find the right medicine for him, that has been a hassle as well.