[popeye]

I saw my Pdoc today and she changed my Dx to Bipolar II from Bipolar I...I asked her about it because another Pdoc had me Bipolar Mixed. The one I see now tells me I have always been Bipolar I...does it really matter?

[zbmom]

I think Bipolar I includes people who have mixed episodes automatically. BP II is for people who have hypomania and depression, no mania, no psychosis, no mixed episodes. That's my understanding from what I've read in the DSM IV-TR

[popeye]

Originally Posted by zbmom

I think Bipolar I includes people who have mixed episodes automatically. BP II is for people who have hypomania and depression, no mania, no psychosis, no mixed episodes. That's my understanding from what I've read in the DSM IV-TR

I am manic right now and have had psychosis. She knows that.

Well, it seems you've finally been diagnosed correctly! Which is really good, considering your med regime probably needs to be thought out better. Seems you've been raging & manic lately, so that's probably for the best. : )

But. It's a broken record statement that I have no problem repeating: No matter what your diagnosis, you are still yourself in the end. The diagnosis only assists your treatment.

[manicminer]

True that. My pdoc has never mentioned whether I'm I or II. didnt realize there were even 2 kinds til i started doing my own research.
The standard dose for my med (depakote) is take your weight, add a zero, and multiply by 20-25% to reach a stable blood level. This put me at 2250mg a night to start! Sure it got me level real quick but with my liver running in hyperdrive due to my alcoholism, it shot my blood levels 3x too high and turned me into a zombie.
Now down to 1250 (1000mg less!) and very stable. My personality had a lot to do with it and prompted my shrink to stop sessions because I was so determined to overcome and persevere.