[jesusplay]

I was diagnosed in march 2013. as of may 27th my last time I saw my pdoc my bipolar disorder is still active and NOS.

It's been almost 2 months with no mania/hypomania. For about 1 month I was hypomanic/manic and the second month I was ultra-rapidcycling.

Last year I started getting randoms burst of euphoria, felt super depressed, suicidal or whatever.

I'm currently only on wellbutrin and I've been on it since april. 300mg.

I just feel stuck in depression. It's horrible, I've been on wellbutrin for 10 weeks and nothing. I haven't gotten elevated mood just depressed.

I kind of miss the euphoria.

does this mean I just have a depressive disorder now vs bipolar? Or am I always bipolar now?

I see a new pdoc within the next 2 weeks. I'm having suicidal thoughts a lot, last time I attempted suicide I was drunk, I'm staying away from alcohol so the bad thoughts don't take control again.

[Eliza Jane]

If you have ever had a manic or hypomanic episode you are always considered bipolar. So unless the episode was misdiagnosed, you are always BP and not "just" depressed.

EJ

[LadyShadow]

Yes I agree. I am currently in the depressed state of bipolar. Not suicidal or anything just in a low mood. If you have had feelings of euphoria and mania then you do have bipolar.

Your're just on the other "pole" of bipolar right now

[jesusplay]

oh ok thanks for the replis my pdoc didn't explain my diagnosis to me or ever tell me, I got my paper work to transfer to a new one and I say the diagnosis and tthe dates.

I also have a depressive disorder that is active and an adjustment disorder with depressed mood that is active....

thanks for the info

[ultramar]

Originally Posted by jesusplay

oh ok thanks for the replis my pdoc didn't explain my diagnosis to me or ever tell me, I got my paper work to transfer to a new one and I say the diagnosis and tthe dates.

I also have a depressive disorder that is active and an adjustment disorder with depressed mood that is active....

thanks for the info

Pdocs just baffle me sometimes -that he didn't tell you your diagnosis for one thing and you had to find out from seeing paperwork. It's confusing in your case as well because -I'm really not sure of this- but it seems to me that depression is part of bipolar so I don't see the utility of diagnosing depression along with bipolar. Plus he has you on an antidepressant without a mood stabilizer, which is just bizarre.

For all of these reasons, I'm glad you're switching to a different one. I think we have a right to know our diagnoses (in the current opinion of the pdoc) and why they're prescribing the meds they are. I'd try and have an open dialogue with your new pdoc to clear this stuff up, if you want to. Sounds like Wellbutrin isn't helping, hopefully he/she can try something else that will work. Best of luck!

[BipolaRNurse]

I agree with ultramar. Pdocs don't generally prescribe antidepressants to bipolar patients without a mood stabilizer and/or an antipsychotic to balance things out; otherwise s/he is apt to switch into mania. It's a good thing you're getting a different doctor; this one doesn't sound like he's got too much on the ball.

Frankly, the way he made (or didn't make) your diagnosis sounds like what medical people call a "wastebasket diagnosis", rather than a legitimate, well-thought-out assessment that says "OK, this looks like bipolar and smells like bipolar, but we haven't established a pattern of mood episodes yet that will tell us what 'flavor' you've got".

I started out with "question of depression" and Bipolar NOS. The depression dx went away after my pdoc observed me in the middle of a hypomanic episode, which changed my 'label' to BP 2 after several more such episodes, and may change again because my illness is still evolving (had a very nasty mixed episode that went on for almost six weeks). It's not at all unusual to have a BP diagnosis change multiple times, especially when you change pdocs.

For now, just try not to sweat the label too much, although your doctor should have given you a dx and explained what it meant. Keep us posted, OK?