[A Red Panda]

Appointment with the pdoc was today.

Went to the reception where I was to meet a woman who was going to do some screening or something and then take me to the psychologist. Got there, and... she'd gone home sick. INSTANT panic on my end. I had a friend with me (I've never been in the hospital here and don't know my way around) and my friend stepped right in and asked how to get to where I was just told to go. Was busy panicing over getting lost and the fact that I was to be meeting with a guy whose qualifications I did not know.

Go up to the area and wasn't sure where to go... and then a guy was like "L?" so he was clearly the right guy. I was waiting in the hall with my friend and she informed me that her mom was currently in an appointment (that has to do with cancer ) a few doors down from where we were. That I found to be rather amusing (that it was at the same time and right in the same hallway) so that distracted me.

The mental health worker that I'd just met was in the appointment with the psychiatrist with me. I wasn't sure what to make of that? He didn't really talk at all though.

The pdoc went over my referral from my GP and started to ask me various questions about my ups and downs - They were good and direct and I almost always was able to give a clear answer. A few times I was like "I'm not really sure.. I don't always pay too close attention to it."

Eventually he asked me if I had any idea what my diagnosis was - I said "I'm pretty sure I'm bipolar two" and he informed me that I was most definitely that. He seemed very confident in it, and although I am very confident in it, I don't really know how he could be that sure from a conversation with me?!

Then we were talking about meds and he seemed to be impressed a bit that I'm quite well read on the topic. Fortunatly he suggested the med that I want to try first (lamictal) because if he hadn't or if he hadn't wanted to let me try that one first... I'd have likely had a break down or gotten b****y with him. He asked if I knew about it's serious potential side affect and then I think he quized me after I indicated that yes, I knew it that it had a chance of about 1 in 3000 (from what I've read anyway) of getting the rash. Then I think he quizzed me when he asked if I knew what it was called and seemed pleased that I knew it was called Steven Johnson syndrome.

So we talked about that a bit, and he told me that if it's benign it'll be flat and not itchy. If it's harmful it'll be raised and itchy, and if I get a rash near anyhwere "moist" on my body (like around your mouth) then to stop taking the pill immediately and get in contact with him.

I'm going to have to see and talk to the mental health worker about once a week. He did seem good, but I'm leary as I don't know his qualifications. I will have to ask him that (amongst other things) when I talk to him earlier next week.

THEN he walked me outside and I got a text from my friend - when I called her back it turns out that she was still at the hospital visiting her mom! So I went and found her and she gave me a ride. I ended up going to a bunch of garage sales with her and her husband and then they made me supper.

So... it's gone well, but I still don't know what I think.

Is it official? Is it not? I don't know. It just seems strange to be confident in my responses in less than an hour.

[Victoria'smom]

I'm glad it all went well and your pdoc made you feel comfortable and confident.

[~Christina]

Sounds like a good Appt .

Here is what I think and know from my own dealings.. We have the gigantic internet to browse and learn about any illness on this planet. Pdoc's know that. If you had answered every question with a "text book" answer, alarm bells would have gone off in his head. Since Bipolar is unique to everyone your responses are going to be varied from the last person or the next one.

Most all Doctors are overjoyed that people read up on a possible condition and especially about Psych meds. My Pdoc and I have made decisions together about what medications to try and which ones I will not under any circumstances go on.

Maybe your diagnosis will stay a BP 2 maybe it will change , who knows. The biggest issue is you sought out help for problems you are having.

I am pretty certain your next appt will be much easier to go too.

[A Red Panda]

Yeah.. the next one will be easier because I'll recognize the faces. And with C it doesn't have to be at the hospital, so I will most likely take up that offer and ask to meet somewhere else.

I admitted multiple times that I didn't know - like when he'd ask me a question about when it related to my up time or my down time... and there were a few times where I was like "Honestly, I'm not really sure. I probably have, because I know that I've felt like that, but I don't know if it was in an up or a down or in neither. I don't always pay attention" haha.

Pdoc also is starting me on the 25mg of lamictal. He was going to have that for a week and then go up to 50, although he did say that it's often slow but that he thinks one week increments would be fine. I piped up and said that I would rather have it slower to be extra sure, and that my issues aren't severe enough for me to feel a need to rush it. And he listened to that and was fine with it, so that made me feel better.

[middlepath]

I am glad it went so well for you and hope that the Lamictal helps even out the bumps in life.

[Tiger_Lily]

Sounds like a pretty good pdoc. I am glad he was willing to work with you and listen to you opinions and support your research. I don't think I would want a pdoc who didn't. Perhaps he already has information about you from the referral, and wanted to confirm symptoms. Sounds like a good fit. I hope the Lamictal works ask well for you as it does for me.

[A Red Panda]

Yeah... it went a lot better than it could have. I don't know what my GP said, but she didn't know much that was shared by me so I don't really know. I did tell the GP that I am pretty sure I have bipolar so I'm sure that was in there and that the anti-depressants did NOT help at all.

Thank you for the support everyone - it's been doing me a world of good to read and take part in the threads in this forum!

[BipolaRNurse]

So glad you're getting some good help. Take it from me, you want a psychiatrist who's conservative with meds; otherwise, you'll never know what works or doesn't work, what's too much or what's not enough. Mine is that way, and it always surprises him when I say "thank you" for being so careful with medications. Most patients want change, change, change whenever a med doesn't seem to work or causes side effects; but as a clinician I appreciate a doctor who likes to take things more slowly.

You are fortunate, a lot of people don't fare as well with their first experience of psychiatry.

[A Red Panda]

Yeah... in a lot of ways I am the poster child of Luck.

(always got the jobs I want... as in, I'll apply lots of places, get ONE to call me back for an interview.. it'll be the one that I wanted... and will get the job. Got exactly into the program and school I'd wanted. Haven't yet wound up dead on the side of a street despite really risky walks. Oh... and let's not forget the 22 4-leaf clovers I've found, the 2 5-leaf clovers I've found, and the horseshoe I randomly found in a yard that hasn't had horses on it for over a decade! haha)

[manymiles]

Originally Posted by CheshireCatGrin

(always got the jobs I want... as in, I'll apply lots of places, get ONE to call me back for an interview.. it'll be the one that I wanted... and will get the job. Got exactly into the program and school I'd wanted. Haven't yet wound up dead on the side of a street despite really risky walks. Oh... and let's not forget the 22 4-leaf clovers I've found, the 2 5-leaf clovers I've found, and the horseshoe I randomly found in a yard that hasn't had horses on it for over a decade! haha)

If you ever play the lottery and want to do the group thing as in buy tickets together uhh feel free to let me know

Glad things went well with your first Pdoc appointment.

That was a quick diagnosis! But if you're sure it's right, then I see no reason to worry that it's not. For me it took a while to get the diagnosis. I think, in part, it depends on how trustworthy they find you. And I believe my BPD diagnosis (which is wrong, I have now found out) made me untrustworthy in their eyes, so they waited until they saw me in hypomania before they decided to believe me (they could have called multiple people to check if what I said was true). He probably thought you were trustworthy and insightful, and didn't see the need to wait longer to make the diagnosis. I'm glad it went well and that you got the dx.

[A Red Panda]

Thanks for the support everyone....

I just don't really trust how quickly he came to that decision and I wonder what my GP put in her referral! haha. To be fair, the two times I've seen the GP - the first one had me break down and not make any sense, and the second time I came in with a list of things that had been going on and everything typed up and was very adament about NOT doing a few things etc etc.

I guess the pdoc would have found it easy to listen to me because I can list off my coping strategies that I've developed for myself to keep me from doing X Y or Z quite as often as I would without it. Who knows.

And no, I can't do the lottery - my luck runs out when it comes to annnny sort of gamble. It has to be pure happenstance!