New diagnosis. Doesn't feel right.

Just today I was diagnosed bipolar. It just doesn't feel right though, so I'd like some input from this community, as my first post, if y'all don't mind.

I've had recurring bouts of intense, high motivation obsessions, and bouts of low/depressed moods. Like, my mind would click and instantly I'm infatuated with golf (the most recent obsession). All movies I watch are now about golf. Every thing I think is about golf. When a golf commercial, or medication commercial comes on and they're golfing I think, "Aha, the universe is telling me this is the path I'm supposed to be on!" Doesn't matter what topic I'm currently obsessed with, these coincidences and thoughts follow me. If I'm talking with somebody, I either want to sway the conversation towards golf, or I don't want to talk much about anything else. My thoughts race with how I can better my swing and it's all I think about. Spending ALL hours of day researching and perfecting my swing. Going to bed late thinking about it, and waking up early thinking about it. "If my parents would have actually given me golf lessons instead of just suggesting it, I'd be a pro by now! I've gotten so good in so short of a time!" THEN....click. I want nothing to do with golf. It just doesn't interest me anymore. I bought all the best known books, subscribed to some magazines, my inbox is filled with golf newsletters and tips. Now I have to unsubscribe to them all. All of the golf purchases I made that are floating around my room, don't belong there anymore. I'm down, there's just no more energy to keep going with this. "Why did I just wast two months with something so pointless again?"

This vicious cycle has cursed my life for around 7 years now. I've wasted so much time and money on passions that were perfect for me. I recognize it when it happens now, but always, ALWAYS, this is the time it's gonna stick. It's interfered with college, causing me to focus more on my temporary obsession than my homework.

So what I'm trying to say is, my problem seems to have some commonalities with bipolar, but it doesn't, to me, seem to fit the bill just right. I'll talk about this more with my psych when I see him. I'd just like to know if some of you have obsessive manic episodes that may or may not drain your bank account. It seems so odd of a symptom and I've never met anyone the same or who thought is wasn't weird.

I also pick up new hobbies, or as you said, passions. Once I found "reborn dolls" as I entered mania. I spent about $600 on supplies and equipment. I got to work on a doll and spent hours trying to make it perfect. I was half way done with the hair when the mania stopped and I found I hated making dolls. That was the end of that experience. More often, I spend money on things I HAVE to have, NOW. Once I bought 20 LLBean v-neck pima cotton long sleeve shirts in different colors.Every few days another package would arrive with more shirts. As a child I can remember becoming obsessed with twirling a baton. I took classes, spent hours of every day twirling. Then one day it just stopped. I never touched the baton again. I have bipolar I and have had symptoms since mid childhood. Your story sounds very familiar to me.

Interesting that you say that. I bought a foam roller a couple weeks ago at about 2 in the morning. I had to transport a 32" long piece of 6" diameter foam in a laptop backpack because I ride a motorcycle, but I HAD to have it then.

Yep I get obsessive but I also have OCD and mania tends to bring out all my little other disorders 10x as much. My husband and son also have this 'symptom' but we associate it with are OCD.

I once spent $300 on a kit designed to get me started in direct marketing. Not that I could afford it at that time, but "To make money, you have to spend money". I got the kit, registered my business name and got a license, watched all the videos, read over the materials and then realized that I didn't have a product to sell. If such behavior doesn't scream "bipolar", I don't know what does.

I know it's hard to accept such a label. I fought it for over a year before a wicked mixed episode forced me to recognize the veracity of my diagnosis. Sometimes it still feels like I'm just rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic, but having accepted the fact that I have bipolar disorder frees me to concern myself with outcomes, rather than focusing on the diagnosis itself. I hope that makes sense.

Yea it's kind of weird. I've always felt like something wasn't quite right, and recently I figured, "hey, if I can put a name on it, I'll be halfway down the right path." Putting a name on it didn't exactly feel that good right away. Glad there's a huge support community though! I'll soon get used to it, and the new medication, but I'm glad I now have a starting point. Also, BiplaRNurse, your avatar is hilarious

I enrolled in 4 different direct marketing companies and spent thousands of dollars. I sold clothing, cleaning products, crystal and jewelry. Or should I say I bought kits of them. I never sold much of anything because I was either depressed or in to something new.

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You can always get a second opinion. What diagnostic tests have you had? Until you've had a full medical work, particularly labs confirming that your endocrine system is functioning correctly and also a neurological evaluation, a psychiatric diagnosis is premature.

I've had neurological tests last year to the extent of an EEG to prove my childhood epilepsy was completely gone. No endocrine tests, but that's a good question. I'm pretty sure all of my blood tests my whole life have come back normal. I tried joining the army last year and my blood tests didn't raise any red flags. Maybe they don't test hormone levels in run of the mill bloodwork.