newly diagnosed

battled with depression and extreme anxiety for years.

diagnosed in hospital. have a lot of charactertistics from these threads. how did you KNOW for sure?

am not suicidial. suffer from extreme mood swings, loneliness in addition to above.

I didn't see the bipolar diagnosis when they gave it to me. It wasn't until I came down and looked at the damage my manic states caused. I always though the manic me was the real me and maybe it is, and I had a lot of fun but hurt a lot of people including myself in the end. I've been depressed so long now they have changed my diagnosis from Bipolar I to Bipolar II. So I rarely have happy days. None of the drugs cocktails seem to be working for me.

Hope they get you the help you need. I also notice this is your first post so it's nice to meet you.

I did not get diagnosed until I was 35, I am 35 now. So I was recently diagnosed. I have been treating it with diet and exercise, regulating sleep, etc... Though I was prescribed Lithium, I have not begun taking it.

This is very silly, but I knew when I saw and episode of Homeland and Clare Danes was going up on a hypomanic episode, and I was just like, 'I have that'... It dawned on me very suddenly, I just knew that was being portrayed there I had. I started reading about it and it was like every single symptom, every last one, is just me to a T. So then I sought diagnosis, and I was diagnosed by 3 people, all of who confirmed that I have bipolar.

It was a heavy trip, but I am happy to belong somewhere finally. I am also lonely, I don't feel like I belong anywhere. Message me any time...

Yours in health!
MT

I always knew something was wrong/different, but did not know it was Bipolar until I was diagnosed.

I too am newly diagnosed. I was diagnosed with extreme depression and anxiety for almost ten years and needless to say no antidepressants worked. Trying to figure all of this out. I've done a lot of research, but I still feel like I'm clueless to what is going on in my life. I wish you the best in life with your diagnosis and want you to know that there is nothing wrong with you because of it. I have to tell myself that everyday. We may struggle with something that no one else understands, but we are still people worthy of respect and love.

Gabapentin? Didn't they pull that like 10 years ago because the company failed to prove it was effective in treating bipolar disorder? Have you tried lamotrigine or lithium? Also aspirin has show some remarkable effectiveness in treating mood disorders, you and your doctor may want to consider switching out some of the heart or bloodthinner medications for it instead. The other thing I don't particularly like seeing in your med list is fluoxetine, as anti-depressants are contraindicated in bipolar disorder.

Nevermind, I was't paying attention to who the original poster was. However Gayle, I still stand by my critique of your meds.

I didnt know until I was diagnosed, then I did a whole lot of research myself and verified that diagnosis. Mood swings are not the only thing on the diagnosis criteria and are present in other disorders, what other symptoms do you have?

I was diagnosed with gad. But I think its bipolar. I have both when I read up on them. Psych saw me twice andvsaid I dont have bipolar...but my sister has it.... its hereditary. Could I have 2 disorders, or are these symptoms the same and its only GAD? Please help

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I also have been recently diagnosed with bipolar. It now makes sense to me my behavior. I can look back as far as puberty and see it. So does my family. I feel so ashamed & defective. I am on meds ( lamectial, abilify & welbutrin. I felt great at first, but now I am down in the dumps ie depression. .... how are you all able to manage the highs & lows of this illness. I gave GOT to get a grip on this thing they call bpd & bpd.

I was diagnosed in August of 2012. It was when I was hospitalized. BP really fits me and I am glad that I know it. Still, I've suffered so many years not knowing...and not knowing who I really am.