Do I really have bipolar disorder?

Yup. I totally support that 100%.

I actually had quite a horrible pdoc last year.

He kind of had this "Take this tablet and suck it up sunshine" attitude.

Really he did.

Luckily my pdoc since October is awesome. I love her to bits.

Doesn't coming off Adderall make you irritable? I never have but it seems like that would be logical. Many people, including some drs., seem unable to believe that a person can be grouchy and not bipolar, especially if any other mental health issues are existing.

But it is good you are continuing to take your meds until you have a 2nd opinion.

I have a friend who had a rather similar experience. She was in college and was depressed and impulsively OD'd on something pretty safe. That landed her on lithium with a bipolar diagnosis. When she got pregnant a couple years later she came off it and was fine and has never had another psych symptom since (beyond the normal mood swings people have).

My p-doc hasn't really given me a definitive answer. He thinks there's something up - maybe BP, maybe some level of PD. They sort of mask each other so I can understand. But he's making observations as we meet and I try to be honest with him. This week was a very tough one for me, lots of anger and outbursts based on family and other triggers.

I've probably lived with something for 20 years. A good friend who suffers from all sorts of addictions recently told me that we tend to think we're getting better and then question everything. In reality, it's a life long journey on a surfboard. Sometimes we float along and play it cool. Sometimes we ride the pipe successfully and it's exhilarating. Then, other times, we ride the pipe and poach.

You have a good pdoc Jimmy. I have more respect for those who take their time with a diagnosis verses the quick questionnaire type diagnosis. I mean it's good for pdocs to ask those questions but they should hold off on a diagnosis until they can actually observe the changes in us.

Too true Sinking Feeling.

I had a pdoc that did the "tick sheet" - well, almost, kind of consultation.

Doesn't really work for me.