[Taurus_30]

Hello everyone,

I'm going to try not to bore you all with the details of my past but basically I've had problems since I was quite young and was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder in my teens.

Possible trigger:

I had/have many issues (eating disorders, sexual abuse/promiscuity/ self harm/ suicide etc)

and was hospitalised several times..the longest being a year. I've seen too many therapists to remember.
I'm 30 now and when I was in hospital at 24 one of the consultants there said he thought I had Bipolar 2. He put me on Seroquel, I gained 3 stone in a few months and decided to stop taking it.

As the years have gone on my moods have become more and more erratic. These ridiculous high periods would come over me, euphoria, happiness which would last for a few days, then if I was lucky a day or two of feeling pretty stable then I'd have a depressive episode which would last another few days. But mixed in was an intense irritability and anger...sometimes before the euphoria, during or after.

The bi polar 2 diagnoses has reared it's head again, I have had another consultant tell me she thinks I "definitely do" have it, 2 gp's that agree with her, and another consultant who "isn't sure" and seems to be leaning more towards me not having it..although keeps prescribing me mood stabilisers. I was on Arripiprazole and currently am on Amisulpride, which really seems to be helping.

Sorry, long story short. WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS of bipolar 2? I know the DSM but I'm talking about you guys and what you experience daily. For instance I've been experiencing what I feel might be hypo-mania the last few days....but whilst you're hypo manic can you also be HIGHLY agitated? Can noises (even mild ones) irritate you? People coming near you/touching you to the point where you shout at strangers to GET AWAY? Can you want to scream and shout and dance and sing in the middle of a crowded mall because you JUST FEEL LIKE SCREAMING and shouting...? I wanted to go to a festival so made my flatmate have one in my living room with me. I decided I needed to go to Canada used all my savings, booked a flight, got there began feeling horribly depressed, borrowed money to book a flight back early got in debt as a result. Decided the gardening needed to be done at 11pm in a storm, so did it for 2 hours. My thoughts race and race and race, is that common? I took so much propranalol last night because I became a bit fixated on a certain thought and couldn't stop over analysing...is that a symptom?

I'm sorry I just really need some real life input and not something out of the dsm. I need experiences. If anyone has any help, I'd so appreciate it.

Em

[fishin fool]

I am bipolar 2 and I do sometimes get agitated when hypo.
I can become very sensitive to loud noises as well.
I know its not much but I hope it helps.

[bbTofu]

Are you sure u weren't experiencing Mania?
During hypo I booked a spontaneous flight to Amsterdam, but was able to observe the idea for couple of days and see if it's affordable and won't damage my studies etc..

hmm... I have strong urge to just move when I'm really worked up, very high. just move my body, go, walk, dance.. talking helps..
Very sensitive to loud noises, very sensitive to music, I feel I'm one with the music.
Loud noises may agitate me. Too many unconnected thoughts/disrupted ideas may agitate me sometimes.
General feeling that people around are slow. Bit more risky driving

BUT - some sense of judgement is still there, which keeps me safe so to speak.

[fishin fool]

Originally Posted by bbTofu

Are you sure u weren't experiencing Mania?
During hypo I booked a spontaneous flight to Amsterdam, but was able to observe the idea for couple of days and see if it's affordable and won't damage my studies etc..

hmm... I have strong urge to just move when I'm really worked up, very high. just move my body, go, walk, dance.. talking helps..
Very sensitive to loud noises, very sensitive to music, I feel I'm one with the music.
Loud noises may agitate me. Too many unconnected thoughts/disrupted ideas may agitate me sometimes.
General feeling that people around are slow. Bit more risky driving

BUT - some sense of judgement is still there, which keeps me safe so to speak.

I forgot about risky driving. That has been a problem for me at times.

[jbuttz]

I am on the same boat as you. Trying to figure out if this week I'm depressed and later I'm 'normal' or is it more serious than I thought. My doctor says no on the bp but he was also skeptical about the depression.

I'm not truly satisfied with the depression label to be honest. I can 'feel' something else. I've had symptoms of bp2 but everyone around me dismisses them and have also had depression for as long as I can remember. Am I majorly depressed? I don't think so. So is it that I have a mild form of depression with happiness in between or when I'm not depressed am I showing signs of bp? It's such a hard thing to determine.

It's even worse that my girlfriend doesn't believe in mental illness. She's one of those people who say it's all in your head, just be happy, etc. I hope you find what you're searching for my friend. Well wishes to you and welcome to the forums.

[bbTofu]

It's not easy when your beloved ones dismiss and hence can't support you with your mental state that is NOT easy on it's own, and having to bear in mind that your girlfriend thinks you're making this all up. Sorry to hear that jbuttz, I believe you and I hope she'll come around so you don't feel alone in this.

Think you could get a second opinion to check that out? I heard getting MDD treated with sole anti-depressants may be dangerous for bipolar people. It's no game.

[Taurus_30]

Thank you for the replies x