[FreshStart_2015]

Tonight I just talked to my good friend who is a psyiactric nurse. I have not been diagnosed with bipolar disorder yet, but I have a number of symptoms of it. Because I have just come off of a 10 year misdiagnosis for depression, he says I am confused and should not diagnose myself. I want to get a professional diagnosis, but he also thinks that could be bad.

Any thoughts?

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He doesn't think you should self-diagnose (true), but he also thinks that getting a profesional diagnosis could be bad? Why does he think that would be bad?

That's confusing.

[Mountainbard]

Innerzone asks a good question. I don't understand why the t thinks a diagnosis would be bad. FYI I was misdiagnosed with major depressive disorder until last year. Once I was correctly diagnosed and got on appropriate and effective meds it was life-changing.

[HALLIEBETH87]

I was treTed for depression for 4 yrs before bipolar dx. Treatment is better now. I have rough patches but I have good to

[FreshStart_2015]

He seems to think that the symptoms are not severe enough. How severe should they be?

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[FreshStart_2015]

I believe he has my best interests in mind. I did go cold turkey from Cyprolex (Canadian brand name) and went from chill to thrill in a very short time. He may think that I am not able to think rationally.

Does he think that I am just going to tell the doc what I think he should hear and sabatoge my diagnosis? No, I want to get this done properly, I have suppressed the wrong thing for far too long.

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[bbTofu]

If your symptoms aren't severe enough, a good psychiatrist will see that ~ try to be as honest and open as you can be. Not 100% of people that see psychiatrist end up with a diagnosis and medication.

What could be bad is another misdiagnosis, or an untreated illness that interfere your life and functioning

[FreshStart_2015]

I Agree...I am going to an ADHD clinic in the new year. He is both a psychiatrist and md. The doc can also look for bipolar, so I will wait until then. If he can rule it out, then I want him to, not me or anyone else.

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[Unrigged64072835]

If anything, seeing a psychiatrist and discussing your symptoms will put your mind at ease one way or the other.

I have a psychiatrist that didn't give me an outright diagnosis but treats me for the symptoms I do have which fit the diagnosis. I found later when I was hospitalized what my actual diagnosis was. She is of the opinion that people get wrapped up in their labels and don't actually work on getting better.

Originally Posted by Fharraige

If anything, seeing a psychiatrist and discussing your symptoms will put your mind at ease one way or the other...

Yes!

I looked up and see that Cipralex is escitralopram, which people in the US know as Lexapro. I was put on that with my initial (mis)diagnosis too. And had the same reaction (rock bottom to woohoo within 48 hours). It really can mess with you, as can coming off meds cold turkey. Rationality compromised? Sure, it can be with one or both of those factors. But that doesn't change the symptoms you feel you've held back about all this time. So... yeah, concern about rationality may be valid in one sense, but overall, not.

I'm glad to hear you will be talking with a professional. It's the right thing to do.

[FreshStart_2015]

I really don't know what mania feels like, but the euphoric highs and crazy lows feel brutal.


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[Pastel Kitten]

Originally Posted by Fharraige

If anything, seeing a psychiatrist and discussing your symptoms will put your mind at ease one way or the other.

I have a psychiatrist that didn't give me an outright diagnosis but treats me for the symptoms I do have which fit the diagnosis. I found later when I was hospitalized what my actual diagnosis was. She is of the opinion that people get wrapped up in their labels and don't actually work on getting better.

My psychiatrist is kind of the same. She's prescribed me meds for my bipolar but hasn't given an "official" diagnosis (although she's made it clear she knows I am specifically bipolar II) because she is more focused on the treatment, rather than labels, which I absolutely agree is the most important thing. The difference between mood stabilizers and being only on an antidepressant are huge!

[BipolaRNurse]

My pdoc is another one who hates labels, preferring to treat the symptoms rather than the diagnosis. He just calls it bipolar disorder, unspecified even though we both know the hospital psychiatrist correctly diagnosed me bipolar 1. I have had the requisite full-blown manic episode (actually quite a few of them) and psychosis, so there's little doubt about where I stand on the bipolar spectrum. But it's much more important to have the right treatment than the right label...those are mainly for payment purposes anyway.

[FreshStart_2015]

Today there is paranoia. I have a appt to get a referral on the 5th. This is starting to stress me out. I cannot handle this. I have sleep great the last couple of nights due to a well placed breathe right strip, but I feel more agitated than ever.

I go back to work on the 4th. I feel like I am gonna mess up at work even worse than the last time. Because I deal with people of all ages there, it forces me to put on a face. Then I get home and anything can happen.

Ugh.

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[FreshStart_2015]

The waiting is excruciating.

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[FreshStart_2015]

Hey everyone...

Things were slowly improving over the last two weeks...but today I had a meltdown. I feel like crying and hate this crap.

What is the point? Why am I here?

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[Keegan2015]

Aww, sorry to hear that. What kind of "meltdown"?

Did you ever end up getting put on medication over the past couple of weeks for BP1?

[gina_re]

Originally Posted by FreshStart_2015

Hey everyone...

Things were slowly improving over the last two weeks...but today I had a meltdown. I feel like crying and hate this crap.

What is the point? Why am I here?

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You're here because people love and care for you and they need you in their lives. It's hard to see it now, but everything happens for a reason. I have definitely had my fair share of my "why do I even bother?" or "what's the point of this?" moments. But winter always turns into spring, you'll get your answers and feel better soon. The hardest part is the pain of waiting. But you have an entire community here to help you, we all understand. Please take care. It gets better.

[FreshStart_2015]

Update.

I have been diagnosed with adult ADHD. I am on Concerta and today just had my dose increased after 2 weeks on the lowest dose.

I'm just glad now that I have something concrete to treat.

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[bbTofu]

And how's it going for you?

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[Icare dixit]

In an ADHD clinic chances are considerable that you get diagnosed ADHD or not at all (which they don't really like much, generally). So it could be ADHD and/or BP still.

The correct label is very important if psychiatrists know much about them. Regrettably, not all that many know about many labels and the nuances, as in experience with patients and knowledge of the syndromes. So you might want to try and find such a psychiatrist, treating many different labels, eh.., people.

APAB.

[pirilin]

===============HUGS!!!==============