Beginning to question my diagnoses.

That would be me

Yes!!!! There you are!!! Well later today I’m calling my primary care doctor’s office back to check the status of my referral. I just want a second opinion and I’ll feel better about everything. Everyone else that posted said they had bipolar symptoms before ever being on meds. I just need a psychiatrist to explain why I started having symptom after after a hysterectomy.

Hi, I’m the lady in question
I was diagnosed after a severe manic episode which occurred after my estradiol levels fell off the cliff.
While I still had my ovaries I was considered eccentric and ‘a bit out there’. I did behave in a hypomanic manner, a perfectionist that charged ahead at 110km/hr, although my behaviour still fit into normal limits.
I am IP often and it amazes me how many women there are like me.

I kept my ovaries. I started having crying spells and fits of rage. I did not track how long each lasted. I went to my gynecologist and told her I thought I was going through menopause. She explained no because I had my ovaries. I was confused. We did so many tests. They even did a cat scan. Then she concluded I was depressed and started me on a AD but it was too strong. She changed it to Celexa and things went downhill from there. I got worse and worse

My psychiatrist told me women with bipolar often have premenstrual issues and postpartum depression so seems like the moods can be made worse with hormonal changes. I could see it kind of going either way: hormone changes are causing mood swings, or hormone changes are exacerbating/triggering bipolar. I have heard sometimes people with PMDD are misdiagnosed as having bipolar, and some people with bipolar think they just have PMDD at first. Perhaps if strictly treating hormonal imbalances fixes the problem, like if someone had a thyroid issue that was treated and their symptoms improved, then it is primarily an endocrine issue, but if it is just one of many triggers then more likely to be bipolar. I think the interaction is between hormones and moods is very complex, though. More so maybe then we even understand yet. Hope the re-evaluation is helpful to you!

This week keeps getting worse. I called my primary care doctor’s office to find out why no one had called me yet. I spoke to Linda. She said a referral was being done. I explained to her that a referral was not necessary that I just needed a name and number to a psychiatrist. Then Linda said some doctors only accept patients if they have been referred. I asked for the contact info and she gave it to me. I said “thank you” and she slammed the phone down. I called the psychiatrist office and introduced myself. I told the receptionist that Dr. ABC was my primary doctor. I asked her if her agency required referrals from a doctor? She said absolutely not insurance does not require that even. She took my name and number. Then said someone in the intake dept would call me. I called my primary’s office back and Linda answered. I asked to speak to a manager. I spoke to Barbara and she said, she does not know why a referral was even started. I simply asked to be called and given a name and phone number of a psychiatrist. Then I found the phone number to their HR. I filed a formal complaint with HR. I took a nap. Then I received a call from Diane. She was the director of my primary care doctor’s office. She said, she received the HR compliant on Linda. That she had also spoke to Barbara. That she read the notes that Linda took and gave to my doctor. That the notes were so confusing. That my request was so simple and her notes had my phone number. That she could have called me and gave me the contact info of the psychiatrist. I told Diane I have been dealing with social work and mental health for ten years. Seven of the ten years I worked for two insurance companies which is why I knew a referral was not needed. Plus I’ve had Medicare for two years. Diane said I really just do not know how I’m suppose to train some people. I have to discipline her as well. Diane was venting at this point and I did not know what to say. I thanked her for calling me and wished her good luck.

This morning I received a call from a lady in the intake dept at the place my primary care referred me to. After speaking to the lady they do not provide psych evals for adults. She was trying to schedule me with a physicians assistant haha! That damn Linda at my doctor’s office can not do crap right. The lady gave me two names of PhD doctors that did adult psych evals. I checked online and one had bad reviews. The other only had one review. I called the Diane, the director of my primary care doctor’s office. I explained the situation. She said, she would speak to my doctor and come up with some doctors later today.