[mommaof3]

I have been diagnosed with a mouthful of things. I have read, talked to different people, obseved different people and I really want bi polar taken off my charts so to speak. But my doc refuses to hear any of it so far and only wants to treat that saying everything else will disappear if we get that under control.

I am never truly manic. I sleep anywhere from 4 to 8hrs a night and 2 to 3 hours during the day unless I am in therapy. Always always always. I have racing thoughts but I am able to concentrate on the task I am doing 100%,

Any ideas or things I can say to make her listen. I just met her 2 weeks ago and she is trying to find a med combo that works but so far nothing seems to work right. Even though it is perfect for someone bi polar.

I don't care about the other diagnoses I just want bi polar off. Its not me even my hubby who knows me very well says it does not fit.

Thanks in advance

[amandalouise]

Originally Posted by mommaof3

I have been diagnosed with a mouthful of things. I have read, talked to different people, obseved different people and I really want bi polar taken off my charts so to speak. But my doc refuses to hear any of it so far and only wants to treat that saying everything else will disappear if we get that under control.

I am never truly manic. I sleep anywhere from 4 to 8hrs a night and 2 to 3 hours during the day unless I am in therapy. Always always always. I have racing thoughts but I am able to concentrate on the task I am doing 100%,

Any ideas or things I can say to make her listen. I just met her 2 weeks ago and she is trying to find a med combo that works but so far nothing seems to work right. Even though it is perfect for someone bi polar.

I don't care about the other diagnoses I just want bi polar off. Its not me even my hubby who knows me very well says it does not fit.

Thanks in advance

I have found the best way to get a doctor to listen is to remain calm and not fight by telling them constantly I'm not this or that. When I get diagnosed with something I don't believe I have, I thank the doctor for his opinion and just for the sake of making sure in my own mind I would like to be referred to a psychiatrist that can do a complete psychiatric evaluation and my medical doctor would do the metaphysical part of the process.

Usually what happens is I get the complete psychiatric and physical work up and the results of the new evaluation turns up I though I have SOME symptoms of the disorder I didn't believe I had I didn't have enough symptoms to warrant a diagnosis of it. The doctor that previously diagnosed me of the denied disorder apologizes to me and says once again proof that we professionals need to listen to our clients and he was glad I knew my rights of asking for another opinion.

good luck.

Why does the bipolar diagnosis bother you so much? Take some time to really educate yourself about bipolar disorder. Bipolar type 2 doesn't have the manic symptoms of type 1. A really good book about bipolar 2 is Why am I Still Depressed? by Phelps. It does take time to find a good med combination. Two weeks isn't enough time for meds to kick in. Give it some time. You can always go for a second opinion to another pdoc.

[billieJ]

I am assuming that the dx of bipolar bothers you so much because the Rx combos prescribed for it have not, to date, worked well for you ~ ? You might ask your pdoc to read to you from the diagnostic and statistical manual, the symptoms which led her to make the diagnosis. farmergirl/Chris does make a good point, however, from various things that I have heard. It does take time to get a good med adjustment, regardless of psychiatric dx. My previous pdoc was unable to rid himself of the notion that I had some form of bipolar, but he did believe me that I was unable to tolerate the meds for that condition. For this, I was thankful. I don't care what they call me, but I do care what they prescribe! Sympathetically ~ billieJ

[Yoda]

I do not know if you are or are not bipolar. I am bipolar and I was diagnosed in 2000 and was treated with various meds but I thought that I only had PTSD and denied that the bipolar diagnosis was accurate for me until I talked to a therapist in 2006 who explained it in a way that I understood.

Did that make sense? I don't think that was well written but I am tired.

I am now 51 years old and can now see how at times as early as college I was somewhat manic (hypomanic?) and rarely I would have mild-mod depression. It was not until I became perimenopausal that I experienced extreme shifts in mood. In 2007 I was extremely manic for about three days. High energy, high mood. Then within a few hours my mood dropped to severe depression and thoughts of suicide and I required hospitalization.

The extreme mood shifts in 2007 are what people think of when they talk of classic bipolar I think. When the mood shifts are less extreme it isn't as apparent for either the patient or the physician.

Let us know how things go with you.

[serafim_etal]

What everyone has said is great, but I want to add, there is no such thing as a med combo that is "perfect for someone with bipolar". Some combos work for some people and not for others...this is one of the reasons there are so many different meds. Also, there are some people that do not respond to meds at all. My best friend is bipolar II...she either gets no response to meds, or gets dangerous side-effects. She also never gets truly manic...she gets hypomanic, which sometimes manifests as racing thoughts, irritable, and prone to panic attacks. It's important to remember that "manic" doesn't always present as high energy, extremely happy, and spending the life savings...as is often portrayed in the media.

[mommaof3]

Thank you all. The current med combo I have been on for 2 weeks, previously I was one 1 combo for a week but doc said to stop b/c of side effects and b/c I was getting worse, before that it was a combo that didn't do anything so they kept upping the dose for 3 years.
I am seeing a new doc and told them do not put me back on the meds I was on for 3 years. So she has tried 2 different combos and will be evaluateing me on Monday.
Alot of it has to do with wanting to be off the meds. I am sick of the side effects and the fact that so far 3 combos do not seem to work. I asked her to focus on the symptoms and treaat them( I am also diagnosed borderline which mimics bi polar) but she refuses to deal with that. Point blank told me we will deal with that later right now we are treating the bi polar depression and thats it. My hubby hates her and so do I. Everything I bring up to her she discredits and does what she wants.
I told her the Klonipin does not work and she told me well of course not your body has been on it for 3 years but we are not switching it now. So what I have to live with my throat closed. My hubby argued with her and she said fine well try Atavan but its not going to work either b/c your immune now to benzos. He told her that valerine Root works and can I take that instead. Again she states no herbals do not help it is all in your head that they help.
I would switch docs if I could but I cannot and I have tried. But with the program I am in she is available and the other doc is not so I was assigned to her.

If only they take away the bi polar diagnosis will she see something else. Oh and I need to convince her of this b/c I do not have a T all I have is group therapy.

[perpetuallysad]

I realize taking medicines isn't the most fun thing in the world...I've been on them for over 6 years now. I'm guessing I've tried probably 20 or so different med combinations and nothing I've found works perfectly. Some things work for a while then peter out, some just don't work at all or have bad side effects. I know some people have been lucky right off with a good combination, but in general, most people take a lot of rearranging before they get good results. 3 different med combos is by no means comprehensive, there are a lot more choices to go through, especially before you decide to give up. There also may be a problem with you trying to ask your pdoc for therapy, if that's not something she wants to do. I know that most pdocs only do med management, which may be why she's not willing to "focus on the symptoms and treat them". Usually, pdocs deal primarily with diagnosis and medication treatment.