[cafegrrrl]

I don't know if i should post this here or in the pharmeceutical forum so I guess I'll cross post this. Sorry if that's not allowed or bothers anyone...

I haven't been able to stop thinking about this past week's session. My counselor talked a little about the shrink I'm meeting this week. I guess to prep me for the initial meeting. She told me that she was talking to him (i signed a release for her to do so) and that she told him that she thought my dx was no longer depression but some form or another of bipolar. My family doc also told me about a year ago that he thinks my dx is bipolar too, not just unipolar depression anymore.

Apparently though, the shrink (whom i have yet to even meet), told the counselor that it was just depression because I took anti depressants and they worked in the past.

I did take anti depressants for 6 yrs without any problems. However, when i changed jobs, I couldn't afford them anymore and stopped taking them for 6-9 months. That was a big mistake on my part, lesson learned. My doc was able to get me samples of the same meds I used to take, the same dosage, same pharmaceutical company, same EVERYTHING but they messed me up. I couldn't eat, sleep, or do anything really for 3 days and nights. That was a year ago. We've been playing with anti depressants ever since then and we have yet to find any that I can tolerate.

The counselor also said something about the shrink possibly wanting to give me the same meds I was once on but in a higher dosage. If the lowest dosage had me flying and unable to function at all, how will an even higher dosage be managable?

How can a shrink say things like that without even having met me yet? I guess I should maybe let the counselor know that hearing stuff like that gets me all worked up and worried. But really...is that something that normally happens?

[multipixie9]

i can see why you are concerned. it doesn't seem responsible to comment on prescription requirements before doc sees the patient. i would be very concerned myself if that was happening to me as well.

i would be certain to check and be sure what you heard is what the C. meant. then if the shrink did say that i would look for someone else to see me for this consult.

not all med work the same on all people and the body can change and what once worked may not work any longer. you are the only one who can take care of your concerns.

hang in there!

leslie and the pixies

[cafegrrrl]

Yeah, I realize one's body and/or chemistry can and does change over time. That's one of the things that has me nervous.

And, I keep reminding myself maybe i misunderstood what the counselor said. Or, maybe some info was lost between the discussion with the counselor and shrink when the counselor relayed the info to me. Kind of like that old kiddie game "telephone".

But, still, i'm all worried and scared about it all. I'm not good at waiting i guess.

[crazybones]

sometimes counselors and such communicate in their on lingo and it confuses us but im sure they probably know wht they are doing i mean to heads are better then one when it comes to this and the doc doesnt always have to meet u to make a decision about you all he has to hear is what ur shrink has to say about what he/she has learned about you over the yrs and compare it to common factors im no genius or nothing so dont take anything i say to seriously cuz i could be wrong but this is just wht i have learned in my own experience

I don't think that your therapist communicating through a psychiatrist that you never met is a good basis for accurate information-- try to keep your anxiety level down until you actually meet the doctor.

I used to be diagnosed with depression, but years later, the diagnosis was changed to bipolar. The antidepressants that were once tolerable became intolerable because high doses were causing my mood to shoot up too far. My current psychiatrist sometimes puts me on an anti-depressant when I go into a depressive epsiode, but he would never put me on an anti-depressant ONLY. I always have to be taking a mood stabilizer, whether I'm on anti-depressants or not. Usually, people who have bipolar tendences should not be taking anti-depressants without a mood stabilizer.