About to be diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder

Rikochet

Hi everyone, I'm brand new to this forum although I've been looking round the site for a few months.

Having just left my 40th job at 26 (4 jobs a year since I left school) and spent the last week hiding in my bed I have decided that it's finally time to get something done about my condition.

I was prescribed a drug called Sertraline around 4 months ago and have been discussing the possibility with my GP that I have Bipolar Disorder.

My poor suffering fiance nearly choked when I showed her a list of the symptoms online as she thought I had written it myself!!!!

I have terrible mood swings and get bored of things very easily unless I'm interested in it and then it becomes an obsession for a while!!!

For years before I met my partner I was always practically homeless because I just couldn't look after myself financially.

The reason for me having had 40 jobs (and one or two failed business startups) is that I'm so enthusiastic (manic) in the first few months in a new job and then it's like I hit a brick wall, fall out with a few people (usually managers) and then I can't face going in. I've got a 100% interview success record so I don't worry too much and always seem to get by somehow until my next manic job search!

I get into fights constantly and always end up arguing with people in call-centres when I'm trying to get things sorted out.

Also I sometimes spend all my money without thinking about it and have spiralled into debt which was the reason I first came to this site.

So as I said I think its about time I bit the bullet and pushed for the diagnosis. My new doctor has been very helpful and has agreed that I should see a psychiatrist.

Anyway the reason for me adding this post is to see what steps I should be taking with regards to my diagnosis and claiming for DLA as I think it would be wise for me to take some time off work until I'm stable enough to hold down a regular job. It may seem silly to ask these but I'm new to all this and rather confused therefore I would really really appreciate if someone in the know could provide me with answers to the following questions and any other help and advice available:

Should I apply first or wait until I have a proper diagnosis?

When people talk about getting a diagnosis is that from a GP or a psychiatrist?

Will they provide me with evidence to send to a DLA decision maker?

Would I be best to go to CAB to get them to help?

How much would my fiance and I actually get?

Are there any other benefits we might be entitled to bearing in mind that she earns around £18,720 a year? Someone mentioned housing benefit but I doubt it since we have no kids and she earns what the government thinks is enough for both of us to live on!!!

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this and I hope I can help someone else in my position in the future.

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

The psych would be the one to make the diagnosis. They would then send a letter to your GP with the details of diagnosis, treatment plan, meds, etc. You could ask there about seeing the social worker attached to the team (if they have one) and having an occupational health assessment. In the meantime, ask your GP if they would be able to sign you off from work/signing on, at the least until your condition is stabilised (which can take some time to get just right). Request the DLA forms now. Then any money can be backdated. DLA will usually request the information from both doctors if you give their details in the forms.

It would be wise to enlist the help of MIND or a similar charity, as they are very experienced in claims. The CAB has wideranging experience, but a mental health charity has experience in mental health.

It's hard to say how much you could get, as there are different rates payable depending on the amount of care/supervision you need. However, when filling in the forms, even if you're hyper and feel invincible, it is important to put down exactly how bad/out of control things get - your GF should be able to help with this.

DLA isn't taken into account when assessing for other benefits. And if you do decide you are well enough to go back to work, you are covered by the DDA and you could end up with Disabled Working Tax Credit to top up your wages if you could manage 16 hours a week, for example.

Best of luck - you could find out that asking very nicely for an urgent appointment could open the door to a few moments of peace within yourself.

candyflip

Hi Rickochet,

I also have bi polar disorder and was diagnosed about two years ago so i know exactly how you are feeling and believe me things will get better. Hopefully you will find a bit of peace in yourself and have some time to breathe. With some help, advice and the meds of course, things will start to ease and get clearer for you.

I am back working now but I did claim benefits for a while and this was done through my pysch doctor and the help of MIND so if you do have a MIND drop in centre in your area i strongly suggest popping along to speak to someone. Not only will they help you with the forms but they'll give you some great on going support and having that will certainliy help your case for DLA (something that I got knocked back for the first time and had to appeal).

First port of call though, is your GP. Get a proper diagnosis from him and then you will be referred to pysche if your'e not already seeing them.

Any other help you may need please feel free to PM me.

Good luck.

x

Breast_Cancer_Survivor

Hi Rikochet,

I suffered from depression myself for 8 years & my pyschiatrist said I had a personality disorder.

In 2006 I was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome (a form of higher functioning autism).

If you don't mind me saying alot of your symptons sound like Asperger's.

Having just left my 40th job at 26 (4 jobs a year since I left school) I myself found it difficult to hold a job down.

I have terrible mood swings and get bored of things very easily unless I'm interested in it and then it becomes an obsession for a while!!! Typical autistic behaviour.

I get into fights constantly and always end up arguing with people in call-centres when I'm trying to get things sorted out. Me too, even on here.

There is an online test you can do & if you score highly it might be worth printing the results out & showing it to your gp.

Your pyschiatrist will not be able to diagnose you with Asperger's as only a specialist would have the expertise & id hate for you to be incorrectly diagnosed as I was initially.

Have a look at the test: http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/9.12/aqtest.html

You could also try googling Asperger's Syndrome as it's very interesting to read about & as soon as I read about it I knew I had it.

The National Autistic Society also have a website: http://www.nas.org.uk/nas/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=212

Good luck

Rikochet

Thanks to everyone for your trouble I'm really glad I posted this thread now!!!

First of all thanks for answering all my questions JoJo. It's great to hear from someone who's already been through it and knows the process because there's little or no help from the government website. I now have a much clearer understanding of what I need to do.

Candyflip

"I also have bi polar disorder and was diagnosed about two years ago so i know exactly how you are feeling and believe me things will get better. Hopefully you will find a bit of peace in yourself and have some time to breathe. With some help, advice and the meds of course, things will start to ease and get clearer for you."

I'm glad you said that. I know I shouldn't, but I sometimes feel that everyone just thinks I'm lazy or whatever. There is still too much stigma attached to mental health in this country and it makes people afraid to seek help.

And finally BCS, I did the online test and scored 23 which is below the 32 points 'required'. I have thought in the past that I may be slightly Autistic though so I'm not ruling this out.

Thanks again to you all you've all been so nice and supportive!!!!:T

purplecatlover

GP should be referrign you to a psychiatrist as gps are not qualified to actually diagnose like that. re dla, its quite hard to get for bipolar but is possible, speak to dial, cab or mind for help with that. also other benefits.
good luck getting it all sorted and your mood stabilised.

starnight_2

Rikochet, I was diagnosed bipolar last year, though experiencing symptoms long time before that. Only psychiatrists can disgnose you with bipolar. As suggested when you are filling in your DLA forms get help from somewhere like MIND, I used CAB, but the one I used was based in a mental health outpatient centre, so they knew the ins and outs. Just to let you know it is possible to recieve DLA with a bipolar diagnosis, I'm not too sure how hard it is though as I was lucky to be accepted first time. The thing you need to remember most is to be totally honest, maybe taking your partner with you to help would be a good idea as I know when they were filling in my form I found it hard to agree to put some stuff on the forms, though in the end I did on their recommendation.

Also whenever you feel ready to go back to work, you can still claim DLA as it isn't means tested, but you will have to inform DLA that you are back to work. I am back to work 18hrs a week as this is all I feel able to do and DLA helps me get by.

Good Luck

purplecatlover

another point, dla is based on the problems you have not the diagnosis, so go ahead and apply even before being diagnosed.

Rikochet

I was going to apply before diagnosis but I've asked for the forms to be sent out which means that once I do get it I can apply straight away.

It shouldn't be long before I do get my diagnosis so I'd rather wait until absolutely everything is in place before applying for DLA as I expect to have a bit of a battle getting it.

I'm a bit unsure as to what other help I can apply for though?

I was on the entitledto website and (strangely enough) it said I might be entitled to ESA (which I think is the new incapacity benefit), Council Tax Benefit and some Tax Credits but I don't know what order to apply for everything in and if I'll be entitled to anything since my partner earns £18,000 a year??

I've probably not paid enough NI contributions (because of my sporadic job history) to be entitled to the Contribution Based ESA and my partner earns around £18K a year so don't know if thats too much for the income based one???

Anyone?

Tashja

Thanks for this thread.

I was diagnosed Bi-Polar 2 weeks ago. I am just waiting for my meds to be sorted.

I haven't yet done anything about looking at benefits as I am still a bit shaken up - I knew they were looking at me being BP but didn't think I was.

Might make some phone calls myself.

Thank you

T xx

Blackpool_Saver

Are you on any other meds ? I am asking because Sertraline may cause activation of mania, the psych will know in more detail but my son has bipolar 2 and his psych said an SSRI anti dep is usually only prescribed in conjunction with other meds.
I look forward to reading how you get on at the psych visit, good luck.