About to be diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder

msmoose

Good luck in getting anywhere with an NHS Psychiatrist (sorry I very cynical NHS patient here that has fought years to get an accurate diagnosis with the NHS... and I mean years!)

One piece of advice... never go to see a NHS Psychiatrist too prepared and tell them what you think you have, most of them don’t like it... whilst you are probably most likely correct or confident with your symptoms it could also match others conditions such as personality disorders or milder versions of Bipolar and Psychiatrists really hate patients who know too much and have been reading things on the internet about what mental health conditions they have and most will ask outright if you have been googling on the internet!

Never get to comfy with the Psychiatrist you meet first time, it’s highly unlikely you’ll see the same one again... it annoyed me all the time with the NHS how could they expect to get to know me when I saw different people at each and every appointment I went to I got so frustrated...

The only good thing that came out of the NHS mental health for me was group therapy and only that happened when I was given a diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder...

Like you I suspected for years I had Bipolar II Disorder, in fact I could have wrote what you did except I’m female but the doctors paid little interests in things I raised and even the mood charts I kept for them... BPD was an accurate diagnosis for and one I agreed despite being really angry when I was told my personality was screwed. I still knew I had Bipolar and they were missing a dual diagnosis but they would not prescribe me mood stabilisers because they said my moods didn’t match their criteria which was such rubbish! I matched everything in the DSM-IV Criteria.

In the end I opted to go and see a private Psychiatrist over at The Priory in March this year and after my first appointment she diagnosed me with Rapid Cycling Moods and gave me a mood stabiliser, I am still seeing her regularly every 3 weeks and am still on the mood stabilisers which have worked at controlling my moods A LOT ... Sadly I did spent three weeks in hospital in May (within the NHS) because I was going to end my life but that was something to do with being abandoned by group therapy and losing a loved one this year. At that point the NHS woke up and paid attention to me and finally started to listen and work with my private Psychiatrist... I now have a regular Psychiatrist on the NHS I see three monthly for checkups and see my private Psychiatrist at The Priory every 3 / 4 weeks. My diagnosis is Cyclothymia / Borderline Personality Disorder and I doing so much better since my spell in hospital and being started on Mood Stabilisers... so much so I am about to embark on starting an access course at college in the hope the mentalist (ME) is going to train to become a mental health nurse to help the other mentalists! I want to help others who have found themselves in my situation and since nursing has been something I've wanted to do for a long time I hope to branch into mental health nursing using my own experience.

It’s taken years to get where I am, I’ve lost count the number of NHS appointments I’ve had the different NHS Psychiatrists I have seen... the CPN’s but going private for me did the trick... I’ve been able to build up a rapport with the Dr and since she see me regular she gets to see the real me, the mood changes, the hyper me, the depressed me... I shouldn’t have to pay for health care, but I can’t put a price on my mental health...

lellie

dmg24 wrote: »

Rikochet, I would echo what others have said regarding self diagnosis. Be it intentional or not, you do appear to be styling your symptoms towards a bipolar diagnosis. This is dangerous, in that giving tailored answers in your assessment could lead to an incorrect diagnosis and therefore ineffective treatment.

This is what I am worried about too. When I read the original post it just seemed like you were making a list of things to try and fit the diagnosis.

Having multiple jobs is not necessarily a sign of Bipolar disorder. Most people are keen when they first start a job and then that wears off and reality sets in. It may just be a personality thing that you get bored easily and not something to be medicalised.

Getting into debt is not just a problem exclusive to mental illness. Many people can be impulsive with their spending.

Same with getting into fights. This can be a sign of agitation, which can be common in mixed states, but it could easily just be an anger management problem.

Even terrible mood swings aren't necessarily a sign of Bipolar disorder. It could easily be Borderline personality disorder, which also causes mood swings (which tend to be pretty rapid) or something else. In fact, pretty much all of your symptoms mentioned could also be attributed to Borderline personality disorder, not just Bipolar disorder. BPD is also a diagnosis you don't want as it is difficult to treat and also lifelong, but I doubt you'd be seeking it anyway mainly because of the stigma attached.

Be careful when you do have the assessment. You need to be completely, utterly honest and not try to let your knowledge of the condition affect your answers. Let the psych do their job and don't try to influence them.

You really do not want a misdiagnosis. Taking mood stabilisers or antipsychotics for the sake of it will certainly be detrimental to both your mental and physical health.

lellie

dmg24 wrote: »

Hi lellie, I am bipolar and like you have tried numerous meds. I now take Lithium. I have discussed the implications of taking it during pregnancy and my psych and I are both satisfied that for my situation, the benefit far outweighs the risk.

I have done a lot of research into the various drugs in pregnancy (it is a very prevalent issue in my life!), and think that there are much worse things you could be taking (including Lamotrigine). I can't go into details on here in case it is seen as giving advice, but if you do want some more definitive information on Lithium and pregnancy (links to medical information, not just my opinion! ), feel free to PM me.

Thanks for that.

I am actually taking Lamotrigine at the moment, and know that I should not get pregnant on it. I would have to consider a change of medication if I did. Depakote is also nasty for pregnancy - before they put me on that they wanted to ensure I used adequate contraception. I'm not actually interested in having children, although of course that might change in the future, so at the moment I'm not too bothered what I take if it works. I think for me, the risks of actually getting pregnant and that worsening my condition is enough to put me off the idea of children anyway.

Pregnancy was not the only reason for me not taking Lithium though. My psychiatrist is not a fan and very rarely prescribes it. When she does it is always a last resort. I have had problems with numbed emotions/zombification and Lithium can sometimes have that effect, so she is a little concerned about that.

That said, I may well end up taking Lithium in the future. I'm currently transferring my care from my private psychiatrist to the NHS as my insurance company has stopped paying and I can't really afford the continued cost of The Priory. Lamotrigine is not helping all that much and the new psych may change their mind. We will of course see.

elfen

I've been told I've got borderline, and they say i'm not schizophrenic, but I don't believe that for a second.

Rikochet

Is there any space left on the bandwagon?

Can everyone just forget about telling me what to do with regards to whatever is wrong with me and let me and my doctor deal with it please.

I mean it's really nice hearing about all your suicide attempts and such and I do appreciate that you are all just trying to help but repeating what someone else has said in a previous post isn't going to make me think you're right.

I don't know how many times I have to say I'm not self diagnosing before you all just forget about it and let me get on with it.

Since I've started this thread I've been diagnosed (by the very people who are telling me not to self diagnose) with all sorts of things that it might be instead.

Half of you have said "It's taken me ages to get a proper diagnosis". Tell me how you knew it was the wrong one? Oh you weren't happy with what the doctor/specialist/psychiatrist told you and decided to go to another one and another one until someone gave you a diagnosis that you felt comfortable with.

I'm a grown man with a little more common sense than most. I've had a hard life which has obviously contributed to my mental state and I need to get it fixed before it gets any worse. Simples.

Tr3mor deserved the abuse he got because he was a cheeky w^%$er.Simples.

Finally, to the people who have been sensible enough to read what I'm saying without adding arms and legs (and the odd personality disorder) THANKYOU!!!

When I need medical advice I go to my doctors.

When I need money advice I go to the moneysavingexpert.

So can anyone answer my question in the previous post about my partners earnings and ESA?

lellie wrote: »

This is what I am worried about too. When I read the original post it just seemed like you were making a list of things to try and fit the diagnosis.

Having multiple jobs is not necessarily a sign of Bipolar disorder. Most people are keen when they first start a job and then that wears off and reality sets in. It may just be a personality thing that you get bored easily and not something to be medicalised.

Getting into debt is not just a problem exclusive to mental illness. Many people can be impulsive with their spending.

Same with getting into fights. This can be a sign of agitation, which can be common in mixed states, but it could easily just be an anger management problem.

Even terrible mood swings aren't necessarily a sign of Bipolar disorder. It could easily be Borderline personality disorder, which also causes mood swings (which tend to be pretty rapid) or something else. In fact, pretty much all of your symptoms mentioned could also be attributed to Borderline personality disorder, not just Bipolar disorder. BPD is also a diagnosis you don't want as it is difficult to treat and also lifelong, but I doubt you'd be seeking it anyway mainly because of the stigma attached.

Be careful when you do have the assessment. You need to be completely, utterly honest and not try to let your knowledge of the condition affect your answers. Let the psych do their job and don't try to influence them.

You really do not want a misdiagnosis. Taking mood stabilisers or antipsychotics for the sake of it will certainly be detrimental to both your mental and physical health.

Rikochet

This is the best advice for anyone in my situation.

msmoose wrote: »

Good luck in getting anywhere with an NHS Psychiatrist (sorry I very cynical NHS patient here that has fought years to get an accurate diagnosis with the NHS... and I mean years!)

One piece of advice... never go to see a NHS Psychiatrist too prepared and tell them what you think you have, most of them don’t like it... whilst you are probably most likely correct or confident with your symptoms it could also match others conditions such as personality disorders or milder versions of Bipolar and Psychiatrists really hate patients who know too much and have been reading things on the internet about what mental health conditions they have and most will ask outright if you have been googling on the internet!

Never get to comfy with the Psychiatrist you meet first time, it’s highly unlikely you’ll see the same one again... it annoyed me all the time with the NHS how could they expect to get to know me when I saw different people at each and every appointment I went to I got so frustrated...

The only good thing that came out of the NHS mental health for me was group therapy and only that happened when I was given a diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder...

Like you I suspected for years I had Bipolar II Disorder, in fact I could have wrote what you did except I’m female but the doctors paid little interests in things I raised and even the mood charts I kept for them... BPD was an accurate diagnosis for and one I agreed despite being really angry when I was told my personality was screwed. I still knew I had Bipolar and they were missing a dual diagnosis but they would not prescribe me mood stabilisers because they said my moods didn’t match their criteria which was such rubbish! I matched everything in the DSM-IV Criteria.

In the end I opted to go and see a private Psychiatrist over at The Priory in March this year and after my first appointment she diagnosed me with Rapid Cycling Moods and gave me a mood stabiliser, I am still seeing her regularly every 3 weeks and am still on the mood stabilisers which have worked at controlling my moods A LOT ... Sadly I did spent three weeks in hospital in May (within the NHS) because I was going to end my life but that was something to do with being abandoned by group therapy and losing a loved one this year. At that point the NHS woke up and paid attention to me and finally started to listen and work with my private Psychiatrist... I now have a regular Psychiatrist on the NHS I see three monthly for checkups and see my private Psychiatrist at The Priory every 3 / 4 weeks. My diagnosis is Cyclothymia / Borderline Personality Disorder and I doing so much better since my spell in hospital and being started on Mood Stabilisers... so much so I am about to embark on starting an access course at college in the hope the mentalist (ME) is going to train to become a mental health nurse to help the other mentalists! I want to help others who have found themselves in my situation and since nursing has been something I've wanted to do for a long time I hope to branch into mental health nursing using my own experience.

It’s taken years to get where I am, I’ve lost count the number of NHS appointments I’ve had the different NHS Psychiatrists I have seen... the CPN’s but going private for me did the trick... I’ve been able to build up a rapport with the Dr and since she see me regular she gets to see the real me, the mood changes, the hyper me, the depressed me... I shouldn’t have to pay for health care, but I can’t put a price on my mental health...

Breast_Cancer_Survivor

Rikochet wrote: »

Is there any space left on the bandwagon?

Can everyone just forget about telling me what to do with regards to whatever is wrong with me and let me and my doctor deal with it please.

I mean it's really nice hearing about all your suicide attempts and such and I do appreciate that you are all just trying to help but repeating what someone else has said in a previous post isn't going to make me think you're right.

I don't know how many times I have to say I'm not self diagnosing before you all just forget about it and let me get on with it.

Since I've started this thread I've been diagnosed (by the very people who are telling me not to self diagnose) with all sorts of things that it might be instead.

Half of you have said "It's taken me ages to get a proper diagnosis". Tell me how you knew it was the wrong one? Oh you weren't happy with what the doctor/specialist/psychiatrist told you and decided to go to another one and another one until someone gave you a diagnosis that you felt comfortable with.

I'm a grown man with a little more common sense than most. I've had a hard life which has obviously contributed to my mental state and I need to get it fixed before it gets any worse. Simples.

Tr3mor deserved the abuse he got because he was a cheeky w^%$er.Simples.

Finally, to the people who have been sensible enough to read what I'm saying without adding arms and legs (and the odd personality disorder) THANKYOU!!!

When I need medical advice I go to my doctors.

When I need money advice I go to the moneysavingexpert.

So can anyone answer my question in the previous post about my partners earnings and ESA?

Ive given you advise regarding my peronal experience's with the NHS mental health services as have many other people on this site.

Im suprised that you haven't listed being rude & arrogant to your list of symptoms as thats what you have displayed to people that have tried to help you.

I think you will find that most people that suffer from depression could choose a mental health illness from the internet & match their own symptoms.

I honestly think this is what people are trying to say to you if you would only listen before jumping on the "I have a mental health problem" band wagon.

I myself read up about Asperger's online after my son had been diagnosed & thought it matched my symptoms but I never told anyone I had it until I was officially diagnosed.

I can also relate to the symptoms of Bi Polar & many personality disorders but that doesn't make me believe I have them.

Not everyone that suffers from depression has to be diagnosed with a specific mental illness.

lellie

Rikochet wrote: »

Is there any space left on the bandwagon?

Can everyone just forget about telling me what to do with regards to whatever is wrong with me and let me and my doctor deal with it please.

I mean it's really nice hearing about all your suicide attempts and such and I do appreciate that you are all just trying to help but repeating what someone else has said in a previous post isn't going to make me think you're right.

I don't know how many times I have to say I'm not self diagnosing before you all just forget about it and let me get on with it.

Since I've started this thread I've been diagnosed (by the very people who are telling me not to self diagnose) with all sorts of things that it might be instead.

Half of you have said "It's taken me ages to get a proper diagnosis". Tell me how you knew it was the wrong one? Oh you weren't happy with what the doctor/specialist/psychiatrist told you and decided to go to another one and another one until someone gave you a diagnosis that you felt comfortable with.

I'm a grown man with a little more common sense than most. I've had a hard life which has obviously contributed to my mental state and I need to get it fixed before it gets any worse. Simples.

Tr3mor deserved the abuse he got because he was a cheeky w^%$er.Simples.

Finally, to the people who have been sensible enough to read what I'm saying without adding arms and legs (and the odd personality disorder) THANKYOU!!!

When I need medical advice I go to my doctors.

When I need money advice I go to the moneysavingexpert.

So can anyone answer my question in the previous post about my partners earnings and ESA?

OK. Firstly, we weren't trying to diagnose you. We were just pointing out that there are other things it could be and you can't expect a bipolar diagnosis from mentioning those symptoms.

However many times you tell us you're not self diagnosing, reading up symptoms on the internet and saying "oh that's me" is self diagnosing. If you went into an NHS psychiatrist's office and said I think I have X and this is why, reading off a list of symptoms they would be annoyed at best and quite likely laugh at you and say there is nothing wrong. They don't like to be told how to do their job, as msmoose pointed out.

As for people explaining it took ages to get a proper diagnosis. That is because it does. Bipolar II disorder is particularly difficult to diagnose because it is similar to a number of other conditions. I did not choose to see multiple psychiatrists. My psych referred me onto further specialists because she wanted to have their opinion and support when diagnosing me. She wanted to be sure she had it absolutely right as giving a wrong diagnosis is detrimental. I was treated for severe recurrent depressive disorder first, received antidepressants and ECT and both had a negative effect on my health and condition. If I'd been diagnosed earlier, both of these treatments would have been avoided and I may well be in a better position than I currently am.

I certainly did not choose my diagnosis. No one would choose to have treatment resistant, rapid cycling Bipolar disorder. That is what I have tried to express to you.

In answer to your question about ESA. You may be able to apply for contributory. Income related will possibly be out of reach with your partner's income. I would phone them up or complete the form online anyway and see what they said. I am going through the process at the moment. I am only applying for contributory because my partner has too much in savings. I've not been working for long either (I'm only 23), but even still if you have paid some NI contributions you may well be entitled. I still don't know if I'm going to get anything, but we will see. It's worth filling in the form.

I also think you are being rude and arrogant and ignoring what everyone is trying to say to you. You may have come for money advice but people have been trying to help you understand the medical side of things too.

Rikochet

To be entirely honest with you Lellie I didn't mean to quote you when writing my reply. Your post was one of the ones which made the most sense and I'm sorry for that.

I appreciate people telling me about their personal experiences and I know that you are all just trying to help. I don't think I'm being rude and arrogant just plain and honest.

After the first person told me not to self diagnose I did actually take this on board and realised that I should go in with an open mind. I was annoyed therefore when after I explained this in a previous post people were still just reading into it what they wanted and replying as such.

I suppose I am using this board to express my frustration at how I'm feeling at the moment and I'm fed up going round and round in circles. I also felt that the thread was going round in circles and wanted to put it back in the right direction.

I just feel that people were concentrating far too much on the self diagnosis and not enough on trying to help me out.

So I'm sorry if I offended anyone (apart from Tr3mor), I am a genuinely honest person with myself and others and I know I can sometimes come across as being arrogant.

xxxx

lellie wrote: »

OK. Firstly, we weren't trying to diagnose you. We were just pointing out that there are other things it could be and you can't expect a bipolar diagnosis from mentioning those symptoms.

However many times you tell us you're not self diagnosing, reading up symptoms on the internet and saying "oh that's me" is self diagnosing. If you went into an NHS psychiatrist's office and said I think I have X and this is why, reading off a list of symptoms they would be annoyed at best and quite likely laugh at you and say there is nothing wrong. They don't like to be told how to do their job, as msmoose pointed out.

As for people explaining it took ages to get a proper diagnosis. That is because it does. Bipolar II disorder is particularly difficult to diagnose because it is similar to a number of other conditions. I did not choose to see multiple psychiatrists. My psych referred me onto further specialists because she wanted to have their opinion and support when diagnosing me. She wanted to be sure she had it absolutely right as giving a wrong diagnosis is detrimental. I was treated for severe recurrent depressive disorder first, received antidepressants and ECT and both had a negative effect on my health and condition. If I'd been diagnosed earlier, both of these treatments would have been avoided and I may well be in a better position than I currently am.

I certainly did not choose my diagnosis. No one would choose to have treatment resistant, rapid cycling Bipolar disorder. That is what I have tried to express to you.

In answer to your question about ESA. You may be able to apply for contributory. Income related will possibly be out of reach with your partner's income. I would phone them up or complete the form online anyway and see what they said. I am going through the process at the moment. I am only applying for contributory because my partner has too much in savings. I've not been working for long either (I'm only 23), but even still if you have paid some NI contributions you may well be entitled. I still don't know if I'm going to get anything, but we will see. It's worth filling in the form.

I also think you are being rude and arrogant and ignoring what everyone is trying to say to you. You may have come for money advice but people have been trying to help you understand the medical side of things too.

clairew37

Lets cut Rikochet some slack people! Are we forgetting just how ambiguous emails can be?!!
Rikochet, your reaction throughout the whole of this thread screams frustration. I get what people are trying to say to you but I think I'm right in saying most people on here will have felt like they were banging their head against a brick wall at some point. Try not to get disheartened, most people are well meaning. Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit and obviously the last thing you need right now. Try not to let it put you off posting.
NIL ILLEGITIMUS CARBORUNDUM!
Keep your chin up