I have bipolar but they won't diagnose me!

haz25a

Does your actual 'diagnosis' make any difference to you[/QUOTE]

Eh, yes actually because bilpolar is treated with anti-psychotics meds or mood stabilisers or both. Depression is treated with anti-depressants.

haz25a

OP. I understand your frustration. I know a few people who were treated for depression for years before receiving a diagnosis of bipolar disorder.

Diagnosis of psychotic illnesses such as bipolar disorder and paranoid schizophrenia can take years to be properly diagnosed.

ladeeda

The mania, I believe is fundamental to a bi polar diagnosis.

enrich100

I don't know what worries me more the concerns Peterpan01 is going through or ignorance of the inappropriate posts
at least I do hope its ignorances and not trolling

Someone is telling you they have symptom that have been diagnosed as depression and you think your comments are humorous

I live with a relative in a very similar position, the truth is Conditions such as Bi Polar is diagnosed by exclusion. in other words ruling out all other possibilities, many mental health conditions symptoms overlap making it very difficult to diagnose and sadly even consultants don't always get every thing right, they are human after all
Like a criminal investigator has to prove beyond reasonable doubt that a criminal has committed a crime, a Consultant has to prove beyond reasonable doubt that a patients is suffering from a specific condition, unless they have totally excluded a condition you can't exclude the possibility
From experiences with a family member with ongoing mental health issues I have some understanding of what peterpan1 is going through
unless a patient has a full diagnosis which sadly is taking longer and longer due to underfunding of mental health services the easiest conclusion to make is that the patient has depression, sadly people forget that depression is a symptom as well as a diagnosis

Peterpan1 I wish you all the best in your future' I hope you get the answers you need to find and I hope those who have nothing constructive to say can find somewhere else other than here for them to help others with their comments

fishybusiness

Since 2003 I've been to the GP on and off. The last 5 years I am going to a mental clinic and am seen by different consultants.

I have a diagnoses of depression. Now I am not always depressed I can go months feel normal or higher. I have only had one or two manic episodes but these were years ago.


6 months ago I read about bipolar and everything fitted. I know I have bipolar 2, my mental health makes sense to me now.


But the consultant does think so, she thinks I have recurring depression! It does not help as past appointments were not well documented!!

What is it you want from the 'system'?

kittykat17

fishybusiness wrote: »

What is it you want from the 'system'?

I would think the OP wants help, treatment, etc. It's horrendous to know or think there's something wrong with you but not get a diagnosis. If the OP feels there's more wrong than has been diagnosed then they should ask for a second opinion and explain why they feel they have been misdiagnosed. If the MH professional still feels that it is depression and not bi-polar they should explain their reasoning.


A friend was finally diagnosed with bi-polar after 10 years of being told it was 'just' depression. Since finally getting diagnosed and being on a treatment plan the improvement has been amazing. Her manic episodes have reduced and aren't anywhere near as bad as previously. It's taken over a year since her diagnosis for the doctors to get her meds right and although she knows she'll never be cured her life is so much better now - partly due to the relief that she has been diagnosed and the doctors, etc, finally believe her.

whitewing

OP, do the mental health teams ever see you in a non-depressed state? Or is it only in the depressed state that you have contact with them?

tomtom256

poppy12345 wrote: »

Search Google and become a hypochondriac!
Hypochondriacs love Google!

Seems sarcasm is missed by some.

tomtontom

I'm no fan of psychiatrists, but this does come across as '(mis) diagnosis by Google'.

OP when was your last manic episode, you say it happened years ago? Has your manic behaviour ever resulted in police intervention?

Sometimes people want a diagnosis when the reality is it won't change a thing. NHS funding for mental health care is abysmal, you're not suddenly going to get more help based on a diagnosis. Plus do you really want bipolar disorder in your medical notes? That diagnosis will never leave you once it is there, and will cause far more difficulties than one of depression.

rubytuesday

enrich100 wrote: »

I don't know what worries me more the concerns Peterpan01 is going through or ignorance of the inappropriate posts
at least I do hope its ignorances and not trolling

Someone is telling you they have symptom that have been diagnosed as depression and you think your comments are humorous

I live with a relative in a very similar position, the truth is Conditions such as Bi Polar is diagnosed by exclusion. in other words ruling out all other possibilities, many mental health conditions symptoms overlap making it very difficult to diagnose and sadly even consultants don't always get every thing right, they are human after all
Like a criminal investigator has to prove beyond reasonable doubt that a criminal has committed a crime, a Consultant has to prove beyond reasonable doubt that a patients is suffering from a specific condition, unless they have totally excluded a condition you can't exclude the possibility
From experiences with a family member with ongoing mental health issues I have some understanding of what peterpan1 is going through
unless a patient has a full diagnosis which sadly is taking longer and longer due to underfunding of mental health services the easiest conclusion to make is that the patient has depression, sadly people forget that depression is a symptom as well as a diagnosis

Peterpan1 I wish you all the best in your future' I hope you get the answers you need to find and I hope those who have nothing constructive to say can find somewhere else other than here for them to help others with their comments

According to the organisation Bipolar UK it often takes around ten years for those suffering from Bipolar Disorder to get a diagnosis.

I got my diagnosis easily as prior to having a psychotic episode I had had post peuperal psychosis after both of my children which is now believed to be part of the Bipolar spectrum however I had been totally well in the intervening twelve years. Since then I have had four psychotic episode followed by severe depression the last episode being last summer which was caused by reaction to an old fashioned anti depressant and an old fashioned anti epileptic which my GP erroneously prescribed me for neuropathic pain.

I also suffered from Akathisia this time round as a reaction to an anti psychotic and ended up in A and E as it made me suicidal - there a Consultant said it was anxiety but fortunately my own Consultant realised what it was and changed my medication.

Medical staff do not always get it right and diagnosis is not always as straight forward as it was for me.

Also for anyone with Bipolar 1 anti depressants are usually not advised as they can trigger mania.

If you are having manic episodes OP then it would be different to unipolar depression.