I have bipolar but they won't diagnose me!

the_devil_made_me_do_it

Getting a diagnosis is a difficult one especially when you have endured the rubbish care I have received over the years. I can't think of anyone I have seen regarding my mental health who has fully listened to what I was telling them. In fact they still don't. The only person who did listen was the Professor. He made me feel that I was important and worth giving up his time in order to see me.


A lot of it is based on the little time you get with a consultant and whether you can describe your symptoms ect in the time allocated. It's not just like going to the doctors and describing a bunch of physical symptoms, it's much more complex than that.

rubytuesday

haz25a wrote: »

I've been on lithium myself. I had to have regular blood test done to ensure the lithium levels were correct. Did your friend also have these tests done?

There are much newer mood stabilisers used to treat Bipolar Disorder now and the newer anti-depressants can have a detrimental effect on Bipolar in the "mania" phase and are not usually recommended.

I know from personal experience that it can also take forever to get the medication right for any mental health condition, what suits one person does not necessarily suit another, it's a case of trial and error with different meds and dosages until one can be found which suits the individual so I don't agree with your argument on that.

I also know people who, after years of being unsucessfully treated for depression, were given a diagnosis for Bipolar and treated for it. Their lives are now much better as a result.

Lithium is very toxic though and can have very serious side affects even with regular blood tests.

My last psychiatrist who I was lucky enough to have for eight years (sadly seeing a new one in November as there has been a reshuffle!) very rarily prescribed it because of its toxicity preferring to use Sodium Valporate. Years ago I had an allergic reaction to quetiapine and this year following a psychotic episode I have become allergic to risperedone so Sodium Valporate and Lorazepam were used to treat mixed mania. I hope I don't have an other psychotic episode as I'll probably have to take Olanzipine which I really don't fancy!

Although atypical medication tends to have less side effects than the older type it still has the potential for many side effects.

I am starting to get quite bad tremor, I gained two stone in weight this time round - have gained much more in the past and then lost it when well, my hair as fallen out and grown back totally frizzy and in uncontrolable. But these are minor issues.

There ere are many more serious things that can happen - liver damage, diabetes, dystonia and so on. I believe I am right in saying that people with Bipolar generally have a life expectancy ten years less than average due to health complications.

So I'm sure Indie Kid is right about her friends health issues.

Sorry have you changed your post as I'm sure it said you disagreed with Indie Kid's reasoning? Perhaps I misread?

the_devil_made_me_do_it

rubytuesday..it's nice to hear that you have had a great experience with your psych and I really hope your new one is just as good.


My old psych and new one wouldn't know what a mixed episode or psychotic episode was if it hit them in the face. I hate going to see them as I come out frustrated or down trodden. My care co-ordinator does have moments of genius, but they happen when she can be bothered. There is no option to see anyone else within the team as there is only one psych who deals with affective disorders and there is only one other care co-ordinator who is good, but she has a huge case load.

rubytuesday

the_devil_made_me_do_it wrote: »

rubytuesday..it's nice to hear that you have had a great experience with your psych and I really hope your new one is just as good.


My old psych and new one wouldn't know what a mixed episode or psychotic episode was if it hit them in the face. I hate going to see them as I come out frustrated or down trodden. My care co-ordinator does have moments of genius, but they happen when she can be bothered. There is no option to see anyone else within the team as there is only one psych who deals with affective disorders and there is only one other care co-ordinator who is good, but she has a huge case load.

Hello I remembering you talking in the past about your poor 'care' experiences and I'm really sorry to hear that things have not improved for you!!

I have had very bad experiences in the past when I was ill following childbirth but since moving to this borough my care has been excellent. I had the direct number for my psychiatrist and was told to contact him the minute things were going wrong. I do feel I have been extremely lucky because I do feel that mental health care seems to be a bit of a postcode lottery and I know that many people's psychiatrists change quite frequently so it is not possible to get to 'know' each other.

I do hope things get better for you and others who are struggling and I suppose some moments of genius are better than none?:rotfl:

haz25a

rubytuesday wrote: »

Lithium is very toxic though and can have very serious side affects even with regular blood tests.

My last psychiatrist who I was lucky enough to have for eight years (sadly seeing a new one in November as there has been a reshuffle!) very rarily prescribed it because of its toxicity preferring to use Sodium Valporate. Years ago I had an allergic reaction to quetiapine and this year following a psychotic episode I have become allergic to risperedone so Sodium Valporate and Lorazepam were used to treat mixed mania. I hope I don't have an other psychotic episode as I'll probably have to take Olanzipine which I really don't fancy!

Although atypical medication tends to have less side effects than the older type it still has the potential for many side effects.

I am starting to get quite bad tremor, I gained two stone in weight this time round - have gained much more in the past and then lost it when well, my hair as fallen out and grown back totally frizzy and in uncontrolable. But these are minor issues.

There ere are many more serious things that can happen - liver damage, diabetes, dystonia and so on. I believe I am right in saying that people with Bipolar generally have a life expectancy ten years less than average due to health complications.

So I'm sure Indie Kid is right about her friends health issues.

Sorry have you changed your post as I'm sure it said you disagreed with Indie Kid's reasoning? Perhaps I misread?

No, I didn't change my post. :-)

I'm sure IndieKid is quite right about her friend's health issues as well, I was just pointing out the "other side of the coin".

Sorry for all your recent troubles. It would seem, like myself, that you are sensitive to medication.

Yes, unfortunately the newer types of meds have just as many horrible side effects as the older type ones, although possibly less fatal in overdose which is why they are described as "safer".

I agree that people with mental health problems are more prone to physical health problems as well. The side effects of the drugs can cause liver/kidney damage prematurely. I guess you have to weigh up the pros and cons of the medication and your quality of life. Unfortunately, I don't have a choice, I need to take medication for my mental health condition.

Regards. :-)

the_devil_made_me_do_it

rubytuesday wrote: »

Hello I remembering you talking in the past about your poor 'care' experiences and I'm really sorry to hear that things have not improved for you!!

I have had very bad experiences in the past when I was ill following childbirth but since moving to this borough my care has been excellent. I had the direct number for my psychiatrist and was told to contact him the minute things were going wrong. I do feel I have been extremely lucky because I do feel that mental health care seems to be a bit of a postcode lottery and I know that many people's psychiatrists change quite frequently so it is not possible to get to 'know' each other.

I do hope things get better for you and others who are struggling and I suppose some moments of genius are better than none?:rotfl:

Wow, I can't even imagine having a direct number for my care co-ordinator never mind the psych lol. The receptionists are hit or miss. It's a gamble whether your message reaches the person you are leaving it for. I've even turned up for appointments and someone should've phoned me to tell me it's been cancelled. It's a blooming train wreck. I can't even remember the last time I was called in for a blood test. Don't wanna depress people, so I'll stop there before it turns into a full blown rant lol.


I do agree tho', it does seem a postcode lottery. I also think it's where local authorities chose to spend the funds. Personally I feel that most of the mental health services funds in the area I live gets spent on drug addiction.

rubytuesday

Sorry probably doesn't help that I need to wear my glasses but haven't bothered!

I must have been getting muddled up with Indie Kids quote in your post.:)

Spendless

My close friend was diagnosed with bi-polar in her late 30s, after having had her first 'episode' when she was 19 and being hospitalised on many occasions since then. She was told that she had depression with psychosis but they couldn't give her a name of her condition because 'they didn't want to label her'. She was eventually diagnosed with bi-polar 2 because she was admitted to hospital over a bank holiday weekend and her own consultant was not on duty, so someone else saw her instead. I also agree with the posts suggesting you ask for a second opinion.

haz25a

I do agree tho', it does seem a postcode lottery. I also think it's where local authorities chose to spend the funds. Personally I feel that most of the mental health services funds in the area I live gets spent on drug addiction.[/QUOTE]

Can't seem to get the hang of quoting only part of posts. :rotfl:

Definitely a postcode lottery! I have been really lucky with my (3 psychiatrists) in the last twenty years until two years ago. I'm now in the process of begging my old psychiatrist to take me back on as one of my patients despite living outside the catchment area. I've even considered moving house but I can't afford too.

Where's the OP gone anyway:question:

Ames

I've got nearly as many diagnoses as I've seen psychiatrists.

Psych 1 - borderline personality disorder when I was 17. Didn't bother telling anyone (ie me or my parents), just put it in my notes. Was kicked out of the profession (my mind's gone, I can't think of the word) a couple of years later.

Psychs 2,3 and 4 - bipolar disorder.

Psych 5 - saw me for ten minutes because with the support of my GP I'd come off my meds and the CPN who was assessing me didn't like it and dragged me straight to the hospital when I told her, diagnosed borderline on the basis of psych 1 putting it in my notes. Based that on ten mins purely talking about med side effects.

Psych 6 - wouldn't say either way between bipolar and borderline, but said it didn't matter because 'the treatment's the same for both'.

Psych 7 - Cyclothymia, anxiety and affective disorders. She'd actually taken the time to talk to me and get a full history.

The biggest problem though is that I've been completely dropped by mental health services. I had a manic episode a couple of years ago where I put myself in a potentially very dangerous position, but the psych didn't even reply to my GPs letter. I had a CPN after a crisis incident, but you only get one for three months max. Same with the support service, two years and then off you go to struggle by on your own.

My GP surgery has had a lot of staff changes this year, and the new ones are less than useless, they're dangerous. I told one I was hypomanic and he suggested increasing my anti depressant to lift my mood. He thought hypomanic meant depressed, and tried to convince me that I was wrong about it being low mania. Another told me to 'try not to need your anti psychotics' because of possible interactions with other medication I'd been put on - instead of talking to the specialist and coming up with something else.

I've seen GPs a few times this year because I've been struggling, and I don't think they've even put it in my notes. All they do is ask 'are you self harming or suicidial?' and when I say no they say I'm doing fine. Except, I'm not, I wanted help before it got to that stage, and now I am having suicidal thoughts. (Just thoughts, before anyone worries!) The idea of prevention being better than cure (ie, help before it gets to an acute stage) just doesn't seem to exist in mental health services.

One time they said that, it was when I was hypomanic (which I'd told him), and 'being fine' led me to getting in a legal pickle where I was nearly sued and almost committed benefit fraud (unwittingly).

I've heard the 'you're not suicidal, you're fine' so much this summer from different docs that I think it must be a gatekeeping policy. There's been so many cuts in services lately that they can only deal with acute crisis cases.

So, a diagnosis of bipolar doesn't stay with you forever, and it doesn't mean you get any help. Especially not now.

Although I do understand where the OP's coming from in wanting a 'label'. I've always found that a name to a problem helps me deal with it. I agree with others though, diagnosis by Google isn't always good idea.