Am I bi-polar?

[DizzyRose]

I feel so desperate! I've read about bi-polar and it totally matches how I feel and how I am. My doctor says I have a personality disorder but I know he's wrong. A P.D. Just doesn't fit. It doesn't tick all the boxes. What do I do??  

[DizzyRose]

Appointment with my psychiatrist went really well. He's said he's definately not ruling out bi-polar. He said that the best way to find out for certain is to stop my meds, (which I've been on for years) and monitor what happens. He said he's not done that yet because of all the external problems that I have at the moment.  He's told me that, all being well, he's going to try it this autumn. He's only been my doctor for a year, (my last one was horrible) and doesn't want to rush it.

[DizzyRose]

Thanx for your response. The doctor is my psychiatrist. I'm seeing him today and I'm going to take all the stuff I've read and how it all matches and ask him to tell me exactly why he thinks it doesn't match. I've had only two highs and the last of those was twenty years ago. I now get violent rages of aggression instead. I wasn't under a doctor at all back then and so it wasn't noted. Except by my employer who told me to take time of work when I crashed afterwards.

[lindahand]

Sometimes it takes a while to get a bipolar diagnosis. It took me years. I was diagnosed with depression many times and a 'nervous' breakdown once.  I am assuming you've never has a full out mania (otherwise you would be diagnosed bipolar and quickly) so it would be type 2 which is harder to distinguish from personality disorders.

It is worth getting a second opinion. Now you say the word doctor. A general doctor is not specifically skilled in these types of diagnosis. It is really important to go and see a psychiatrist. They take a number of extra years of training to notice and diagnose these conditions.

It is also worth printing off some of the quizzes and taking them to the pdoc with you - although don't be insulted if they choose not to look at them. Some pdocs prefer just to talk. Remember that the validity of an internet quiz is really low. Taking these things as general ideas to bring up with a doctor is okay but don't rely on them to self diagnose. For example everyone gets racing thoughts sometimes. It is the severity and the type of racing thoughts. By asking questions your psychiatrist can determine whether it is normal racing thoughts or not.

Whatever your diagnosis is, the good news is you are starting to get help. You'll get it figured out. And a lot of what they do to help personality disorders is helpful to people with bipolar. The therapies certainly don't hurt so take advantage of whatever counselling they are offering. And sometimes by going through therapy the therapist can help determine the cause of your issues.

Good luck.

[bacla]

If I were you if your doctor wont listen to you and the reasons why you think you are bipolar then you should go get a second opinion and see a different doctor to see what they say.