How Are Bipolar Disorders Diagnosed? Posted: 10-31-07 14:46pm
I have had severe depression as long as I
can remeber. I am 34 and have been
depressed since I was about 12 years old.
I have been on different antidepressents
and none of them have worked. A regular
medical doctor said I may be Bipolar. My
mother is bipolar and she stays on the
high most of the time... She don't take
her meds. so I know what some of the signs
are. I am never on a high... just lows...
But the doctor said my aggression could be
my form of mania. I am trying to
understand, but am confused about it all.
I was very aggressive even as young as 7
years of age.. I wouldn't listen to a
thing. Got into trouble all of the time
and didn't listen to or except the word
NO. I think negative thoughts all of the
time. And if I don't keep myself busy I
literally feel like I am losing my mind...
Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
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MandMs
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Posted: 11-01-07 02:58am
Bipolar disorder, is often not recognized
as an illness, and people may suffer for
years before it is properly diagnosed and
treated and it is more likely to affect
the children of parents who have the
illness.
You've mentioned that you keep your self
busy to avoid negative thoughts.
Do you feel full of energy at that
moment?
Do you have periods when you feel
increased energy, activity, and
restlessness?
Do you found yourself extremely irritable
sometimes?
Are there days when you have provocative,
intrusive, or aggressive behavior?
Probably, you doctor is thinking for you
that you may have bipolar II disorder.
It's a form of bipolar disorder when
people never develop severe mania but
instead experience milder episodes of
hypomania that alternate with depression.
Did your doctor mentioned the need to
monitors your symptom for a week or two?
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sadie1
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 30 Sep 2007 Posts: 47 Location: ,
Bipolar Posted: 11-01-07 03:20am
No.. I don't think I ever feel full of
energy, but I am very restless and
extremely irritable with mood swings. And
yes I have aggressive behavior days...
some worse than others. And no my doctor
didn't mention monitoring my symptoms.
Other things I have noticed, is I don't
like being around alot of noise
anymore.... it sends me into a frenzy.
About provocative behavior, I had plenty
of them days when I was younger... Now I
don't even care about the things I once
enjoyed...
If it is bipolar 2 ..how do they treat it?
Thanks for answering my questions.
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daffodil67
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 02 Nov 2007 Posts: 54 Location: , midsouth, usa (think presidential pair)
Posted: 11-02-07 07:00am
Bipolar is diagnosed jsut like depression
is: psychiatrists have a book called the
DSM IV that has lists of characteriststics
that must be present in order for each
illness to be diagnosed. The quick and
dirty definition for bipolar is "extreme
highs and lows." But, as many people who
HAVE bipolar can tell you, it is WAY more
complicated than that.
Restlessness and irritibility with mood
swings coudl be EITHER bipolar I or II.
The trouble is that the "highs" can be
what they call "dysphoric" which means NOT
up, but exactly irritible and agitated as
you describe. And of course you know the
mood swings go with the whole thing.
Aggressiveness CAN be a part of it, but
coupled with your intolerance of noises
lately, I would want to check with a
doctor. There are other disorders in
which these are a problem--the area I'm
thinking of is the autism spectrum.
People with autism often have great
sensitivity to physical stimuli such as
sound, and will even cover their ears when
they hear loud noises. It is possible to
be a functioning person who has autism or
another illness related to it. Of course,
there is much more to that...I jsut picked
up on those two things kind of as an
example, because the sensitivity to noises
is not something I have ever known to be
related to bipolar.
Generally Bipolar II is treated by giving
an antidepressant, a mood stabilizer, and
often an atypical antipsychotic (helps
with mood stabilization.) Of course their
are TONS of variations on the theme. The
main thing is if all this is interfering
with your day to day functioning. Are you
able to get up and go to school or work
and get done the things you need to do?
If you can't, you really need to try to
see a doctor about it. And MandMS has a
good point. Try to keep a record for a
couple weeks of symptoms--you can jsut jot
down a few things--aggresive today, or so
down I couldnt' get out of bed. Or it
coudl include incidents that occur
surrounding how you felt. But this will
really help any doctor you see to
determine what is going on with you.
Good luck.
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sadie1
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 30 Sep 2007 Posts: 47 Location: ,
Posted: 11-14-07 04:02am
I went to the Doctor today.. He really
didn't listen to what I was telling him.
That makes me mad as hell. I told him I
had been on Wellbutrin before and it
didn't work and guess what the hell he
wrote out. Wellbutrin.. nothing for
anything else. I just wanted to slap his
head off. It really took alot for me to
get out of my house and go to the doctor.
Then they don't listen. My chest started
feeling tight as soon as he gave me the
prescription. I know that crap don't help
me. So, it was a wasted trip. I need help
now.. I don't have time for trial and
error. I guess they think you want drugs
or something... I don't do any form of
drugs. I don't even drink alcohol. I just
want to feel better. I guess I will have
to find another Doctor. I'm just really
aggrivated right now. Thanks for all the
replies.
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MandMs
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Posted: 11-16-07 04:57am
How long you are taking Wellbutrin?
Do you take some other meds?
I understand your disappointment and
angry.
But, please, don't let the doctor's
attitude affects your feelings and mood
too much.
I agree with you that most of the time
doctors don't listen.
So, it's right decision to seek a second
opinion.
I admire you for your will and energy to
find the right doctor and the right
therapy.
Best wishes!
Marija
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kelly2008
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 19 Nov 2007 Posts: 2
How Is Bipolar Disorder Diagnosed? Posted: 11-19-07 01:57am
I just turned 18 yesterday and have been
diagnosed for about 4 year. I started
showing signs very early on. It took me 4
trips and about 20 differen't
anit-depressants t'll i figured out what
was going on with me. If your moods fit
the symptoms of bipolar/ manic depression
they diagnose you with it. You can find a
lot of books about it.
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MandMs
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Sadie1 Posted: 11-20-07 06:36am
Do you have little or no dream recall?
Are you experiencing poor morning appetite
and tendency to skip breakfast?
Do you have reading or writing
difficulties (e.g. dyslexia)?
Do you feel much higher capability and
alertness in the evening, compared to
mornings?
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sadie1
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 30 Sep 2007 Posts: 47 Location: ,
Posted: 11-20-07 14:56pm
I dream alot. I am usually hungry about
dinner time every day. I don't have
reading or writing problems and I do feel
more alert in the evenings. I don't
understant why he just wanted to write
something I have already had that didn't
work. I was on Welbutrin for 6 months with
no help from it. He could have at least
tried something different.
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puzzld
Supporter
Joined: 19 Nov 2007 Posts: 205 Location: gulf coast =), USA
Posted: 11-20-07 21:53pm
MandMs,
i have all of those things you listed.
what does that mean?
sadie1,
i think diagnosis comes about in several
ways. mine was dealing with PTSD to
chronic major depressive disorder to
bipolar 1. it's confusing though because
your body is constantly and chemically
being changed and manipulated. i was
diagnosed a little over a week ago after
having 1, that i can recall, manic
episode. i'm almost 33 and it wants to
ruin me. but i refuse to let it!!! i'm
more of a ill mood manic person too.
i don't understand why he would keep you
on the same medicine if he knew it didn't
work. i understand what it feels like to
be a lab rat, so to speak. keep searching
for a better dr or one that you connect
with. it's hard to trust dr's because of
crap like this.
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MandMs
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Joined: 26 Jan 2007 Posts: 2080 Location: Strumica, Macedonia
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Posted: 11-22-07 07:16am
People with bipolar disorder actually
spend much more time in a depressive
episode than in a manic episode (time
spent depressed is 2 or 3 times more
common than that spent in a manic state)
and the symptoms of clinical depression
and bipolar depression can be very
similar, that's why so many people with
bipolar disorder report being diagnosed
first with clinical depression instead of
bipolar disorder.
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danielv
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 03 Jul 2003 Posts: 79 Location: South East, Macedonia
Posted: 11-22-07 07:36am
Just wanted to mention that it is actually
normal to not feel well. Ask 10 people
around you how they feel, and check your
point of reference as to what is actually
"normal".
Most people feel discontent, sad,
stressed, angry, dissapointed,
disinterested, and have trouble sleeping
at some point in their life. Does that
mean that everyone is bipolar?
No, it just means that we are human. If
taking anti-depressants makes you feel
better in the short term, it may actually
cause more neural brain damage in the long
run than you may be aware of. Some known
side effects of withdrawal from
anti-depressants includes suicidal
thinking.
Solutions to emotional problems in life
don't have to come in the form of a
diagnosis or a pill. Try to talk to
someone who is close to you to see what
aspects of your life may be causing the
behaviours you describe rather than try to
blame your chemical makeup for the way you
feel.
I was diagnosed as Bipolar, ADHD, and many
other things for many years. None of them
turned out to be true.
All the best.
Daniel
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MandMs
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Hi Puzzld! Posted: 11-22-07 07:38am
The questions I asked sadie1 and you
answered positively to all of them, are
linked to something that can be considered
as subtype of bipolar disorder.
I came to some info about it after I got
the information from sadie1 that a lot of
noises sends her into a frenzy.
I don't wanna give unbiased conclusion, so
asking few more questions will be
helpful.
Do you have white spots on finger nails,
pale and dry skin with poor tanning and
burning easily in sun?
Are you sensitivity to bright light?
Do you usually have poor ability to cope
with stress?
are you experiencing emotional outbursts?
Are you argumentative?
Are you prone to dramatic reactions?
Do you feel anxiousness?
Do you have poor short term memory?
Do you have abnormal body fat distribution
(e.g. protruding abdomen)?
Are you suffering from sleep deprivation?
Best wishes!
Marija
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puzzld
Supporter
Joined: 19 Nov 2007 Posts: 205 Location: gulf coast =), USA
Posted: 11-24-07 14:33pm
no worries, feel free. quite used to
questions at this stage
nails - are not thick, sometimes they look
a bit off but mostly they are normal.
i'm a little pail and i have freckles. i
do ok in the sun. i burn the first time
out but not in certain areas of my body...
those tan. i tan easily
yes, sensitive to bright light
i thought i had great coping skills but
lately i know that i'm not coping with
several things. ugh.
outbursts - yes
argumentative - yes
dramatic reactions - yes
anxious - yes
memory problems - yes, both... i think
YES, my abdomen is crazy big. it started
hurting just a while ago. it got bigger
over night. keep in mind i had major
abdominal surgery oct. 19. but swelling
should be gone by now..... i just know it's
not from surgery. it is hard to breath
it's so big. and i'm a size 2!
sleep - i thought the seroquel would help
but it really doesn't for very long. i
take 600mg at night.
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MandMs
Extremely EHEALTHy
Joined: 26 Jan 2007 Posts: 2080 Location: Strumica, Macedonia
You have the right to refuse medication.
Either go back (or call) the same doctor
and tell him you demand a different
approach in ur treatment or go to another
doctor til u find the one that suits u.
Trust me having a doctor u like and
approve of means a lot if u are willing to
get help, ur recovery is not overnight it
may take time and ur psychiatrist is going
to be part of it, so I suggest first u
find a psychiatrist u like and will listen
to.
Another thing is that there are many
different types of bipolar disorder. U may
hear I and II but there are more then that
and sometimes u may have another disorder
along with that. Most people are mis
diagnosed at first. To me it sounds like
depression with anger, not necessarily
bipolar. Be careful with that because if
u tell a doctor u may be bipolar and he
gives u bipolar medicines then u might get
worse. Medicine for bipolar are downers
(mood stablelizers)because most with it
have manic episodes. If u are already down
then u will be even more down. For bipolar
people in their depression state they give
them antidepressant. Just ask for another
anti depressant.
I was diagnosed with many things before I
actually got my right diagnosis. Finally
at 19-20 years old I found out I was
bipolar with psychotic features (manic
psychosis) bassically borderline schitzo.
I hate my meds antipsychotics. There is
more to bipolar then anger and depression
there are the racing thoughts, compulsive
feelings, sometimes halucinations,
thinking u are untouchable, not sleeping
or eating for days, thinking u have some
type of power u don't.
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Georgia59
Moderator
Joined: 11 Apr 2007 Posts: 5542 Location: Along the Mississippi, USA
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Posted: 12-20-07 14:36pm
You also have the right to find a
different doctor, one who you trust and
you really believe will help you!
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ladylee70
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Joined: 14 Nov 2006 Posts: 1912 Location: Boise, Idaho,
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Posted: 12-22-07 11:22am
Do you see a general doctor or an actual
psychiatrist?
i just know it's
not from surgery. it is hard to breath
it's so big. and i'm a size 2!
