Is it possible Im NOT bipolar???

[amalthea]

Dh and I have been talking about how for the past few months I have been "normal" and getting better every day. I started doing some research....and mulling over what was going on when I was dx bipolar.
#1 I did have BAD ppd.
#2 Dh was working a lot
#3 I had a newborn, 21mo, and a 3.5yo
#4 NO family support, and no friends
#5 No car.

When dd (my 3rd child) was 30 months old was when I was dx.

The 2 yrs beforehand were VERY stressful...marital issues, and financial issues. I would nearly have a panic attack getting the mail.
Today I looked up stress and PPD...and found this...
Anxiety
Sadness
Irritability
Crying
Headaches
Exhaustion
A sense of inadequacy
Constant fatigue
Lack of joy in life
A sense of emotional numbness or failure
Withdrawal from family and friends
Lack of concern for yourself or your baby
Excessive concern for your baby
Less interest in sex
Severe mood swings
Impaired thinking or concentration
Insomnia

I had EVERY single one. I was even dx with fibromylagia...which I clearly do not have.
Then for stress I found...
Memory problems.
Difficulty making decisions.
Inability to concentrate.
Confusion.
Seeing only the negative.
Repetitive or racing thoughts.
Poor judgment.
Loss of objectivity.
Desire to escape or run away.
Moody and hypersensitive.
Restlessness and anxiety.
Depression.
Anger and resentment.
Easily irritated and “on edge”.
Sense of being overwhelmed.
Lack of confidence.
Apathy.
Urge to laugh or cry at inappropriate times
Headaches.
Digestive problems.
Muscle tension and pain.
Sleep disturbances.
Fatigue.
Chest pain, irregular heartbeat.
High blood pressure.
Weight gain or loss.
Asthma or shortness of breath.
Skin problems.
Decreased sex drive
Eating more or less.
Sleeping too much or too little.
Isolating yourself from others.
Neglecting your responsibilities.
Increasing alcohol and drug use.
Nervous habits (e.g. nail biting, pacing).
Teeth grinding or jaw clenching.
Overdoing activities such as exercising or shopping.
Losing your temper.
Overreacting to unexpected problems

Again I had at LEAST 90% if not more of those.

Then the bipolar..
After looking that over...I dont have many...I never had grandiose thoughts, self loathing, risky behavior ( i did sometimes spend money, but I think that was more a stress reliever) I never had so much energy that I couldnt keep still, or seriously aggressive behavior...irritability..yes

I really do think I was not diagnosed properly. My Dr dx me after talking with me for 15 minutes, and didnt really look into what was going on with me at the time, or for the past 2 yrs. SO...I have made an appt with a different psych Dr. Im paying out of pocket...and getting re-assessed. Dh never really thought I was bipolar, and was convinced this whole time it was not a right dx.


bolded those that have strong similarity to bipolar.

[jwormsley]

Hi mama,

It's always possible that you were misdiagnosed. I think it's a great idea that you're going to see a different doctor and getting a second opinion! Any type of depression is so complexe, and often, one person can have multiple diagnoses. I hope you and the new doc can get to the bottom of it.

[ledzepplon]

Originally Posted by amalthea

Dh and I have been talking about how for the past few months I have been "normal" and getting better every day. I started doing some research....and mulling over what was going on when I was dx bipolar.
#1 I did have BAD ppd.
#2 Dh was working a lot
#3 I had a newborn, 21mo, and a 3.5yo
#4 NO family support, and no friends
#5 No car.

[/b] [/i]

Wow--you had a lot on your plate! No wonder you were struggling.

I would also get a second opinion. I think those circumstances would throw anyone off kilter, and it seems a little extreme to me that a doctor jumped to the bipolar diagnosis right away given the challenges and demands you had going on at home.

[BellinghamCrunchie]

Some prescribers will automatically diagnose bipolar if there is only ONE episode of manic-like behavior, no matter under what conditions it occurred. Even if that ONE episode happened twenty years ago... Bipolar seems to be one of the popular diagnoses these days.

I think you are absolutely right to question that diagnosis. Personally (I'm not a prescriber but work with people with mental illness) a better approach in the absence of clear, obvious, and recurring manic symptoms is to start with depression. If its not "just" depression that will become clear quickly enough. Then the prescriber can re-evaluate the diagnosis. But to START with a diagnosis of bipolar on the first visit in the absence of compelling evidence... well, I think that's just ridiculous.

[AnyMama]

Yeah, Bipolar seems to be the diagnosis of choice these days with providers. I'm struggling right now because I strongly believe this is the completely wrong diagnosis for my husband, and even worse, I think the primary med the doc is using to treat the bipolar is making him even more depressed. :

You need to stand up for yourself and explore what else is out there. Bipolar meds can seriously alter your brain chemistry and I think that if you don't need them, they can cause more harm than good. Check the safe harbor directory and see if there's a doc near you who might offer something better: http://www.alternativementalhealth.com/

[kaydee]

Originally Posted by amalthea

After looking that over...I dont have many...I never had grandiose thoughts, self loathing, risky behavior ( i did sometimes spend money, but I think that was more a stress reliever) I never had so much energy that I couldnt keep still, or seriously aggressive behavior...irritability..yes

You may well have the wrong diagnosis and wrong treatment and it is a great idea to get another evaluation.

That said, I wanted to respond to the idea that bipolar disorder means a person had to have exhibited grandiose or risky behavior. Those are often part of a manic episode, but only Bipolar I requires the presence of a manic episode. Bipolar II requires the presence of a HYPOmanic episode, which may manifest as extreme edginess, irritability, agitation and the like. Hypomanic episodes may not be accompanied any sleep disturbance.

The most important thing isnt, IMO the diagnosis, but treatment that keeps you healthy.

[bigeyes]

Thyroid disorders and fibromyalgia are often misdiagnosed as bipolar.

It is soooo possible you were misdiagnosed. I was, too.

Doctors, pfffffft!

[Terabith]

Totally possible you were misdx. It's an art more than a science. I've finally come to the conclusion that it doesn't matter what we call it; depakote did NOT work for me, but neurontin and zoloft are a lifesaver. The treatment matters more than the name. And even if the dx is correct, if the medication isn't working or is harming, ya need a new one! There are other options. Neurontin is not one that is licensed for bipolar, but for me it was amazing the difference it made.

[Seie]

Sounds like you could be misdiagnosed.
I dont know you personally but my DP is recently diagnosed with chronic stress and many of his symptoms have been very similar to those of being bi-polar. When I have discribed his symptoms to others then many have said stuff such as "my mom/dad/brother/friend is bipolar and that sounds just like him/her"
The symptoms I have experienced in him that are most severe are
A change in personality - from being friendly, calm and easy-going to being aggressive, restless, "hyper".
So basically these symptoms:
Anger and aggressive behaviour (almost constantly for a period of several months)
Irritability
Restlessness
Hyperactive behaviour such as speedtalking, not sleeping enough, not listening to others

I hope you get the right diagnosis. If you are suffering chronic stress then obviously the best cure is to "de-stress" Easier said than done but basically you need to lower the amount of stresshormones in your body by living healthy and avoiding stress.
My DP has improved considerably over the last month or so after he started seing a stress-coach/healer who has helped him realise what stresses him in daily life and how to minimise it. She also does healingmassage though to lower the amount of adrenalin, cortisol etc in his body.

[harrietsmama]

Originally Posted by amalthea

Dh and I have been talking about how for the past few months I have been "normal" and getting better every day. I started doing some research....and mulling over what was going on when I was dx bipolar.
#1 I did have BAD ppd.
#2 Dh was working a lot
#3 I had a newborn, 21mo, and a 3.5yo
#4 NO family support, and no friends
#5 No car.

When dd (my 3rd child) was 30 months old was when I was dx.

The 2 yrs beforehand were VERY stressful...marital issues, and financial issues. I would nearly have a panic attack getting the mail.
Today I looked up stress and PPD...and found this...
Anxiety
Sadness
Irritability
Crying
Headaches
Exhaustion
A sense of inadequacy
Constant fatigue
Lack of joy in life
A sense of emotional numbness or failure
Withdrawal from family and friends
Lack of concern for yourself or your baby
Excessive concern for your baby
Less interest in sex
Severe mood swings
Impaired thinking or concentration
Insomnia

I had EVERY single one. I was even dx with fibromylagia...which I clearly do not have.
Then for stress I found...
Memory problems.
Difficulty making decisions.
Inability to concentrate.
Confusion.
Seeing only the negative.
Repetitive or racing thoughts.
Poor judgment.
Loss of objectivity.
Desire to escape or run away.
Moody and hypersensitive.
Restlessness and anxiety.
Depression.
Anger and resentment.
Easily irritated and “on edge”.
Sense of being overwhelmed.
Lack of confidence.
Apathy.
Urge to laugh or cry at inappropriate times
Headaches.
Digestive problems.
Muscle tension and pain.
Sleep disturbances.
Fatigue.
Chest pain, irregular heartbeat.
High blood pressure.
Weight gain or loss.
Asthma or shortness of breath.
Skin problems.
Decreased sex drive
Eating more or less.
Sleeping too much or too little.
Isolating yourself from others.
Neglecting your responsibilities.
Increasing alcohol and drug use.
Nervous habits (e.g. nail biting, pacing).
Teeth grinding or jaw clenching.
Overdoing activities such as exercising or shopping.
Losing your temper.
Overreacting to unexpected problems

Again I had at LEAST 90% if not more of those.

Then the bipolar..
After looking that over...I dont have many...I never had grandiose thoughts, self loathing, risky behavior ( i did sometimes spend money, but I think that was more a stress reliever) I never had so much energy that I couldnt keep still, or seriously aggressive behavior...irritability..yes

I really do think I was not diagnosed properly. My Dr dx me after talking with me for 15 minutes, and didnt really look into what was going on with me at the time, or for the past 2 yrs. SO...I have made an appt with a different psych Dr. Im paying out of pocket...and getting re-assessed. Dh never really thought I was bipolar, and was convinced this whole time it was not a right dx.


bolded those that have strong similarity to bipolar.

This sounds similar to me - your symptoms, not the traditional symptoms. I other than the aggression ( I do get aggressive) am very much like you - severe PPD/psychosis, lots of stress. But I had these problems before, out bursts my whole life. Some people cycle differently than others, I rapid cycle, even multiple times in a day. It wasn't that bad until after baby 2. It could be, i could not be, don't worry about the labels as much as symptom relief for the starting point. I would again recommend perhaps a visit with a homeopath if you can swing it financially. It is very enlightening! They look at the whole picture and can really nail things on the head. Good luck!

[passionfaerie]

I'm in the same boat. I was diagnosed with depression by 3 different doctors, and bipolar by one. The thing is, when I'm not depressed, I have a lot of energy. Sometimes I get a little hyper. My entire family is that way (big history of depression too.) So I feel like when I was answering his questions that he felt like I was manic in what I feel is my normal state. But thats just his perception. For me, the depressive periods are what I sought help with, and instead I feel like I just got the latest trend in mental health diagnosis.

[Nature]

Just wanted to let you know, that it will be in your "chart" forever anyway. I was misdiagnosed, and they refuse to actually take the diagnoses away. They apparently just stack others on top of it instead.