Posted by azalea on October 7, 2008, at 20:38:55
In reply to Is it bipolar or not? Only ADs cause symptoms., posted by curtaincall on October 7, 2008, at 20:24:18
Bipolar III is an unofficial term used by mood experts to refer to hypomania that emerges only when a patient is given an antidepressant. For more information about the bipolar spectrum, I'd suggest this website:
http://www.psycheducation.org/
Have you been on a mood stabilizer alone?
> I am 40 years old. Age 20, had been taking Prozac for a year. Started feeling like I was having mood swings & was in with a new therapist who knew about bipolar, so I asked to be checked for it.
>
> At the local free clinic, two psychiatrists examined me and asked questions for an hour. Seemed doubtful I had bipolar; in the end they called it cyclothemia and gave me a small amount of Lithium.
>
> Time went on and the Prozac was increased. As the dose increased, so did the bipolar symptoms, but no one (not even me) put this together. I was "upgraded" to a bipolar diagnosis after a few years of the mood swings getting progressively worse.
>
> Spent over 15 years chasing my tail with meds and mood swings. The depression would get worse, the AD would be increased, the bipolar symptoms would get worse, the mood stabilizer increased, and so on.
>
> Anyway, a few years ago I encountered a new prescriber who said she thought I'd been misdiagnosed and instead called my problem ADHD. Indeed, the ADHD meds seem to help the "bipolar" (mostly agitation and impatience).
>
> I have now been off of ADs for about three years, and have also not had any bipolar symptoms for three years. The ADHD is not being treated successfully because I am med-sensitive and we just haven't found the right one yet.
>
> There is my life story. My question is this: if bipolar symptoms only occur during use of an antidepressant, is it still bipolar? Or something else?
>
> I haven't discussed this with my current prescriber yet; I have sensed she may be thinking along these lines though. Sadly, after 20 years of being treated like a full-blown bipolar, I find that the label does not seem to come off easily, and instead more resembles a tattoo.
>
> Thank you.
poster:azalea
thread:856306
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20081006/msgs/856309.html