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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 9 of 9. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by horndhalo on January 9, 2005, at 9:49:28
I was just diagnosed Bipolar affective disorder unspecified. can not find much info on this diagnosis. could someone shed some light?
Thank you
Posted by partlycloudy on January 11, 2005, at 17:25:47
In reply to Hi everyone, Need some help. PLEASE, posted by horndhalo on January 9, 2005, at 9:49:28
hey, sorry for the belayed welcome - I'm bipolar II plus some other lovely afflictions like anxiety and panic, but I must say that I'm not much on understanding the differences between diagnoses. "Unspecified" seems rather um... broad as a description of a disorder!!
Are you taking any medication or seeing a therapist?
Posted by alexandra_k on January 12, 2005, at 1:37:22
In reply to Re: Hi everyone, Need some help. PLEASE, posted by partlycloudy on January 11, 2005, at 17:25:47
This is just a guess, but maybe the 'unspecified' means that it is unspecified whether you have bipolar I or bipolar II.
I think... (maybe PartlyCloudy could correct me here) that the difference between them is the strength of the manic phase.
A bipolar mood disorder is distinguished from a unipolar mood disorder because in a unipolar mood disorder people have difficulty with one 'pole' (typically depression). In bipolar people can have difficulty with both 'poles' (so mania / elation and depression).
Anyways.. Welcome to Babble :-)
Posted by rainbowbrite on January 12, 2005, at 9:41:56
In reply to Hi everyone, Need some help. PLEASE, posted by horndhalo on January 9, 2005, at 9:49:28
these are from 2 different websites. I hope they are helpful:
How doctors define bipolar disorder
Doctors have identified four different forms of bipolar disorder:
Bipolar I disorder—Recurring manic episodes or mixed episodes, and often one or more episodes of depression.
Bipolar II disorder—Depression that alternates with a milder form of mania called "hypomania."Cyclothymic disorder—Moods that shift between short periods of mild mania and mild depression. (Many people with cyclothymia may later develop a more severe form of bipolar illness.)
Bipolar disorder not otherwise specified (NOS)—Any form of the illness that doesn't fit the above definitions (e.g., recurring hypomania with no depressive symptoms).
http://www.bipolardisorder.com/understanding/whatIs.jsp?reqNavId=1.2
Is there such a thing as "atypical bipolar disorder"? Is it just a commonly used phrase for bipolar disorder NOS (not otherwise specified)?
Bipolar Disorder NOS (not otherwise specified) covers a poorly defined and broad array of possibilities--essentially any type of bipolar-like condition that does not fit criteria for the standard diagnoses. One example would be an individual who does not meet formal DSM-IV criteria for hypomania (which requires at least four days duration) but does show periods of mood elevation lasting, say, two days at a time.
Other examples are given on p. 366 of the DSM-IV (1994) text. A lot of clinicians probably speak casually of atypical bipolar disorder, whereas they would code it as Bipolar Disorder NOS on an official form. There is also the concept of the Bipolar Spectrum, which is even broader than Bipolar NOS-for information on that, you might read the paper by Hagop Akiskal (Akiskal HS: The prevalent clinical spectrum of bipolar disorders: beyond DSM IV. J Clin Psychopharmacol 1996; 16[suppl 1]:4-14.).
http://www.mhsource.com/expert/exp1042803c.html
Try searching bipolar disorder NOS, alot more information comes up
Posted by hornedhalo on January 13, 2005, at 11:31:53
In reply to Re: Hi everyone, Need some help. PLEASE, posted by partlycloudy on January 11, 2005, at 17:25:47
Hi Partlycloudy,
Thank you for the welcome. Yes I am seeing a therapist. My meds include: Cymbalta, Zonegran and Ativan for anxiety. I have recently started having these attacks where I feel like I can not breathe. Are these anxiety attacks?
thanks again,
hornedhalo
Posted by hornedhalo on January 13, 2005, at 11:38:14
In reply to Re: Hi everyone, Need some help. PLEASE, posted by alexandra_k on January 12, 2005, at 1:37:22
Hi alexandra k,
I also want to thank you for the welcome. Partlycloudy sounds like they know what they are talking about. I hope that this site can be a useful place for answers and some new friends that are going through the same thing that i am. Have a good one. hope to hear from you soon.
Posted by hornedhalo on January 13, 2005, at 11:47:17
In reply to Re: Hi everyone, Need some help. PLEASE » horndhalo, posted by rainbowbrite on January 12, 2005, at 9:41:56
Hi Rainbowbrite,
You are a Fountain of information. Thank you so much. I kept searching the internet for "unspecified" I should have did what you said and searched "NOS" You a smart cookie! Thanks again that info. It has really helped!!!!
hornedhalo
Posted by rainbowbrite on January 13, 2005, at 12:24:38
In reply to Re: Hi everyone, Need some help. PLEASE » rainbowbrite, posted by hornedhalo on January 13, 2005, at 11:47:17
Glad it was helpful! I actually searched unspecified as well and didn't find anything then I found the bipolar site.
Posted by partlycloudy on January 13, 2005, at 15:14:57
In reply to Re: Hi everyone, Need some help. PLEASE » partlycloudy, posted by hornedhalo on January 13, 2005, at 11:31:53
Not being able to catch your breath - this sounds like anxiety if you have ruled out any respiratory problems. When I first "presented" with anxiety, it was because I'd wake up in the middle of the night unable to swallow. I thought there was something wrong with my throat, and was very surprised to hear it was anxiety. it pretends to be so many things!! I found that effexor worked so well on the depression and anxiety, but after taking it for a year it stopped being effective at a dose I could handle. Too high and my blood pressure went up. I like Cymbalta as it hasn't had any side effects worth complainig about.
(Jump in to any thread that interests you here on the boards. We like Newbies!!)
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