Hi ladies,
OK so some of you know my situation over the past yr, so those who don't here it is. It's been a yr of hell for me. I'm post for 7yrs now with no meno symptoms so that's not the case here. I had post traumatic stress symptom last sept. Thought I was having heart attack. Was in the hospital for a week with every test possible. Dx was severe anxiety and mild depression. So I'm on Paxil for 9 months. I had ups and downs, but what started to happen was I was having episodes of 3 great weeks and 1 or 2 really bad weeks. Could not function no appetite, stayed on the couch till 5 at night when I would feel much better. The evenings were good. When I was feeling good I would go out and make up for lost time. Do my shopping, cleaning my house, talking to friends and eating again. Well I just had an a appointment with my shrink and he thinks I may have mild bi-polar. I thought oh no. I asked him what do I do then and he said change meds and those of you who know me I am drug phobia. Question is... has anybody been told they have bi-polar when they really don't? Or am I just in denial? And if I am bi-polar is Paxil not doing anything for me???
SO CONFUSED
Char
Full Version: anybody get a wrong bi-polar dx
Power Surge Forums > Board Discussions > Living With Serious Mental And/Or Physical Health Disorders Plus Menopause!
My stepdaughter was diagnosed with depression for years before she got the diagnosis of bipolar disorder. She was taking lexapro for the depression but once her diagnosis was changed to bipolar, she was prescribed a mood stabilizer along with the lexapro to keep her from becoming manic. I wish I knew more about bipolar. She used to go thru periods of being up and occasional periods of being very low. I know there are different types-wish I knew more.
If you do have Bipolar, they say the general rule is AD's taken alone without a mood stabilizer can worsen the Bipolar. I have read in many books & have been told by my psych dr. that as well. Just an AD can do more harm than good with Bipolar?
As you know for me, I believe in my heart I got a wrong Dx.
My advice to you would be to read up on it. When my psych diagnosed me, I went to the book store. I got the book Bipolar for Dummies. It had some useful things in it.
As you know for me, I believe in my heart I got a wrong Dx.
My advice to you would be to read up on it. When my psych diagnosed me, I went to the book store. I got the book Bipolar for Dummies. It had some useful things in it.
I can tell you from experience with Bipolar II diagnosed at age 16 that through lack of understanding, ignorance, arrogance, or thinking the depression would be helped via psych docs and put on SSRIs or SSNRIs alone without a mood stabilizer sent me into complete dysphoric mania. I had DR, uncontrollabe rage, lack of clarity, extremely speedy with racing thoughts all along sometimes worsening into a 'mixed state' when the SSRIs had kicked enough in to ramp up mania but not yet enough to deal with the depressive symptoms. This is the worst state you can be in with Bipolar. You are so depressed and yet ramped up manic with racing thoughts that consume you, DR, anxiety, panic ALL hitting you at once...it's the most common state that BP individuals sadly end their lives. It is pure torture and without a mood stabilizer SSRIs and SSNRIs should not be given to someone with Bipolar as monotherapy...they can be very dangerous.
In fact, my new psychiatrist I was blessed to find at a leading University Medical center well renowned for it's intensive research on Bipolar will not even think about giving an SSRI to his patients 1. until they are stabilized 2. after being stabilized if the depression hasn't lifted (often it will esp lithium and lamictal having AD properties) 3. a trial of Wellbutrin added then not working FINALLY onto 4. only a VERY low dose if depression persists.
He gave me Wellbutrin on a low dose as he increased my mood stabilizer for my depression needing addressing right away...but Wellbutrin acts differently than SSRIs targeting more of your dopamine and norepenephrine thus not risking the potential near as much for mania as SSRIs and SSNRIs are known for. Everyone is different and you might have to through trial and error.
Also often times Bipolar is misdiagnosed because you seek treatment in depressive phases not in hypomanic phases where you feel on top of the world. So unless you have a really good psych doc that gets a thorough history from you asking the right questions in regards to Bipolar potential, the SSRIs will be the drugs you are given in belief of a Depressive Disorder (Unipolar) only. I learned all too quickly and tragically how they can really make matters worse beyond the mental state you were in to begin with. Seek out a knowledgable doctor on this issue and ask your own questions, be very specific with your history of mood swings. There is alot of hope for recovery.
The peri issue just adds to our pain I know but I'm working on that too now. Things are much more at ease getting the Bipolar under control and even helping with I what thought were ALL peri symptoms. Now I have to work slowly on getting the issues of mental pain around my period under control which will likely include an increase in meds mid month as well as some BHRT in time. One day at a time though right now as I'm just beginning to recover again....
Shar
In fact, my new psychiatrist I was blessed to find at a leading University Medical center well renowned for it's intensive research on Bipolar will not even think about giving an SSRI to his patients 1. until they are stabilized 2. after being stabilized if the depression hasn't lifted (often it will esp lithium and lamictal having AD properties) 3. a trial of Wellbutrin added then not working FINALLY onto 4. only a VERY low dose if depression persists.
He gave me Wellbutrin on a low dose as he increased my mood stabilizer for my depression needing addressing right away...but Wellbutrin acts differently than SSRIs targeting more of your dopamine and norepenephrine thus not risking the potential near as much for mania as SSRIs and SSNRIs are known for. Everyone is different and you might have to through trial and error.
Also often times Bipolar is misdiagnosed because you seek treatment in depressive phases not in hypomanic phases where you feel on top of the world. So unless you have a really good psych doc that gets a thorough history from you asking the right questions in regards to Bipolar potential, the SSRIs will be the drugs you are given in belief of a Depressive Disorder (Unipolar) only. I learned all too quickly and tragically how they can really make matters worse beyond the mental state you were in to begin with. Seek out a knowledgable doctor on this issue and ask your own questions, be very specific with your history of mood swings. There is alot of hope for recovery.
The peri issue just adds to our pain I know but I'm working on that too now. Things are much more at ease getting the Bipolar under control and even helping with I what thought were ALL peri symptoms. Now I have to work slowly on getting the issues of mental pain around my period under control which will likely include an increase in meds mid month as well as some BHRT in time. One day at a time though right now as I'm just beginning to recover again....
Shar
QUOTE (chaotichar @ Sep 24 2009, 01:31 PM) 
Hi ladies,
OK so some of you know my situation over the past yr, so those who don't here it is. It's been a yr of hell for me. I'm post for 7yrs now with no meno symptoms so that's not the case here. I had post traumatic stress symptom last sept. Thought I was having heart attack. Was in the hospital for a week with every test possible. Dx was severe anxiety and mild depression. So I'm on Paxil for 9 months. I had ups and downs, but what started to happen was I was having episodes of 3 great weeks and 1 or 2 really bad weeks. Could not function no appetite, stayed on the couch till 5 at night when I would feel much better. The evenings were good. When I was feeling good I would go out and make up for lost time. Do my shopping, cleaning my house, talking to friends and eating again. Well I just had an a appointment with my shrink and he thinks I may have mild bi-polar. I thought oh no. I asked him what do I do then and he said change meds and those of you who know me I am drug phobia. Question is... has anybody been told they have bi-polar when they really don't? Or am I just in denial? And if I am bi-polar is Paxil not doing anything for me???
SO CONFUSED
Char
OK so some of you know my situation over the past yr, so those who don't here it is. It's been a yr of hell for me. I'm post for 7yrs now with no meno symptoms so that's not the case here. I had post traumatic stress symptom last sept. Thought I was having heart attack. Was in the hospital for a week with every test possible. Dx was severe anxiety and mild depression. So I'm on Paxil for 9 months. I had ups and downs, but what started to happen was I was having episodes of 3 great weeks and 1 or 2 really bad weeks. Could not function no appetite, stayed on the couch till 5 at night when I would feel much better. The evenings were good. When I was feeling good I would go out and make up for lost time. Do my shopping, cleaning my house, talking to friends and eating again. Well I just had an a appointment with my shrink and he thinks I may have mild bi-polar. I thought oh no. I asked him what do I do then and he said change meds and those of you who know me I am drug phobia. Question is... has anybody been told they have bi-polar when they really don't? Or am I just in denial? And if I am bi-polar is Paxil not doing anything for me???
SO CONFUSED
Char
I honestly wouldnt be surprised if a doctor diagnosed me bi-polar my moods swing so badly right now .. one mintue on top of the world feeling great ,, wonder ful ,, next crying depressed etc. for me Im pretty sure its all hormonal .. but a doc/shrink might not see it that way.
Honestly the symptoms you describe sound like hormone fluctuations to me,not depression or bi polar.I go through periods of feeling good right after my period,then two weeks before my period is due I start feeling down,lethargic,sad.Have you considered hormone replacement or a low dose bcp?It might be worth a try.I hope you feel better.GOD-bless
Actually I agree on the hormonal issues also effecting me but I have realized it's not ONLY hormonally related as I originally thought but also having the Bipolar with it, just as it isn't ONLY Bipolar related.
Let me explain that I was diagnosed with BP at 16 and have been on and off meds for it for over 20 years. BP rarely manifests itself in latter adulthood and I read a post about how one power surge sister's doc said she would never initially give that DX to someone going through peri with no history of it precisely because of the wide mood swings in hormones which I completely agree on.
I brought the hormonal issue up when I was inpatient and my docs told me the bipolar could definitely be exacerbating hormonal issues or that hormonal issues triggered another episode of BP in me. They said there is a definite connection between neurotransmitter and hormonal reactions (as we all know) it's just that in this lifetime they haven't found specific links as to which causes which or the main culprit.
It makes sense in my case that hormonal changes in peri could have triggered another manic/depressed phase in me after having a period of remission for about 3-4 years not needing medication. I also believe conversely I might have been hit with another cycle in BP that really did a number on my hormones. Then it's a cycle of pure h ell and it's a matter of balancing to get things under control as we know.
In initially thinking this was ALL hormonal related and not wanting to go back on BP meds I went EVERY route possible to answer what could be wrong. I tried P cream for symptoms of heavy periods, fibroids and believing everything Dr. Lee preached only to find myself in a darker depression feeling more insane than I already felt. In stopping the P cream it took months and still feel it's not totally cleared from my system. I then tried E on its own to try to counter the P reaction but felt I'd done enough damage with P and got more symptoms on E feeling horrific and more ups and downs. I then resorted to the BCP...tried 3 different ones all in lowering the P in each one as I became even suicidal on them and believe now I cannot handle P well in any form. I got every imaginable hormonal test done from an Endo...my thyroid was perfect, estrogen was on high end of normal and progesterone the higher end of normal, my cortisol though was elevated.
Interesting too the docs told me as hormones effect neurotransmitters and vice versa the same is true for the high cortisol. Stress induces high cortisol and in turn can cause the severe depressive episodes of bipolar or if you end up in another phase with bipolar the stress, anxiety, mania and/or depression can all cause an increase in the cortisol...again being a cycle of mental torture.
I tried the hormonal route all on its own many many trials of hormones and for a long period and all I felt was further insanity without any balance. On the bipolar meds again especially the mood stabilizer Lamictal which also has AD properties I am feeling much better than I have in years already. I still do get the downs around my period but they aren't nearly severe and in the past my psych doc along with ob/gyn would get me on a regimen of increasing certain meds a tad mid month which helped much of the time.
I think I have been unfortunately hit with a double whammy...the bipolar and hormonal issues. I still need to address the week before my period in getting down which I am discussing with my doctors this month. I eventually might need to get on BRHT to address things more as a whole but I've only been on the meds for about 2 months now, already feeling much more of myself versus the hormones making me feel so much more miserable. This was my last route looking into all this and I've haven't felt more like myself overall in years.
Right now I'm still very early in the treatment process healing and will address the hormones as needed but one step at a time. I need to let my meds kick in more, do their job, perhaps adjust during my period and THEN address the hormones as this is just the beginning of my recovery. I'm not about to mess with anymore of it now considering it threw me into such a horrible state alone earlier and I want to gauge how I do on the meds now, let them settle and then look into balancing around my period. I can totally understand how we could all be DX with bipolar with our swings but in my case and history I have had to live with both. Please refer to the BP and peri post on this too...I found alot of helpful info from others experiences with living with both too.
Shar
Let me explain that I was diagnosed with BP at 16 and have been on and off meds for it for over 20 years. BP rarely manifests itself in latter adulthood and I read a post about how one power surge sister's doc said she would never initially give that DX to someone going through peri with no history of it precisely because of the wide mood swings in hormones which I completely agree on.
I brought the hormonal issue up when I was inpatient and my docs told me the bipolar could definitely be exacerbating hormonal issues or that hormonal issues triggered another episode of BP in me. They said there is a definite connection between neurotransmitter and hormonal reactions (as we all know) it's just that in this lifetime they haven't found specific links as to which causes which or the main culprit.
It makes sense in my case that hormonal changes in peri could have triggered another manic/depressed phase in me after having a period of remission for about 3-4 years not needing medication. I also believe conversely I might have been hit with another cycle in BP that really did a number on my hormones. Then it's a cycle of pure h ell and it's a matter of balancing to get things under control as we know.
In initially thinking this was ALL hormonal related and not wanting to go back on BP meds I went EVERY route possible to answer what could be wrong. I tried P cream for symptoms of heavy periods, fibroids and believing everything Dr. Lee preached only to find myself in a darker depression feeling more insane than I already felt. In stopping the P cream it took months and still feel it's not totally cleared from my system. I then tried E on its own to try to counter the P reaction but felt I'd done enough damage with P and got more symptoms on E feeling horrific and more ups and downs. I then resorted to the BCP...tried 3 different ones all in lowering the P in each one as I became even suicidal on them and believe now I cannot handle P well in any form. I got every imaginable hormonal test done from an Endo...my thyroid was perfect, estrogen was on high end of normal and progesterone the higher end of normal, my cortisol though was elevated.
Interesting too the docs told me as hormones effect neurotransmitters and vice versa the same is true for the high cortisol. Stress induces high cortisol and in turn can cause the severe depressive episodes of bipolar or if you end up in another phase with bipolar the stress, anxiety, mania and/or depression can all cause an increase in the cortisol...again being a cycle of mental torture.
I tried the hormonal route all on its own many many trials of hormones and for a long period and all I felt was further insanity without any balance. On the bipolar meds again especially the mood stabilizer Lamictal which also has AD properties I am feeling much better than I have in years already. I still do get the downs around my period but they aren't nearly severe and in the past my psych doc along with ob/gyn would get me on a regimen of increasing certain meds a tad mid month which helped much of the time.
I think I have been unfortunately hit with a double whammy...the bipolar and hormonal issues. I still need to address the week before my period in getting down which I am discussing with my doctors this month. I eventually might need to get on BRHT to address things more as a whole but I've only been on the meds for about 2 months now, already feeling much more of myself versus the hormones making me feel so much more miserable. This was my last route looking into all this and I've haven't felt more like myself overall in years.
Right now I'm still very early in the treatment process healing and will address the hormones as needed but one step at a time. I need to let my meds kick in more, do their job, perhaps adjust during my period and THEN address the hormones as this is just the beginning of my recovery. I'm not about to mess with anymore of it now considering it threw me into such a horrible state alone earlier and I want to gauge how I do on the meds now, let them settle and then look into balancing around my period. I can totally understand how we could all be DX with bipolar with our swings but in my case and history I have had to live with both. Please refer to the BP and peri post on this too...I found alot of helpful info from others experiences with living with both too.
Shar
Shar
Very informative stuff. I really read your post and so interesting. So are you saying our hormones can fluctuate even after 7 yrs post meno? I just don't want to mess around with all this stuff. It's all so confusing to me. I will talk to my psych doc and see if I can slowly come off of Paxil. I really don't think it's working for me, maybe doing me more harm. Now I keep reading that Paxil is the worse drug to get off. I've been on it 10 months.
(((char)))
Very informative stuff. I really read your post and so interesting. So are you saying our hormones can fluctuate even after 7 yrs post meno? I just don't want to mess around with all this stuff. It's all so confusing to me. I will talk to my psych doc and see if I can slowly come off of Paxil. I really don't think it's working for me, maybe doing me more harm. Now I keep reading that Paxil is the worse drug to get off. I've been on it 10 months.
(((char)))
Hi again Char...I'm sorry if I implied that your hormones would be widely fluctuating with you being post for 7 years, as I think they should be settled. I was referring more to being in the midst of peri with wide fluctuations and with the BP on top of that it's been quite a ride for me.
Your anxiety might be stemming from the loss of estrogen. You mentioned getting your thyroid and cortisol levels checked which can contribute or be a cause of your symptoms too if off.
I know some women I've read and talked to on here felt better after things settled down more post and didn't need any ADs or BHRT while others still felt the loss of estrogen giving them depression and anxiety and went on one or both to help the emotional side. Though I'm very familiar with what I've tried in this stage of my life with psych meds and hormonal treatments, I'd suggest looking at some of their posts, talking more to them, and seeing what they have tried since I haven't gotten to the other side yet!
Your anxiety might be stemming from the loss of estrogen. You mentioned getting your thyroid and cortisol levels checked which can contribute or be a cause of your symptoms too if off.
I know some women I've read and talked to on here felt better after things settled down more post and didn't need any ADs or BHRT while others still felt the loss of estrogen giving them depression and anxiety and went on one or both to help the emotional side. Though I'm very familiar with what I've tried in this stage of my life with psych meds and hormonal treatments, I'd suggest looking at some of their posts, talking more to them, and seeing what they have tried since I haven't gotten to the other side yet!
And also be sure your doc titrates you slowly off the Paxil if you choose to go that route...stopping any psych drug just as hormones can send your body into painful withdraw and worse emotional symptoms...
Char, my understanding is the newer ADs are much harder to wean off than paxil. However you should wean off it very slowly, over a long period of time. As you know I lowered my dose from 20 mgs to 10 mgs. I took a couple of months to lower to that amount. Like you I thought perhaps it wasn't helping, but have since decided I at least need 10 mgs.
I really doubt you have bipolar disorder, seems like an odd time in your life for it to show up. Taking and AD during a manic phase can actually make an AD act like a narcotic...but if you are manic you would be full of energy, going and going, not sleeping, and ready to take on massive undertakings that are not humanly possible. I don't think you are in that frame of mind at all.
I agree about having thyroid and cortisol levels checked, as well as your vit D level. I wish I had more to offer. Good luck and Hugs!
I really doubt you have bipolar disorder, seems like an odd time in your life for it to show up. Taking and AD during a manic phase can actually make an AD act like a narcotic...but if you are manic you would be full of energy, going and going, not sleeping, and ready to take on massive undertakings that are not humanly possible. I don't think you are in that frame of mind at all.
I agree about having thyroid and cortisol levels checked, as well as your vit D level. I wish I had more to offer. Good luck and Hugs!
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