Evaluation at University of Michigan.

Well, it was draining.  First you go do a computer program, and it asks you things like "out of the last 14 days, how many days did you have a problem going to sleep?"  But it was pretty fast. 

Next was the intake nurse.  She's a RN that has special training.  After that, she goes and discusses you with the doctor.  Then you go sit with the RN and the doctor.

All of it was talking. No scans or anything.  It was kind of upsetting, though.  I don't know about you, but when I go to regular therapy, I

- identify the issues

- identify my goals

- create strategies to deal with my issues so that I can reach my goals.

This was more like, "tell me about how messed up you are".  I got to discuss my dysfunctional childhood, abusive first marriage, how I've managed to never hold a job for more than a year at a time.  I left feeling like a loser, quite frankly.  It took 2-3 days for me to start feeling better.

Anyway, he said that I'm "interesting" and don't fit into type 1 or 2... so I'm "bipolar, not otherwise specified".  And that he's going to recommend to my regular doc that I start lithium. 

All in all, I'm glad I went because I want someone who *really* knows what they're doing, rather than my doctor and therapist just taking stabs at what sounds good at the time.  And they don't want to see me back at U of M for a year.