Could I be bipolar?

Linda,

I've been treated for depression for almost 15 yrs., yet it has never gone away, only gotten better for periods.  I've had periods of higher energy although never "manic".  However, it wasn't until my husband started questioning my irritability and unpredicatability that we started wondering about BP.  He went with me to my pdoc last week and she agreed with him, and decided I was BPII.  If they don't think you are bipolar, I would wonder why you are on seroquel, since that is primarily used for BP1 treatment.  I would recommend you keep a journal of the highs and lows and discuss this with your doctor.

Sharon

Hi, Linda. Obviously, we can't diagnose you over the internet, but what you describe are clear red flags that a competent psychiatrist should consider very seriously, along with a host of other factors. Unfortunately, even psychiatrists tend to overlook the bipolar diagnosis. Their tendency is to diagnose depression, with the tragic result that far too many of us spend years in hell before we finally get the right diagnosis. Typically, we show up for our first visit depressed, talking about our depression. In this state, it is very difficult to recall our good times, or the times we felt too good for our own good.

I know. This happened to me.

It may well be your pdoc made the right diagnosis, but you have made a very strong case for asking him or her to reconsider that diagnosis or to get a second opinion. But you need to help the pdoc by telling him or her about all the good times and bad times and times you got into trouble.

Re meds - there is a very strong body of opinion in psychiatry that antidepressants (such as Effexor) are not effective for bipolar depressions and can make you worse by inducing mania (this happened to me on an antidepressant). There are exceptions to this rule, but you need to pick up the phone and inform the pdoc of your suspicions. If your pdoc shows skepticism or hostility, it's time to consider another pdoc. Their job is to listen, not prejudge.

I assume the Seroquel is for helping you sleep. The med is a common sleep aid for bipolar. Hope this helps.

Hi Linda

You may first want to ask yourself if any of these symptoms, i.e., spending, having lots of energy, not focusing, making lots of plans, etc., are symptoms that you can recall having before you took the effexor or seroquel?  Think hard about that question because it is important.  The reason being is that I went to see a psychiatrist who first said I had dysthymia (chronic low-level depression) and put me on an antidepressant.  I should have told him that other than being depressed, my other symptom which was causing the most distress was my violent temper and irritability.  So, to continue....I took effexor which at the time, the doctor did not realize, was causing me to worsen. I had suicidal thoughts, began cutting my self....and I had periods of feeling intense with nature, I was intensely consumed with religion and spirituality, I had urges to become a nude model....yes, believe it or not!  So, after being on effexor for three years, the doc decides I could be bipolar ll and placed me on lamictal.  This stoped my suicidal thoughts, urges and intensities.  Point being, effexor could be doing to you what it did to me.  I would suggest you really look at your behaviors in the past before the medication and see if any of these were present.  I had the violent rages and irritability,(with my loved ones,I seemed to control it when around others) which goes along with bipolar disoder....so, I am told the antidepressant, brought the rest out.  I find it so interesting, however, that on the label and in the brochures you read about anti depressants, they mention how they "can produce suicidal thoughts in children and young adults".  I was 42 at the time I began effexor. I just wonder if the effexor itself caused me to want to kill myself and other stuff, or if it really was an underlying condition.  I do know that I have always, since college, had periods when I would go on shopping sprees and spend WAY too much...on clothes, basically...and like I said, always moody and moderately depressed.  So, just check your past behaviors...if you have any of the things like shopping sprees, periods of time when you get a lot done and then times when you feel like you are stuck and irritable, basically, if your mood seems to change alot?  I would definetly tell your psych. that you may want to try a mood stabilizer, like lamictal....and see if any of your behavior changes for the better.

(:

raku

Hi Linda

You may first want to ask yourself if any of these symptoms, i.e., spending, having lots of energy, not focusing, making lots of plans, etc., are symptoms that you can recall having before you took the effexor or seroquel?  Think hard about that question because it is important.  The reason being is that I went to see a psychiatrist who first said I had dysthymia (chronic low-level depression) and put me on an antidepressant.  I should have told him that other than being depressed, my other symptom which was causing the most distress was my violent temper and irritability.  So, to continue....I took effexor which at the time, the doctor did not realize, was causing me to worsen. I had suicidal thoughts, began cutting my self....and I had periods of feeling intense with nature, I was intensely consumed with religion and spirituality, I had urges to become a nude model....yes, believe it or not!  So, after being on effexor for three years, the doc decides I could be bipolar ll and placed me on lamictal.  This stoped my suicidal thoughts, urges and intensities.  Point being, effexor could be doing to you what it did to me.  I would suggest you really look at your behaviors in the past before the medication and see if any of these were present.  I had the violent rages and irritability,(with my loved ones,I seemed to control it when around others) which goes along with bipolar disoder....so, I am told the antidepressant, brought the rest out.  I find it so interesting, however, that on the label and in the brochures you read about anti depressants, they mention how they "can produce suicidal thoughts in children and young adults".  I was 42 at the time I began effexor. I just wonder if the effexor itself caused me to want to kill myself and other stuff, or if it really was an underlying condition.  I do know that I have always, since college, had periods when I would go on shopping sprees and spend WAY too much...on clothes, basically...and like I said, always moody and moderately depressed.  So, just check your past behaviors...if you have any of the things like shopping sprees, periods of time when you get a lot done and then times when you feel like you are stuck and irritable, basically, if your mood seems to change alot?  I would definetly tell your psych. that you may want to try a mood stabilizer, like lamictal....and see if any of your behavior changes for the better.

(:

raku