Unfamiliar medical condition

[wench1]

what is "A" Polar. Possibly I sisunderstood the term. Is there something called "A Bi-Polar"? It's supposed to mean ;never down, aways up...instead of "Bi-Polar"; severe up and down or high and low moods. I'd really like to know if this is a real diagnosis of a disorder or a doctor is not telling me the whole story.  I do have a geat way of not letting things get me down. I suffer from some very real physical problems which make me need to take pain medication for releif. I do not like being labled with "addict" or being treated like a lab rat.

Recently, a doctor said I had, what he thinks, as (not sure of the exact term) this A-Bi-Polar. I don't know if there is going to be another lable placed in my medical file and it makes me worry that I won't get the proper care.

does this condition sound familiar or do I have it mixed up?

Thanks,
B

[coconuts27]

Maybe you mean bipolar 1. I think thats what what its called. My doctor said something like that about me. I dont have the extreme highs, just the lows. I wish I could just have the highs, maybe then I wouldnt do drugs. If you take pain meds all the time though, the meds might just have you feeling good all the time. If you dont agree with your doctor, get a second opinion. It could be adult add or just a good, positive attitude about life.

[worried878]

would have to google it...i do know biplar condition has many different cycles...some swing dramatically with highs and lows..some barely...some sty high most of the time/my friend is this/rarely low....speeds around and never sleeps and has circles under her eyes all the time..sweet girl but she has to monitor herself or she will get into trouble in a heartbeat..we do yoga together every monday night and this calms her
others stay low all the time and rarely swing to a high.....off to work but will look into it when i can....do u have a drug related disorder as well?

[worried878]

saw this article, perhaps A is the same as type 1?

There are several types of bipolar disorder; all involve episodes of depression and mania to a degree.
Bipolar disorder is a lifelong illness. Episodes of mania and depression eventually can occur again, if you don't get treatment. A small percentage of people will continue to have symptoms, even after getting treatment for their bipolar disorder. Here are the types of bipolar disorder:

Bipolar I disorder involves episodes of severe mood swings, from mania to depression.

Bipolar II disorder is a milder form, involving milder episodes of hypomania that alternate with depression.

Cyclothymic disorder describes even milder mood changes.

With mixed bipolar  disorder, there is both mania and depression at the same time. "The person feels grandiose, with racing thoughts, all this energy -- but is also irritable, angry, moody, feeling bad," says Michael Aronson, MD, a clinical psychiatrist and consultant for WebMD. "This can be a dangerous mix."

Rapid-cycling bipolar disorder is characterized by four or more mood episodes that occur within a 12-month period. Some people experience multiple episodes within a single week, or even within a single day. Rapid cycling tends to develop later in the course of illness. Women are more likely than men to have rapid cycling. A rapid-cycling pattern increases risk for severe depression and suicide attempts.

Antidepressants are thought to trigger and prolong rapid cycling in bipolar disorder. However, that theory is controversial and is still being studied.
WebMD Medical Reference provided in collaboration with the Cleveland Clinic

[avisg]

Most likely it's bipolor 1 there is bipolor 2 or you can be in a mixxed state  be very carful with antidepressants if you are in a manic state most of the time AD will just make it worse