Needing reassurance

[chaddavis333]

Hi everyone. After seeing a broken English physcrist, i told her that i have been on lexapro for 10 years, and told her drugs like neurotin and trazadone work opposite on me, she said i was bipolar. I am 41 years old, and never had either mania, mixed, or severe depression, unless it was from oppiate withdrawal. I know you can get it anytime. I am currently 4 months clean of loperamide abuse, and wonder if it is PAWS, or if she is right. I am very hypochondriac, so I am scared to death. She will make me give up my lexapro and make me switch to bi polar meds. I don't want to take something I don't need. Please someone help.

[Crystal413]

These typos of mine are embarrassing! Sorry. I should have put a , after changes when referring to the book pdocs are suppose to use. There have been many new changes to the book, not just BP changes.

And it should read detriment to us not use.

I also should have added drugs and alcohol use to my list as well because this can also cause significant changes in a persons behavior. The literature specifically states in cases such as these issues a person should not even be dx with something until they have been clean for one year.

Yes, drugs, alcohol and a number of addictions and problems as well as behaviors are known to people with BP. That is why it is a complex issue and time should be spent before a dx, and time must be spent to get to the main issues and the person to be looked at in detail, as I mentioned before,  getting the whole picture of who a person is, what there about, what kinds of issues they have, what kinds of good or bad experiences they have had, any trama's etc.

[Crystal413]

Something very important everyone needs to know.  My new pdoc (which by the way came very highly recommended by two people I know), told me that long term Antidepressants can cause Bipolar symptoms yet that person does not have Bipolar.  Therefore, I am saying it is very important for anyone being dx with BP (if you really don't think it fits you) to have that pdoc explain in detail why they think that person has BP. A person has to meet certain criteria per the pscychiatrist BIG BOOK (DSM something) which just recently had many new changes in order to have a dx of BP.

There are so many things that pdoc's have to keep in mind too about that person in order to get a full picture. Theirs no way to get that full picture of who that person is as a human being with a 50 min appt. or the experience I went thru unless it's a no brainier which in some cases it is. The whole dx is so complex. Your history, your personality (who you are) or use to be if there was a change, have bloodwork done to cover all bases, even talking to your spouse or someone who has known you a long time along with you. We all have so much faith and belief in doctors which is can be a detriment to use. That is why it's so important to do our research about this and if we can't, ask a person close to you to help you. That pretty much sums up the reality of getting a true dx (diagnosis).

[chaddavis333]

Crystal, thank you so much for all the time and effort you put into those post. It means so much to me and gave me lots of peace. I am sorry you went through so much hell....you have been a blessing to me. I am going for a second opinion. As you probably know it takes forever to get into a pdoc... Thank you again, and please tell me more of your story...

[Crystal413]

I have to type quickly because my IPAD keeps turning off. It's on it's last leg.
What I wanted to add was the fact that the meds greatly effected my cognitive abilities and my memory, which I am still waiting to get them ALL back. My new pdoc says it will take time and reminded me that some of what I still experience is due to the anxiety med I started 8 yrs ago when I started the Bipolar meds. Before Bipolar meds I never needed anxiety meds, just an antidepressant. My next step will be weening off the anxiety med which my pdoc says will take 3 months. We will start that process soon and see how I do. Antidepressant alone for most people are not a cure all. You have to do a lot of personal work on your own, seeing a Therapist helps and having bloodwork done by your primary doc to see if you are deficient on anything or have a thyroid problem, that could cause or contribute to depression and or anxiety. From what you said, anxiety is your only problem, unless there is something that you have left out. So I would try to relax and not jump to conclusions unless like I said before you read up on Bipolar and Bipolar sx and you see that it sounds like what you experience. People who have Bipolar do not necessarily experience ALL sx listed in the literature. And no two people who have Bipolar have the same exact sx. Commonalities yes.

[Crystal413]

I would without a doubt see another Pscychiatrist. Her giving you a dx of Bipolar from what you told her does not mean you are anywhere close to having Bipolar. Her reasoning makes absolutely no sense. I have the opposite effect to Trazone as well, my pdoc says it's in the category of sleep meds, which BTW keep me awake, not put me to sleep. Neurotin really screwed me up bad. We all react diff to diff med, that is not what gives you a labeled diagnosis. I have had depression my whole life starting in my late teens. Anxiety came a little later. This particular pdoc in a pscy ward, decided after my 25 yr dx of Depression, being on Antidepressents, and lesser yrs of anxiety that I had Bipolar without any merit of the fact that I had no Bipolar Sx. I was severely depressed. I was neive and unknowledgeable and too depressed to know the things I now know. 8 yrs of trying 35 meds that really screwed me up along with terrible side effects. I've spent. 8 yrs of my life and a continual circus and 8 yrs of my life lost. I have finally changed pdocs, had enough of these meds that only just screwed me up and was told I do not have Bipolar by my new PDOC, which I already had figured out since I had been off all the meds and discovered I was fine and had made the biggest mistake of my life putting my vulnerable hands and faith in this incompetent pdoc. He didn't even know me, I was just another number. The Bipolar dx in my opinion gets thrown around way to easily and that mistake a life changer out of a person who really doesn't have Bipolar. None of the Bipolar meds did anything good for me. I was drugged up by that first pdoc when I was just suffering from severe depression. I believed him and my next step was to see a pdoc having that dx and was treated for that dx for 8 yrs. I have been med free of all Bipolar Meds for 2 months and just take anxiety med. I have my mind and confidence back and have never felt better. I still have low level depression, which has always been the case with occassional dips of severe depression that I have always had. I can no longer take Antidepressants either. So I'll just have to deal with those occassional dips of severe depression. On Bipolar Meds, I certainly experienced Bipolar sx. No Bipolar meds, no Bipolar sx. I may or may not be unique to this major screw up and reactions to these very serious meds, IDK. Look up Bipolar symptoms, see for yourself if it fits you. I was misdiagnosed Bipolar by an incompetent psyc. Don't make the same mistake I did by believing that first dr. Go see a diff one. If you are only on Lexapro, your general practioner can follow you and give you your prescriptions. If you have any more questions, send me a note and I will be glad to elaborate more. From what I have been thru and learned, I would always advise a second opinion unless you now without a doubt from what you have read on Bipolar that those sx fit you. I hope this helps.

[CRSeaside]

You're right to be concerned. All drugs have side effects. I can't take Paxil & other drugs in the same class.

[chaddavis333]

Yeah i am a frequent poster on that forum. Thank you for responding. She said that based on what i told her how i responded to other meds, like trazadone. She said than o you Are bipolar. I take 10mg of lexapro because of anxiety. It seems that bipolar diagonsis gets thrown around a lot. Its a very serious diesease as you know. I don't want to take something that is going to make things worse. I appreciate your response.

[CRSeaside]

Hi Chad
Just my opinion but if you've never been depressed, or manic, I don't know if your pdoc had a reason to label you bipolar.  
  What's your lexapro for? I've been prescribed it for bipolar before.
  Medhelp has an excellent forum for drug addition.  Check it out.
  When you have time, check with another pdoc.
Maxy