POTS and bipolar?

[dmolina]

So I went to the doctor this morning for the depression that I've been feeling for a while now. They put me on zoloft for now, but wants me to talk to a therapist on Monday. They are thinking that I might be bipolar. Does anyone have POTS and bipolar? I am hoping that it isn't bipolar. Thats just another thing to deal with when I haven't even gotten a grip on my POTS yet.

[LivingInHope]

I'm glad you didn't get stuck with a bogas diagnosis!

[dmolina]

So I went to my therapist appointment yesterday. He is now saying I'm not bipolar just depressed. Thank you everyone for your answers. I really appreciate it.

[Kavbear]

SurgiMenopause is right, bipolar is what we call manic-depression. It's depression and then mania. The time spent in either side can vary. She is also right that you can't trust questionnaires alone, I hope your psych and the person you are seeing Monday help
I had one doctor that said I was bipolar because I had difficulties concentrating while depressed. I never saw him again especially since I had seen two other doctors over several years each. Never had a euphoric or agitated high in my life.
It currently is the "it" diagnosis with many new costly drugs to treat it so suddenly everyone has it. Even those without it in their family or more then one thing on some questionnaire.

I

[LivingInHope]

Well, I filled out a questionaire for no charge some time back at e-harmony and they analyzed my answers as to what kind of person I was.  Family members looked at what they said about me and they said it didn't sound like me at all!  And I had tried to answer as honestly as I could- so you can't always trust machines!

That said, spending hours crying sounds like clinical depression to me (had this in the past).  And when I tell my current psych about some medical problems, he says but he's coming at it from the psychiatrist's standpoint.  Anyways, I do believe bi-polar is the current term for what used to be called "manic-depressive".  So, do you have those euphoric high waves of the manic part or is it more just the down-swing of depression that you are dealing with?   Because if you don't, I'd question the bi-polar diagnosis.

[Kavbear]

I am go grateful that someone other then myself posted. I am rather confused the past few days and am being "air-headed".
Other then my questions, I meant to post that I have been treated and dealt with anxiety and depression for quite some time,(which I got out then flaked) the doctors at the Mayo, who came up with my POTS dx. said that from my reporting periods of various symptoms including depression and anxiety that may have been POTS symptoms, now I have PTSD so they exist regardless but the psychiatrist I saw at the MAYO said it was important that before any different psychiatry treatment I need to make sure the psychiatrist understands POTS....which for now means call the Mayo doctors. I hope by the time they forget who I am I have found a doctor in Fl. :-/

Good luck with your Monday appointment!

[dmolina]

Thank you everyone for the positive thoughts. And thank you Heiferly for the information. I will defently print that out to take with me on Monday. After thinking back to the questions, I wondered if I answered the was I did because I was answering as a whole. I think I should of thought about it in 2 seperate ways. The way I feel because of the POTS and the way I feel with out the POTS. Sorry if that isn't coming across clear. Can't think of another reason to say it at this time either. I will post Monday after the appointment and let you know what they say.

[Heiferly]

PHEW!!

I really thought the brain fog was going to keep me from getting you this help before your appointment (it's hot here today and I'm fainty, ugh) ... but I had the folder better labeled on my computer than I thought.  Here's the goods:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2758320/

and here's the one with the shorter blurb about psychiatric crossover with POTS:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1501099/

Good luck with your appointment!!
-Heiferly  :-D

[Heiferly]

There is an article that discusses the ways in which some of the physiological symptoms of POTS can cause "yes" answers on anxiety (etc.) mental health screening tests and lead to false positives on some types of those tests because some of the physiological symptoms of dysautonomia/POTS overlap with the physical manifestations of anxiety and psychiatric disorders.  Ugh, I am SOOO light headed right now but I need to get you that article before Monday so you can print it out for the psychiatrist so they're aware to keep an eye out for those confounding variables.  Otherwise you may have a chance of being misdiagnosed.

Either way, whether you have bipolar disorder or not, of course we're all here for you and will continue to be a shoulder to lean on whenever you want to vent.  Please keep us updated.  Okay, my aide bailed on me today so I'm scrambling a bit to cope, but I'm putting finding you that article at the top of my to do list.  PLEASE send me a PM and remind me to get it for you if you can, because I tend to lose track of what I'm doing intermittently.  

[evo123]

Hi, I just want to let you know that you are not alone.  I have just read some of your posts and want to send you BIG hugs.  POTS presents big challenges on it's own without having added conditions to cope with.  Depression is common for people with chronic illness and this fact is not suprising.  As you mention, the life changes we have to deal with are massive.  

Hopefully your Psychiatrist will be able to either confirm or rule out a bipolar dx for you.  Please bear in mind that although some boxes you ticked may be an indicator of this condition, it does not mean that you have it.  I hope that this is not the case for you.

Please stay strong and keep fighting this.  Try to take each day as it comes, and do what you can when you feel able.  Remember, it is OKAY to cry and grieve for the way your life was, but please do not let this overcome you.  I am a mother to 3 young children too, mine are now 7, 3 and 1 years, my love for them has made me push through and has given me the strength to battle with this.  You do have the strength to get through this and we are all here for you if you need us.  

Let us know hoe your appointment goes onb monday x

[dmolina]

Apparently the answers to the questionair that they gave me points to bipolar. My aunt and cousin are dx and I believe my sister is and that my mom was before she passed away. My sister won't go talk to anyone so I don't know for sure if she is. I am suppose to go to the psychiatrist on Monday to find out if I am.

[Kavbear]

Why does this doctor think you are bipolar? How long before he wants to see you again? I ask because if you are "bipolar" and are only taking a antidepressant it can make you manic.
I have just gotten my POTS dx. but have struggled with depression and anxiety, to different degrees for as long as I can remember but also dealt with several other mental issues in my ex husbands family (bipolar included)

[dmolina]

I've been telling myself it is only situational for soo long but I don't really believe it. I didn't have a very good life growing up, so I blamed it on that. Then my mom got sick when I was 16. When I was 17, she passed away and I blamed it on myself. If I wouldn't of moved out when I was 14, I would of been there when she got sick and she wouldn't of been able to hide it the way she did for soo long. I KNOW it wasn't my fault and nothing I could of done to prevent it, but it doesn't help feeling like there is. And now with the POTS symptoms getting worst, I feel worst. I spend hours on the couch crying. I like to say it is just because I am still trying to come to grips that the POTS is so life changing. I used to be soo active. Never at home, always on the go. And now there are days at a time that I don't even leave the house. I try to MAKE myself get out at least once a week, but sometimes I just can't. I don't think I am bipolar, but they want to check. It does run in my family. I'm hoping it is just depression and that the zoloft is all that I need. I will try some of the natural stuff you mentioned as well.
Thank you.

[LivingInHope]

I have anxiety disorder and bouts with depression, but not diagnosed with bipolar.  Are you feeling depressed and don't know why, or is it situational depression?

If you can't handle zoloft (I had a bad reaction to that one), you might see if some natural things could help you with mood.  I take Sam-E (naturemade brand was recommended by a psychiatrist for the clinical studies proving effectiveness for mood)- it's over the counter but not cheap.  I also take flaxseed oil capsules 1000 mg twice a day- with morning and mid-day meals(some can stomach enteric coated fish oil capsules which are supposed to be even more powerful, but even with that kind, I don't like burping up fish).  These capsules have omega fatty acids that they say elevate mood as well as being good for inflammation.  I also eat crushed macadamia nuts (soft diet restriction due to jaw arthritis and TMJ dysfunction), another source of those omega fatty acids and very tasty too.  Walnuts and almonds have them too, as well pumpkin seeds, sardines, tuna, and salmon (freshwater fish).  

I also take magnesium, which is also supposed to help with mood.  If you can even do walking about the house for exercise, building up slowly, or laying down and doing recumbant bicycling, or do things that you know might make you laugh, or hug your husband (if you're married)- all these things are supposed to get those feel good endorphines going.  Laughter worketh good like a medicine the Bible says and medical science bore out that truth!