Am I really bipolar?

[Ashyc]

My mom sent me to get "help" as she called it and after two visits the psychiatrist decided I was bipolar but I never really thought there was anything wrong and I've been taking lamictal (lamotrigne) for 6 months and don't feel any different could it be that I'm not really bipolar or could I just be on the wrong kind of medication?

[lindahand]

I agree that I would ask your psychiatrist why they think you are bipolar, and try to be open to what they say. Especially hypomania can seem normal to us when we are in it, but doesn't look so normal to others. Sometimes we aren't the best judges of our own behaviours. And sometimes we are misdiagnosed. Its a tough call. Don't stop taking your meds though unless you talk with your psychiatrist, stopping them abruptly can cause problems like seizures at the worst and at the very least very bad headaches and flu like symptoms.

You say your mom sent you so I am assuming you aren't old enough to seek a second opinion on your own. If you are old enough, or can convince your mom, a second opinion never hurts.

[Kayannaboo]

Have you relayed this to your psychiatrist? You may try asking what is his/her reason for believing you are bipolar and if there any other mood disorders which could explain your symptoms.


xoxoxoxo Anna

[Amy4891]

Missdiagnosis is not that uncommon as alot of symptoms over lap other disorders. I was misdiagnosed for years. I was diagnosed with major depressive disorder until I had a major manic episode then it changed to bipolar.
Do you know all the symptoms of bipolar? If your symptoms match those of bipolar disorder then I would say maybe the medication is not the right one for you. It sometimes takes years to find the right combination of medications. I have tried so many diffrent kinds of medications over the years and I am still not sure if I am on the right ones. I have been on a few medications that didn't seem to do anything as well.