BP? Cyclothymia? Stability affective disorder?

[Minty737]

Im not sure I trust the many diagnoses Ive been given! My first psychologist 4 months ago turned me away after my first session saying i didnt have anything! she then invited me back a week later saying she thought i had cyclothymia, a mild version of bipolar disorder. Ive been on meds since shortly after that to try and combat this, and they have been working. I seriously doubt it is a placebo affect because recently they stopped working again, after several months on them. So the mood stabiliser (epilim) was working.... The GP agreed with my psychs assessment.

Last week i went to a pdoc for the first time and he assessed me and told me I dont have BP, I dont have cyclothymia and he almost said i have nothing. Then he said noooo Id say you ahve stability affective disorder. Which basically means im a moody, emotional, sensitive girl. Are you F'n kidding me???? I have so many symptoms of cylcothymia....despite self diagnoses not being very correct, I believe I have many of the symptoms of cyclothymia, and dont think calling me a moody and sensitive person and telling me i dont really need meds is going to help. He reckons i stay on meds for now, jsut epilim (increased dose to 1000mg/day) and get rid of the effexor, Then go see a psychologist several times to work through my sensitivity and i ont need meds anymore.

I seriously cannot believe this. I did this through public health services though...I doubt I can get a second free opinion. And I cant afford the normal pdocs. ARGH!

[Minty737]

Hey thanks for your comments.
I think I do have the rapid cycling form, because i have exactly what you described LCC, half a day-3 day mood cycles, and many many times i am in mixed states. (Geez those are frustrating!). I know they quote 10 years to get diagnosed, but thats for people who have no idea what they might have wrong with them. I totally relate to the symptoms along these lines and wish that I would stop getting played down answers from psychiatrists. I am sure I have some form of BP, cylothymia or rapid cycling, and jsut get frustrated when I try to communicate this with the doctors, and they ask me so many questions and decide i dont have it. Feels like a failing process.

I am happy to work towards feeling better, and am staying on the meds and am organising to visit a psychologist to work through the mental aspects of my problems. But it gives you some security to know you have been diagnosed correctly too... I don't want to wait 10 years for my diagnoses, while whatever I have could slowly be getting worse without proper treatment. I know that cyclothymia can advance to bipolar disorder, and would like to prevent that if possible.

After discussing this with you guys, I think I ought to go for a second pdocs opinion. Will just have to put up with the incredibly long waits in public health. Anyway thanks all for your comments.

[lagatta]

I've read many times that it takes an average of 10 years before people with a milder form of BP get diagnosed.  It's certainly true for me.  I've been previously diagnosed with anxiety and depression and but the meds I was given did absolutely nothing for me.  I just got worse and worse with time.  Like LeftCoastChick I too have rapid cycling with mixed states.  Towards the end my moods would swing within the same day.  Lamictal is the 1st med that has actually done anything for me.  

[LeftCoastChick]

What sounds like to me, and which I have as well, is called rapid cycling. I can have several mood swings a day mostly it's 2 days or so. They are never severe in nature, except just before my diagnosis. There is a milder form of Bipolar which could include rapid cycling and mixed states, which means you could be buzzy high feeling, but cranky or anxious, you get my drift. What is more important is getting the right meds. I used to freak out about BP, but now, I just want to be stable. Not always possible though. The longest I've gone without depression has been 5 weeks or so. Fun on a bun! I had no clue I was BP until my diagnosis. I thought like many, well I don't act crazy, I don't see imaginary people in bunny costumes, and no I don't think I'm god. I just was depressed with some crankiness and anxiety. The anxiety was crippling at times.  IF you don't feel comfortable, and if it's possible I would get a second opinion. It does sound like you did get things mixed. When they told me what I had, all the talking afterwords what they said, I just nodded because I was in shock!
You aren't alone, and it's pretty normal to do the "wtf".
Hang in there,
LCC

[LexiFaye]

Yeah I also looked up the Stability Affective Disorder, not there on the net. I had never heard of cyclothymia...and looked that one up, learn something new everyday!

I defiantly agree with ILADVOCATE. I would ask! I never thought I even had BP, and I think that I have everything before I ever get diagnosed. BP is tricky like that, some mental conditions are tricky like that.

I wish you luck, keep us updated too!

[Minty737]

Thanks for replying. the pdoc listened to stories about my ups and downs, what i did when on them, how i felt etc. He says I am not bipolar or cyclothymic because my mood swings arent drastic enough.

Im not sure thats the exact term he used, thats just what i remember. I remember stability and affective....*shrug*. He hasnt misdiagnosed me with depression either, ive never had depressed episodes of more than 2 weeks, always bounce back up before then. So i dont have the proper symptoms for mania or for depression, so i do not get put into those categories....and my cycling moods are too rapid... Rar! My moods cycle every 3 days if not shorter, and ive read that cyclothymia can be that quick but thsi guys doesnt think so. Sigh, i dont know what to believe anymore, just that theres somethign wrong and who knows wtf it is.

[ILADVOCATE]

I cannot find the term "stability affective disorder". Are you sure that is the exact term he used? There are other terms that sound similar. He might mean instead of cyclothymia you have full bipolar and your moodswings are severe enough that you require medication at a fuller dose. Epillim is Depakaote which is a mood stabilizer. He was right to take you off the anti-depressent because it will just make mania worse. Did he say you had depression and no symptoms of mania because the treatment of depression is very different than the treatment for bipolar and mania is easily recognizable to a psychiatrist. Sometimes bipolar is misdiagnosed as depression when a person doesn't explain about their manic episodes. However, when a psychiatrist can understand manic symptoms they would diagnose some form of bipolar. It just depends what kind as there are many. Ask him exactly what he means.