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to be or not to be : Biopolar that is. i am very worried and need advice!

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Bipolar Disorder
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Posted 8/8/2007 8:08 PM (GMT 0)
my doc (just a family phy) made me fill out a questionare to see if she thought i was bipolar or not. because i let my worries get the best of me sometime she said it was possible so she put me on zyprexa 5mg , but honestly i felt no different than when i was on paxil. because of tremendous swelling of the limbs(17pounds) i had to go off the zyprexa . we decided to stop all meds since i had been doing fine to see how i went. i made it a week before i started having the panic attacks again and worring of going crazy. when i get like this i can't eat.the thought of food makes me sick. i dwell on what ifs until i can finally snap myself out of it and make myself beleive that i am ok, and i worry of going crazy or something.i would got to a mentle health dr but i don't have any supporting insurance. i have read over a list that olivia posted for me and i don't have hardly any of the symptoms of bipolar, does ANYONE have insight for me? when you experience manic episodes what does that mean? i am never angry besides what i would think to be normal and i am hardly never if ever depressed. i just have read that paxil and such will make bipolar worse nd i just don't want to mess up and end up hospitalized away from my family or something.that is anouther thing ,why would you ever be hospitalized for bipolar? thanks ahead for any comments.
Posted 8/11/2007 10:41 PM (GMT 0)

Godsgrace,

Since you are not comfortable with your diagnosis, you should probably get a second opinion on it.  Bipolar is a complicated illness, and takes more than a questionaire to get a dx.  Especially since you said the symptoms that are listed are not what you are experiencing.

Also, I wanted to let you know that zyprexa makes you retain water.  I have taken it in the past for a little over a month and gained some weight, but as a mood stabilixer it was very good fore me.  The main problem I have with it was that I slept 14-16 hrs a day on it, that was not fun.

Anxiety/Panic attacks are a big part of my life, so I understand what you are going through. These days it isn't the bipolar symptoms it is anxiety/panic attacks that gets the best of me.

When I experience manic episodes, I have the symptoms on the typical bipolar list, and more.  I get really irritable, racing thoughts, rage and more.  Also, I was hospitalized 3 times in the last 2 years. Two were for depression/other things and third was for manic reasons.

I hope this helps, and hang in there!

Posted 8/12/2007 3:23 PM (GMT 0)
A questionaire from a family physician isn't a great way of being dx'd. They are called general practioners for a reason. My wife was dx'd a few months ago, when she saw our family doctor he referred her to a psychiatrist for a diagnosis and did not give her meds until the dx. It really does take an expert to determine a true dx.

My wife had no idea she was bp. All her feelings and thoughts she referred to as "normal" in her mind, she thought everyone thought the same way she did. After being dx'd and put on Lithium she can really see the symptoms now, especially the racing thoughts.

Good luck and do what you need to do to get a proper dx.
Posted 8/12/2007 7:41 PM (GMT 0)
i agree that a second opinion is in order if your having a hard time with the first one. you know yourself better then anyone and the doctor could be wrong. as far as being hospitalized, i think its once your a danger to yourself or others that will you be admitted. i too was having a hard time with my new diagnosis of bipolar but i got a second opinion and the new doc expained things better. i have the syptoms though. they're just not as severe as they could be. and if you are bipolar then it takes awhile to find the right meds and for them to get into your system. it requires a lot of patience. good luck to you i hope you get it all figured out.
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