Do i have BP?

[Nutter_09]

Hi all,

I have been using this to get help for my Depression. My last visit to my doc yesterday, he mentioned Bipolar. I am very aware of this illness as a very close friend has it. She went from being quite depressed to completly looney (Sorry to use that word, but thats how it was) No one ever understood what she was doing and she was eventually admitted to a mental hospital. It was horrid to watch her. She was totally out of her mind with voices etc. She is now living quite a normal life after a few years.
I have wondered a few times if I am showing signs of what she was like in the beginning. I am very depressed and am now signed off work for the third week. I hear no voices or anything like that, most of the time I am just "down" and have no energy. Sometimes thou, i get the need to get up and do something. One day I found myself making shepherds pie at lunchtime, feelikg totally manic, doing so many things at one time. Totally concentrated on the task and i felt like my pulse was racing and I had to get it done. I knew that i was being a bit "weird" but enjoyed it. Other times, i will just get up and start cleaning with such a rush.
This does not happen that often, but seems to be increasing.

Do you think I have Bipolar? I tried to talk to my Mum, who was involved with my friend. She became VERY angry and said that the doctor had no right to say that to me - I am not Bipolar and basically need to just get on with life.

I am totally scared, paranoid and confused.

Another problem I face is weather to tell my friend about this, I don't want to bring back any memories with her.

I'd appreciate any advice anyone can give

 

[KP1]

I would think that your friend is a good person to talk to.
If GP suspects you may have bi polar then he will probably refer you on to the local community mental health services (if you are in the UK).
Sometimes anti depressants can cause funny side effects eg agitation which could be responsible for what you have described.Give it time and keep seeing your GP it does take time to sort out mental health problems and treatment and diagnoses.
KP

 

[Dollit]

No one can give you a diagnosis here and opinion based on the few facts that you gave aren't really meaningful.

I have lots of friends who are perfectly normal who talk about the days where time seems to slow down and you achieve so much. They're not bipolar it's just something that happens from time to time to everyone.

Also feeling that increased energy when you've been depressed is something that happens to some people. It's almost as if your brain feels like its lost out and needs to make up time.

A GP shouldn't make a definitive diagnosis - perhaps a referral to a psychiatrist would help as would a visit to a self help group - at least you could talk it over with people in the flesh. Your friend would probably be glad to help - I know I would help any of my friends if they found that they had a bipolar diagnosis.

Try keeping a mood chart - 1 to 3 is depressed, 4 to 6 is normal, 7 to 9 is high. See how the mood changes really compare when you do that. When I do them I put them into a spreadsheet and make a graph. Interesting as well as helpful.

 

[Nutter_09]

Thanks so much for the advice. I pearsonally dont think i have this - as you say, and i have not had any high energy bursts for a while, just back to my normal depressed state. I think that because I saw my friend - i am now compairing myself to when she used to do.
I will def try the mood chart. I have also been keeping a diary and write in it all the time. It does not stop me from thinking at night time, but it makes me feel better. With the mood chart, do you do it each day? May seem like a stupid Q but my mood can change so quickly.

I have had an assesment for councelling, just have to wait now, have another one booked Thurs at an open door service and have the psyc one next week.
Am due back at work Monday - starting to get anxiouse now thou.

 

[Dollit]

When I did my mood chart I logged each time I had a mood change that went over two digits - so if I was feeling 3 and then went to 5 I logged that. Whenever it happened and as I'm ultradian then it was pretty spectacular logging 6+ swings a day!

A lot of the changes we have day to day are in the normal range. The only person I know who is different to that is R and his life is a constant 7 except for 3 significant life events and even then in two of the events he was back on a 7 in hours.

 

[eternaljourney]

Hi,

I haven't been on here for a while but just reading this I just wanted to say that your Mum's reaction sounds like fear. I think it's good that you have a doctor willing to look at the possibilities rather than wait for total extremes to display themselves with you. I've started being treated as though I have bipolar but it's obvious that any medical staff are just waiting for me to have my really extreme mood swings to the point of total distress before properly diagnosing me and helping me.
Don't know if this is making sense but I think I'm trying to say that with any illness a diagnosis is good because then the right treatment for us individually can be looked at.

The mood chart sounds like a great idea.

Eternal x