whats wrong with me?

[thetaster]

Hi My names Dan, I've just joined the forum. Im 30 years old and have what I think might be Bipolar. I've had depression since my mid teens on and off and about 7 years ago I decided to take antidepressants because I could feel myself slipping into depression. I was on them for a year and I guess they pulled me out of depression but the trade off was that I felt numb and after a while I felt they wern't working and eventually came off them with horrible withdrawal symptoms, ( I taped off slowly btw). I never got to see a pdoc, just the gp who prescribed the antidepressant, it was sertraline (zoloft). Anyway cut to now...I'm in depression again I guess Its been like 2 years now though I can never tell exactly how long because its hard to know sometimes?
I reluctantly went to a new gp because I've moved to a different area and described how I felt, they said it sounded like I might have Bipolar, It also runs in my family....She refered me to the psyciatric hospital where I spoke to a councillor and I have an apointment with the pdoc on the 22 december, I think there going to formally diagnose me with bipolar. I'm worried about the medication, i dont want to turn into a zombie, but on the other hand my life is being affected now, I havnt worked for 2 years, I dont go out much e.t.c.. Sorry for rambling on I'm just not sure if Im doing the right thing or not.. I feel kinda confused about the whole thing

 

[jekel1]

hello x

by doing the right thing do you mean seeing a doc to get diagnosed with bi polar? if so then yes and you can get the right meds , iam on olanzapine for my bi polar but its taken a long time to say i have it . i know how your feeling the depressions are the awful side of this problem, after all we would rather live with the mania wouldnt we. anti depressants make the manic said of bi polar worse so it is really important you go , wish i could help more xxx

 

[jax]

Hi Dan,
I suffered with depressions for most of my adult life (I'm now 39). I have had numerous diagnoses over the past 21 years - from depressive psychosis, schizophrenia, BPD to Bipolar. I have only been diagnosed Bipolar 4 years now. My Pdoc thinks I have been Bipolar since I first came into psychiatric care at 17 yrs of age. Being properly diagnosed Bipolar meant different medications - which took away my depressions. I still get mixed moods and sometimes with them, I get the depressive of my illness. So it might turn out a good thing to get diagnoses with and treated for Bipolar.

I wouldn't worry about the drugs - chances are - the side effects will be no worse than the ones you had for depression. Good luck for the 22 nd

Jacqui