Posted by Abby on January 17, 2001, at 22:40:48
I just saw a new psychiatrist. He took all of my symptoms very seriously and was very thorough; the consultation lasted three hours.
He diagnosed me as bipolar and discussed the limitations of the DSM. He gave me reading which was more sophisticated than the typical pamphlet, though the lithium materials were aimed at a lay audience, they were not fluffy. He gave me a copy of an article by Akiskal. Usually you have to worm this stuff out of doctors. I don't know whether he was just flattering me or what, but he said I probably knew more about mood disorders than a lot of psychiatrists.
We're going to modify my drugs gradually. The risperidone goes which is good. We may try to remove Zoloft and replace it with an anticonvulsant.
He doesn't take insurance anymore, but my insurance will reimburse me for a portion of the cost 70% of the reasonable fee, though I'm sure he charges above the reasonable fee, but something is better than nothing. Anyway, it feels great to have confidence in someone.
A quick note on my drug responses. I got depressed initially in the fall when I was 19. Zoloft provided significant relief within a few weeks. Maybe, it was almost euphoric; I was certainly bubbly. Maintenance treatment has helped, but I've gotten more anxious over time and my sustained focus has been reduced. So, if you are young when you first experience depression, and an SSRI seems like a miracle in less than 3 weeks, talk to your doctor about considering a bipolar spectrum diagnosis. (I should mention that I have a family history of bipolar.)
Abby
poster:Abby
thread:51920
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010111/msgs/51920.html