Posted by katekite on April 25, 2002, at 17:20:46
In reply to Can extreme agitation be considered mania?, posted by Cindylou on April 24, 2002, at 21:29:46
Hi,
You may have seen me go on about this before, but if not: I was diagnosed as BPII and actually have mild depression and ADD (that part only diagnosed at 30). I had absolutely no idea about the ADD as I did well in school. I'm messy but not extreme. The way I have compensated is to be stressed and worried over everything to the point of serious anxiety. When my ADD is treated, my moodiness and anxiety go completely away because I can finally function, and I am just left with a mild case of the blues.
So I was misdiagnosed by both a university hospital and by a private psychiatrist. My answers on standardized tests didn't quite fit but the "clinical picture" was more important to them.
People who are not bipolar can benefit from the meds. I was repeatedly told it was more important what meds helped than what diagnosis I had. In a way that's true. However, had I not pushed for a diagnosis my husband and I felt fit, I wouldn't have been allowed to even try the one med that is helping me so much now.
Don't mean to ramble. Just wanted to throw in that yes its possible to be misdiagnosed. It was really hard to know for myself what label fit best -- my husband was really helpful in that regard because I would swing with every mood as to what I thought was or wasn't wrong.
kate
poster:katekite
thread:104048
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020425/msgs/104132.html