Posted by D minor on April 25, 2005, at 11:48:24
In reply to Re: I know I've asked before but... what type Bipolar? » D minor, posted by Larry Hoover on April 23, 2005, at 9:20:21
> How about "Bipolar Spectrum Disorder"?
>
> Giving an antidepressant to a bipolar patient without a mood stabilizer to block induced mania is on the verge of medical malpractise, unless of course, the doctor doesn't think you're bipolar.
>
> Being "switched" into mania by an antidepressant is part of the differential diagnosis for bipolar disorder. What that means is that a medication-induced manic (or hypomanic) incident cannot count towards a bipolar diagnosis. In fact, it's an exclusionary factor. Only if you have been seen to display hypomania or mania, absent any drugs, can the bipolar diagnosis be made (according to the current DSM).Ok, now I'm not sure. I did do a bit of what seemed like rapid cycling when I came of of Topamax for a while. But I was first diagnosed with major depression. Because of my migrains I was put on Topamax, so any manic symptoms may have been masked. So I really don't know what would have happened to me in the absence of any medication.
When I was put on Cymbalta I wasn't on any mood stabilizer. And my pdoc does think I'm bipolar. Is that wrong of him? It's just that I was so depressed.Thanks so much,
dm
poster:D minor
thread:488204
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20050423/msgs/489246.html