Shown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by ed_uk on December 10, 2004, at 12:50:10
Hi!
A note on bipolar II ....
It's odd how so many people are being diagnosed with bipolar II these days. I get the impression that in some cases the diagnosis is being made solely due to the presence of irritability, anger and agitation. According to the lax criteria some pdocs must be using even I would have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder! I guess they're not using the DSM...
I think some pdocs are getting so carried away with diagnosing bipolar II disorder that they are greatly reducing the meaningful nature of the term 'bipolar disorder'.
What do you think?
Ed.
Posted by pretty_paints on December 10, 2004, at 13:16:45
In reply to The Bipolar Spectrum, posted by ed_uk on December 10, 2004, at 12:50:10
Hi Ed!
Here I am!
Thanks for replying to my posts. I didnt reply sooner because its so easy to get addicted to this website, I am trying to ween myself off! ha ha.
The stuff you said about psychosis and dopamine was interesting. Isn't it funny, before I was diagnosed as psychotic, the depression was all I concentrated on. I knew that venlafaxine was giving me the seratonin and the-other-one-beginning-with-n boost, but because I was still so low, I started thinking about a dopamine boost and even mentioned it to my pdoc. I was convinced that the reason I was still depressed was because my dopamine was too low. My pdoc didnt pay attention to me (rightly so!) and put me on an antipsychotic instead. And HOW MUCH BETTER DID THAT MAKE ME FEEL! LOADS! So actually reducing the dopamine had the effect of making me feel better. I trust my doc a lot more now. We all can read about stuff like this, and think we know what we're doing, but usually the doc knows best! (not always of course, but generally).
Anyway, look at me again jabbering about non-bipolar stuff.
Ok, my opinion on this. Erm, yeh, you could be right. I suspected myself as bipolar once mainly due to the stuff you mentioned, anger, irritability, racing thoughts etc. But it actually turned out that the anger and racing thoughts was linked to being psychotic. Similar to hypomania tho. A fine line probably divides them...
Posted by ed_uk on December 10, 2004, at 13:35:46
In reply to Re: The Bipolar Spectrum, posted by pretty_paints on December 10, 2004, at 13:16:45
Hi,
Thank you for your reply, it sounds like you're doing well at the moment. Keep us all updated!
All the best...
Ed.
Posted by Ritch on December 10, 2004, at 13:41:30
In reply to The Bipolar Spectrum, posted by ed_uk on December 10, 2004, at 12:50:10
>..I get the impression that in some cases the diagnosis is being made solely due to the presence of irritability, anger and agitation...
A lot of that may have to do with pdocs becoming worried about lawsuits over wreckless prescribing of antidepressants to people that have manic episodes induced by them. Also the akathisia, suicidality risks from starting up SSRI's are real dangers, and pdocs may be more wary of writing liberally for those meds, when they have the potential for harm. Some of that is good, but the diagnosis might be overcalled as a result.
Posted by cybercafe on December 10, 2004, at 17:28:49
In reply to The Bipolar Spectrum, posted by ed_uk on December 10, 2004, at 12:50:10
> Hi!
>
> A note on bipolar II ....
>
> It's odd how so many people are being diagnosed with bipolar II these days. I get the impression that in some cases the diagnosis is being made solely due to the presence of irritability, anger and agitation. According to the lax criteria some pdocs must be using even I would have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder! I guess they're not using the DSM...
>
> I think some pdocs are getting so carried away with diagnosing bipolar II disorder that they are greatly reducing the meaningful nature of the term 'bipolar disorder'.
>
> What do you think?
>
> Ed.strange... back in 2000.. .i had spent 3 or 4 years seeing 3 or 4 different doctors trying to convince them i was bipolar (i had every symptom except going days without sleeping or psychosis) ... i pretty much had to force the diagnosis... it was ridiculous
Posted by judy1 on December 12, 2004, at 12:03:55
In reply to The Bipolar Spectrum, posted by ed_uk on December 10, 2004, at 12:50:10
Absolutely! I have bipolar 1, and just about everybody I know has been dxed recently with bipolar 2- even though they are definitely not manic/hypomanic. I don't know if pdocs are getting lazy, but bp2 has become the catch-all diagnosis. I think there are an awful lot of people that are on AEDs that should be in therapy.
It's just big pharma getting richer.
take care, judy
Posted by pretty_paints on December 12, 2004, at 12:06:01
In reply to Re: The Bipolar Spectrum, posted by cybercafe on December 10, 2004, at 17:28:49
What are AEDs Judy?
This is the end of the thread.
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