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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by BP-Tdoc on December 25, 2009, at 0:06:36
I'm new to this board and in fact have never posted on any board for any subject. I don't participate in listservs I belong to either. So, it's considered a good thing to try something new, especially if you're struggling with psychiatric illness. I'm hoping to find others here who are mental health professionals as well as patients, but I'd be happy to communicate with anyone where we find shared interests. My story is similar to many here, I think - years of chronic depression and unstable mood, inadequate response to SSRIs, tendency to rage, occasional violence, years of psychotherapy which transformed my life but not my depression. Almost 2 years ago I finally got the BP2 diagnosis and was put on lithium and Lamictal (as well as duloxitine, a tiny dose of Abilify and Klonopin to sleep). My initial response was phenomenal, a stability and calm I had never known before. Unfortunately, after about 4 months it started to fade and I got a little depressed. So since then my meds get tinkered with almost every month. I would be willing to accept how it is now but my psychiatrist wants to get me better than this, so he keeps trying.
I'd like to know who's out there among the other newbies. If there's no response here, I'll try the meds board or something.
Posted by Deneb on December 27, 2009, at 15:44:04
In reply to I'm new, posted by BP-Tdoc on December 25, 2009, at 0:06:36
Hello BP-Tdoc!
Welcome to Psycho-Babble! Thanks for sharing your story. I hope you like it here. :-)
Deneb
Posted by BP-Tdoc on December 27, 2009, at 23:18:04
In reply to Re: I'm new » BP-Tdoc, posted by Deneb on December 27, 2009, at 15:44:04
Thanks Deneb! It's nice to get a welcome into the world of boards and posts as well as the world of people with psychiatric problems who are open about it (although we do use screen names to hide behind). I got my official BP diagnosis in May 2008 but I'm still struggling to accept it. I take my meds and all but I feel ashamed and incompetent because of it. I tend to pretend it's not true, even though I suspected way back in the 80's when I was in graduate school and the concept of BP2 was first proposed. Now I've been a clinical psychologist for 20 years but I can't believe I'm not a fake because of my own struggles. I know plenty of people in my field who have one psychiatric thing or another but it doesn't help me to know that. I have also told friends who have all been fine about it - they have their own crises and don't have time to judge me for having a mood disorder. So, I think I'm repeating myself here. Joining this forum is another way to try to come to terms with having a painful illness that is also stigmatized and means you have to take meds with all kinds of annoying side effects for the rest of your life - but at least the meds help and it's not as bad as schizophrenia.
Posted by evenintherain on January 6, 2010, at 0:01:22
In reply to Re: I'm new, posted by BP-Tdoc on December 27, 2009, at 23:18:04
i'm new too.
if i found out my shrink had bipolar i'd be no less confident in his or her ability to help me.
actually, it probably makes you more qualified? sometimes i'm worried my doctor has trouble relating.
Posted by MysticKangaroo on January 8, 2010, at 6:51:53
In reply to Re: I'm new, posted by evenintherain on January 6, 2010, at 0:01:22
Hi BP-Tdoc
How are you travelling?? I have found the Psycholgy thread a good place to post. There seems to be more postings going on there.
It is not easy going public with what is most private ~ however we describe it!!
Take Care
Posted by BP-Tdoc on January 8, 2010, at 20:51:27
In reply to Re: I'm new, posted by evenintherain on January 6, 2010, at 0:01:22
> i'm new too.
>
> if i found out my shrink had bipolar i'd be no less confident in his or her ability to help me.
>
> actually, it probably makes you more qualified? sometimes i'm worried my doctor has trouble relating.thanks for the support! i like to tell myself that it helps my work that i've been there (over and over again) so i definitely get it. But i have other days when i'm depressed or tired or both and i feel marginally competent, if even that. i have a sense that my pschopharmacologist may have BP or some mood disorder from various things he's said, and i find it tremendously reassuring. this way i know he's not judging me and he knows what this kind of suffering feels like. all of us with depression tend to underestimate anything good about ourselves. i realize i said i'm a worse shrink for having my illness but my own doctor is a better one for possibly having had it. it truly is a lifetime's work to undo the damage to self-esteem done by depression.
Posted by BP-Tdoc on January 8, 2010, at 20:56:46
In reply to Re: I'm new, posted by MysticKangaroo on January 8, 2010, at 6:51:53
> Hi BP-Tdoc
>
> How are you travelling?? I have found the Psycholgy thread a good place to post. There seems to be more postings going on there.
>
> It is not easy going public with what is most private ~ however we describe it!!
>
> Take Care
>
MysticKangaroo, thanks for the suggestion. i may try psychology. there are a lot of boards, too many, so I chose newbies. but maybe people don't want to admit being new and unsure - it's bad enough being bipolar
Posted by Emily Elizabeth on February 10, 2010, at 0:54:49
In reply to Re: I'm new, posted by BP-Tdoc on January 8, 2010, at 20:56:46
Welcome,
I am a psychologist as well as a patient (ugly unipolar depression). I don't post much, but i like to pop into chat in the evenings. Also, feel free to babble-mail me.
Best,
EE
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