I went to two different counselors in last few years....... they both said that I dont have bi-polar. disorder. but in 1991 i was diagnosed as Bipolar 1, but was in denial.. My MD put me on Paxil 10 mg. two years ago when my husband died, then

Last fall I had hallucinations for a few weeks, and ended up in the hospital. they put me on Zyprexa, which stopped the hallucinations within a few hours. and I was diagnosed again. with Bipolar 1. the p-doc in the hospital said that the Paxil caused the hallucinations, as Bipolars cant take anti-depressants without some other drug like Zyprexa without it you risk hallucinations...
so it pays to get another opinion..

My oldest adult daughter was diagnosed with Bipolar 2 last year but she went to a new counselor who said she isnt Bipolar but just has an addictive personality...... so my thoughts are get another opinion....from a P-doc

Caren,

I'm glad you're okay and that you finally have a correct diagnosis.

I couldn't agree with you more about getting a second opinion. Just today I was diagnosed as having bipolar 1 due to the manic state (my second episode in a little over a year) I'm currently in instead of schizoaffective disorder bipolar type that another pdoc diagnosed me with last year.
In looking back at my symptoms as far back as my 20's (I'm currently in my 30's) when I was diagnosed with major depression, today's diagnosis makes perfect sense given what I experienced then, last year and what I'm experiencing now.

neon_dreamer

Hello neon_dreamer,

Just saw your post. Did you go to a different pdoc who gave you this diagnosis? Did s/he change your meds?? I am curious to know more about this change in diagnosis for you....are you feeling any better or still manic??

Cheers,:cool:
Tsohl

Hi Tsohl,

Thanks for asking. :)

I'm still seeing the same pdoc and am on the same meds (500 mg of Depakote 3 times a day, 4 mg of Risperdal and 100 mg of Trazodone).

My tdoc was the one who said my diagnosis was bipolar 1 but I don't know if that information was written in my records. The next time I see my tdoc I'll ask him. If it's not written in my chart, I'll ask my pdoc what my diagnosis is.

As I said in another thread, I know the diagnosis isn't the most important thing I should be focusing on, but it would help to know what has been causing my symptoms over the past few weeks.

After my tdoc told me my diagnosis, I expressed my confusion over the fact that last year I was dx'ed as schizoaffective. He then explained that a person's diagnosis can change -- which is what I'm assuming has happened in my case. He and my pdoc probably treated me as schizoaffective until my most recent manic episode at which time they changed my diagnosis to bipolar 1.

I'm feeling *much* better now that I've started the Trazodone. The first two times I took Trazodone, I woke up feeling extremely tired, but this morning was the first time I awoke at 6:00 a.m. feeling refreshed. I no longer feel manic either. I feel calm and leveled like I should. I started taking the Depakote increase on Saturday and my tdoc told me that I should start noticing some relief any day now. I'm not sure what to attribute my calmness to -- the Depakote increase, the Trazodone or a good night's sleep -- perhaps it's a combination of all three. :)

Today is the first time I don't have any racing thoughts or feel as if I have alot of energy. If truth be told, I really do feel like my "old self" again (i.e. the way I felt in June). :)

neon_dreamer