Bipolar Disorder Support Group
Bipolar disorder is not just a single disorder, but a category of mood disorders marked by periods of abnormally high energy and euphoria, often accompanied by bouts of clinical depression. This is the place to talk about your experience with bipolar disorder, learn from others' experiences, and find support.
Recently I have had difficulties getting my doctor to share medical information with me. I have been sent on a series of appointments for treatments without being told why, for what or what the results were.
I got ticked off so I emailed the doctor and asked what the hell was going on. I received no response. So I sent several more emails and letters and phone calls trying to figure out why my medical information was not being shared with me.
Finally I went in to see the doctor and she told me why she hadn't answered.
"You were just having a fit of Bipolar anger, and that isn't something we address because it might make you think of it as an outlet"
No joke that is what she said.
However she wouldn't tell me what the results of the medical procedures were, she wouldn't tell me why she wanted to send me for more testing, and she wouldn't answer my question bout why she wouldn't tell me.
"I'm glad we were able to address your Bipolar anger outburst like adults" she said. "I would hate for you to have to deal with your Bipolar anger and not know why you were having a Bipolar anger fit"
So apparently my desire to be an active member of my medical treatments and in charge of my medical care is simply my BIPOLAR ANGER coming out and assaulting the poor people who work at the doctors office.
(before you give me the helpful comment to find a new doctor, this is my VA doctor, the only way I can get a new one is if she leaves or I move, also my husbands health insurance has "lost" our paperwork two years in a row, so the VA is my only option for the moment)
I got ticked off so I emailed the doctor and asked what the hell was going on. I received no response. So I sent several more emails and letters and phone calls trying to figure out why my medical information was not being shared with me.
Finally I went in to see the doctor and she told me why she hadn't answered.
"You were just having a fit of Bipolar anger, and that isn't something we address because it might make you think of it as an outlet"
No joke that is what she said.
However she wouldn't tell me what the results of the medical procedures were, she wouldn't tell me why she wanted to send me for more testing, and she wouldn't answer my question bout why she wouldn't tell me.
"I'm glad we were able to address your Bipolar anger outburst like adults" she said. "I would hate for you to have to deal with your Bipolar anger and not know why you were having a Bipolar anger fit"
So apparently my desire to be an active member of my medical treatments and in charge of my medical care is simply my BIPOLAR ANGER coming out and assaulting the poor people who work at the doctors office.
(before you give me the helpful comment to find a new doctor, this is my VA doctor, the only way I can get a new one is if she leaves or I move, also my husbands health insurance has "lost" our paperwork two years in a row, so the VA is my only option for the moment)
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Hey All...I hope that you have a lovely, peaceful beginning of your weekI have a bunch of chores that need doing but may put them off til tomorrow and just hang out with my landlord/roomie todayWhat about you?...Anything special going on?Have a great day and take good care of you!!..Xo
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Once again I've had a fever today. I'm not going to the hospital because that's a huge waste of time but I did schedule a dr appointment for Wednesday afternoon.
Maybe she doesn't have the answers to give you at this time??
I don't know how you addressed her in the email but I can see that she wouldn't respond to rage
If it's a problem being on the right medication and finding some coping skills can help.... Therapy...meditation .. journal-ing
kudos to you for gettin out there and at least trying to be a part of your treatment!!
wish i had something helpful and useful to add......
I once asked for specifics from my psych file. I couldn't get any except one thing, my doc did not give me a diagnosis. he said to me in person that I had a mild mood issue but that was it. maybe they can ask a more vague question like, did anything change?
I wasn't in a rage. I was polite and simply asked to be included with my medical treatment. I waited for 3 weeks for them to "read" the tests and they still wouldn't tell me anything.
I don't really have a problem coping. I have a great support system, I journal and have monthly therapy. My medication is stable so I am not worried about that at all.
I just personally believe that I should be able to make choices and decisions.
My psych doctor is slightly more involved, this was my primary, who I don't like.
As for my husbands health care (Blue Cross Blue Shield btw) the first year we were married told him that he had to file to add me within 30 days of getting married, but they don't send the paperwork out for 60 days. So we sent in the paperwork, they said "we can't do this" then when we called later on in the year they said they couldn't find any application, approved or denied. The second year, we sent in the paperwork during open season, they sent it back to us saying they don't accept mailed in applications anymore. Fine, so we faxed it and sent it by email. We got in response, "We are sorry to delay your order but we are out of the office for two weeks and will process your claim when we return". That annoyed us, so we called the supervisor, and got a new fax number and email, so we sent in the paperwork again, and this time they said they would review it. A few weeks later, still hearing nothing, we called back, we were told "You submitted the paperwork to the wrong fax and email the second time, the first time was correct, but since we were out of the office we had to wait to get to your application. At the time we processed it, you were late so we can not approve your application. Please try again next year and do it on time" Leaving us in a WHAT THE [deleted] stage.
I don't mind putting up with a lot of bullshit in life. I understand there is a lot of it out there and that is how some people survive. What I can't stand is being twisted around because of someone else's incompetence. So we are waiting for open season to open for us again, and will be sending in the application first thing, and calling once or twice a week or more until they tell us it is being processed and get it all in writing again.
RN
Personally I have that phrase "processing" because I am pretty sure this means -we don't care, we aren't working on, and we will get to it eventually-
I have received letters that say "we are working on your request", and those usually have a response to me quickly.
Either way right now they are using the "government shut down" as the ultimate delay tactic right now.
On an up side of all of this, I flat up told my doctor -I will not be going to any further medical appointments that I do no okay in person or feel are necessary for the situation" and I received a phone call from her saying "I respect your choice, please let me know when you need medical attention" (which personally is both nice and worrisome because I feel that in a petty way they may move my medical needs to the bottom of every list)
thankfully open season is coming and hopefully I can get a doctor who will involve me with my care.
I didn't know I could file a complaint and am looking in to that, thank you.
I have a lot of complaints about the VA bother personally and for other vets (I wont be filing all kinds of random complaints, don't worry) In general there are so many problems with the way the VA is being run, it is sad. I can only pray that the accounts I have had and those of the people I have talked to are not the norm, but I have sinking feeling they may be.
Thank you all for your advice, support and ideas.