"who, after three minutes, diagnosed me with bipolar and recommended a mood stabilizer"

If that's literally true then get a second opinion. No one can diagnose someone that quickly - not even if you were obviously psychotic it would take longer to find out why.

"I don't know if it's just my experience with these specific people, "

Yes it probably is. Alot of people won't tell you they are on bipolar meds and therefore are invisible to you.

"Am I working off of bad stereotypes?"

Yes.


But the main advice is - get a second opinion. I spent about 2 hours with a psychiatrist and at the end only got a tentative diagnosis. It was then firmed up after a number of other visits.

Thanks, curious fish.

Just as a note, yes, the psychiatrist skimmed my chart from my psychologist (less than 15 seconds), asked me the most basic questions (are you suicidal? do you cut? etc.) and recommended the mood stabilizers about 5 minutes into the appointment

My experience with psychiatrists (I've had 4 now) are that they are very much focused on getting me on meds quickly. I always feel like they are assuming that because I made the appointment, that I want to be pumped full of all sorts of chemicals...and when I tell them I'm just looking for an opinion and recommendations, they act offended.

Maybe I'm just being too stubborn, maybe I'm actually self sabotaging--resisting the very thing that will make life easier...I don't know, but I do know the whole thing didn't feel right.

I would actually be willing to take mood stabilizers if the side effects were not so bothersome. I've been on two in the past -- lithium, and epival (which is basically valproic acid). It was determined by my specialists that I'm allergic to these medicines, and I was taken off of them.

Those are the two main mood stabilizers - lithium and valproic acid, and then there are substitutes that a specialist might prescribe, like Lamictal (which is only used for the "maintenance" phase if you are in a 'stable' state; it also works better for depression instead of "mania," according to my former specialist), as well as antipsychotics (which, along with treating psychotic symptoms, can be used for treating both depression/mania.

It's all up to you whether or not you choose to take these mood stabilizers. If your normal, everyday functioning is negatively impacted, you might want to consider them. If effective, they will help to keep you in a "stable" state -- that is to say, out of depressive states where you are sleeping all the time, tired, unmotivated, have a low mood, etc., and out of manic phases, when you are over-spending, and engaging in risky-type behaviors such as out-of-character sexual activities (hyper-sexual behavior), dangerous driving, and other potentially destructive actions.

To answer your question, in my previous experience, I have had bad reactions to all medicines which I have taken. I've gained 25+ pounds on each one I've tried, some caused severe nausea and fatigue (basically leaving me to sleep all day and become an unproductive person), and I've also developed painful muscle spasms, which went away when treatment was stopped. You have to consider your particular situation, and if taking the medication is worth it for you.

I cannot live without mood stabilizers. And no one can tell I'm on them. They don't make you act weird.

" I cannot live without mood stabilizers. And no one can tell I'm on them. They don't make you act weird. "

exactly. They stop you from acting weird.

But it's a balance.

If your bipolar is limited in the sense that it doesn't periodically wreck your career, relationships, endanger yourself and others then possibly don't take the meds but be aware it has a tendency to progress, more and wider mood swings so while you might decide toady that is right today that might change in the future.

Personally I can't imagine going back to the life I had before and it's a wonder that I managed to "get away" with as much as I did previously.

Lots of people take medications and are able to lead productive lives while medicated. It's like a broken record but everyone responds differently to meds and it's an individual collaboration with you and your psychiatrist.

Best wishes in your journey. Support groups help too! There are many people out there who understand.

Listen to acuriousfish on this one.

HI and Welcome MissScales... I'm glad you've found us

It 'sounds' from what you've written that you've been to a few doctors and are still 'a mess inside' but you can where a mask of sanity??

Why would you want to live in this type of misery when you could be stable?

Yes psychiatrists do manage psychiatric meds.. It's their job... They're medical doctors... That's what they do

Psychologists work on the therapeutic side of things...
However BP is an imbalance in chemistry and thus we are on medications for this... Bipolar is a treatable disorder... Acceptance is a huge step in treating yourself well... Big hug...x

where=wear

OK always listen to the CL's then they give sound advice 69% of the time.