Bipolar Misdiagnosis - What to do?

[rghss]

Hi guys,

I'm just here to find some advice on what to do. I'm 22 and was diagnosed as Bipolar around 4 years ago. At the time, I was really just going through a rough transition into adulthood and had really bad anxiety and depression issues. Since then, I was put on 3 different medication regimes with none of them really working. Around 2 and a half years ago, I did a lot of therapy growing up, and went off my medication. Since then, I haven't experienced any manic/depressive episodes, nor have I had any anxiety attacks or issues. Honestly, I've really just been able to deal with things better and understand more about myself and have been making huge strides in my life and future.

And that's what worries me these days - my future - mostly in regards to future employment in the career path I want that will possibly be out of my reach because of my diagnosis. My family, whom I live with, agree with me and don't think I was bipolar. We all think that I was just going through a really hard time in my life and just got really, really depressed and just went along with all the diagnosis that doctors put on me.

So I was just wondering how I could go about finding out if I was really bipolar or misdiagnosed - do I go back to my original psychiatrist and discuss this with him? Or do I find another psychiatrist and explain my issue? I just don't want a diagnosis that doesn't apply to me follow me around because I was a silly 18 year old wanting to understand myself follow me around for the rest of my life.

Your advice would be greatly appreciated!

[white knight]

Hi rghs, welcome

This is an extremely important post because misdiagnosis can happen

i was misdiagnosed with bipolar 1 and ADHD. Fir 6 years I was on the wring medication. Then I sought another psych and he diagnosed me with bipolar2, depression and dysthymia. Prescribed different meds and I've been slowly improving ever since...

I'd go to a different psych.

Tony WK

[Dr_Kim]

Hi rghss, you may very well be correct in your ideas here and I am so pleased to hear that you are doing so well . If I am to understand it ,the reason you want this clarified is that in order to apply for certain jobs you do not want to have to put down on employment applications that you have or have had Bipolar . So you want to in all good conscious say you don’t have it without “lying” .

So, you could do 3 things -1. go to your GP and ask his/ her advise on which way to proceed 2. go back to the original psych and ask them to revise their diagnosis in view of how you are now ,or 3. go to a different psychiatrist , take all the paper work from the GP if you can and explain it all. See if you can work out what happened and how you should “file" that whole era of your life in your mind. It seems to me that it might be time to reframe it from "my bipolar years" to my "difficult developmental years”.

I think option 1 and 3 look best but all are ok. Depression is common ( up to 20% on women will experience it ) and unfortunately those with one episode are at risk of further depression in their lives so you should probably know what it was so you can be aware and treat yourself quickly if symptoms were to reappear at some point .
Good luck and I admire your strength in trying to look at your past with clarity.