New Member needing support

[giddy12]

Hello everyone!

I am new here (first post). I am looking for support as I was just diagnosed with Bipolar disorder. It all started a little over a month ago, I started having severe panic attacks daily. It then turned to multiple times a day. EVERYTHING and ANYTHING was causing them. It go so bad I had to be hospitalized for 3 days in psychiatric facilty because I became suicidal.

After I was released I then reacted badly to my anti depressant I was on (second time this has happened). I finally got to see a psychiatrist and after going over symtoms and my entire life basically he came to his diagnosis. I'm still in shock. Its still hard to believe I honestly question if he is right. IDK. I felt like all of this revolved around my panic attacks. I thought my panic attacks caused my deep depressive states.

I would really love to hear everyones opions and similar stories if you have any.

[BlueSky125]

What you have described doesn’t sound like bi polar to me. Did something happen a month ago that triggered the panic attacks. What symptoms do you get when you have them.

[giddy12 in reply to BlueSky125]

No, nothing has happened. I have a very good life, no stress with job, family, or relationships. We are all in good health. I just started feeling paranoid, every thing my body did I felt like something was wrong. I guess its been going on for a little over a month just not the panic attacks. When I have panic attacks now its usually I will feel a symptom like my left arm or back will hurt and I will start convincing myself I am going to have a heart attack. I have had an echo done, perfect blood pressure multiple EKG's. I have been reassured numerous times that my heart is fine. To those close around me no one was surprised by me being diagnosed as bipolar besides me. But still idk I question it

[BlueSky125 in reply to giddy12]

Panic attack symptoms could include some of the following

"Racing" heart.

Feeling weak, faint, or dizzy.

Tingling or numbness in the hands and fingers.

Sense of terror, or impending doom or death.

Feeling sweaty or having chills.

Chest pains.

Breathing difficulties.

Feeling a loss of control.

Are you experiencing some of these or is it mostly worrying about health issues and that there maybe something physical wrong with you even after you have been told there is nothing wrong with your heart.

Why weren’t people around you surprise about your diagnosis, what things have they seen in your behavior. Did you psychiatrist give any reasoning for his opinion.

[giddy12 in reply to BlueSky125]

Yes I experience almost all these symptoms when having panic attacks. Its almost always different with each one. I have my legs go almost completely numb. The new one which is the scariest is feeling almost like im floating or not in my body.

My family wasn't surprised because to them I'm either doing extremely well and I'm happy and flourishing and just so damn bubbly, or I'm extremely irritable and snap on everyone. And then there is this side of me that cant stop having panic attacks and anxiety.

It happened again tonight and I literally don't feel like myself. It took everything in me to not bash my head up against a wall to just make this shit stop. I feel like I am becoming overly paranoid.

[BlueSky125 in reply to giddy12]

Well you definitely have panic disorder. You could look into distress tolerance , it’s part of a therapy called dbt. It’s basically distractions for times of overwhelming distress like a panic attack.

With bipolar it tends to be extremes in mood swings that include emotional highs (mania or hypomania) and lows (depression).

Here is a good overview.

mayoclinic.org/diseases-con...

There are some sites that you can take a test that can give you an idea if your symptoms fit the diagnosis.

psychcentral.com/quizzes/bi...