Depressed or Bipolar

[LoveBear]

Was diagnosed in early 2019 with a major depressive episode (out of nowhere). Was admitted x3, lots of different medications and several rounds of ECT...some good days most bad days. They want to start Latuda on top of Prozac, nortriptyline, Trazodone and Lamictal... adding a second mood stabilizer - ? Bipolar- how can you tell how do you know - I think I was fine then boom depression now bipolar - right? Too many meds? I’m so angry confused frustrated, sad...how do people handle everything. I have a therapist but I don’t even know what to say so we sit in silence a lot. Apologize for long post just having a tough time

[VDC1]

It’s not so cut and dry as we’d like it to be as far as diagnosing bipolar disorder, not like having diabetes. You’re psychiatrist obviously thinks you are bipolar, as you’re being prescribed the medication. They diagnose you based on a set of criteria. You must have told them you’re experiencing alternating episodes of mania and depression, which is the summarized version of their criteria. The severity and potential risk to your life involved is why they’d prescribe so much. Some psychiatrist’s have told me I’m bipolar, others not. That’s a hell of a lot of medication for you to be on..

[LoveBear in reply to VDC1]

Thanks - I’ve just been depressed for almost two years. I have brief behinds of feeling back to me but no mania. My provider has told me anything about being bipolar- thanks for validation it’s a lot of meds - need a new provider

[Fran16]

Try not to stress on the number of drugs prescribed for your bipolar. I have a friend with it on even higher doses and still functioning in the community well. Being depressed and severe anxiety are the pits. (ECT treatment worked well for my mum but drugs are so much better now than back then). Try to find a routine that takes your thoughts away from yourself. Daily exercise has proved excellent, which is a recent find . She is still on the meds but hopes to reduce sometime soon. Hope you begin to enjoy life again.

[LoveBear in reply to Fran16]

Thank you - think I’m stressing over confirmed diagnosis or are we just guessing and throwing more meds at it? Does that make sense?

[LoveBear]

Seems like a stalker on this site offering to sell I program - I didn’t respond