Bipolar Support Group

I've been diagnosed with depression and am on quite a few medications. Lately they don't seem to be working for me (my doc just raised my prozac from 40 to 60 last week).

I know my sis has bi-polar 2 and I'm pretty sure my mom does too. Also from stories I've heard about my maternal grandma I think she had problems. My paternal grandmother also has problems with depression.

Lately I've been feeling like I'm on a roller coaster and I'm wondering if its possible I have bi-polar 2 like my sister. In the past years my sister has denied having anything wrong (My nephew was an accident and they had to do a special ultrasound to make sure he wasn't affected by her medications but now she's telling me it was cause she was drinking). I cant talk to her about what I'm going through to. I wish I could because she was always there for me when I was younger (we also have a 13yr age difference)

Is there anybody who has bipolar 2 disorder? I don't have the super highs that come with bi-polar which is why I think its bi-polar 2.

Hello and welcome to the group! I am sorry for your depression. It's hard to live with and the fact that your medication isn't helping is disheartening, I'm sure. There are people here diagnosed with bipolar 2 disorder. I am diagnosed with BP1. We cannot diagnose you, only a psychiatrist can, but what I can tell you is that if you do have bipolar disorder being on an antidepressant alone without either a mood stabilizer or an antipsychotic can trigger hypomania in those with BP2 or mania in those with BP1. Mood swings can be a symptom of bipolar, yes. It does run in families, so the fact that your sister has it raises the possibility for you. I suggest that you talk to your psychiatrist about your concerns.

oceangirl0; I am BAD-2 and depression is a real big issue for me. For years I lived in a constant state of hypo-mania and everyone pretty much just considered it as part of my personality (and partly my ADHD). You know ... the Energizer Bunny! The bouts of depression I had during those years were always considered as situational. Antidepressants and counseling for a month or so and that was the end. Hell, I was even hospitalized (psyc ward) once and was released three days later by a psychiatrist who said I was fine. Lord I hope he is not still practicing!

A major life trauma in March of 2010 kicked the bipolar into full swing. In July of 2010 I was dignosed BAD-2. Now I am on an antidepressant (Zoloft; for not good for all BAD-2 because it can worsen the affects of the illness), a mood stabilizer (Depakote) and an anti-anxiety med (Clonazepam). I also am on Trazodone at night to help me sleep.

As uppitywoman stated, only a qualified psychiatrist can properly diagnose you. And, to add to that, I suggest you not try to diagnose yourself! Doing so can confuse the hell out of you and before you know it you'll have hundreds of different illnesses.

I went through a series of written surveys and each survey was scored individually. Some were general subject matter and others were directed toward only one subject matter. By analyzing the scores and the score patterns, my psychiatrist made a preliminary diagnosis. Prescribed medications were issued according to test results and the preliminary diagnosis. I started becoming more stable with the meds and some meds were adjusted to find a therapeutic level that worked best for me. The PM dosage of one AM/PM med was replaced with a different med and I became even more stable than before. In March of this year, another AM med was added to the cocktail mixture and I am pretty much back to the old me ... less the hypo-mania, that is!

Depression is hell and I am sorry you are having to go through this. Suffering with MDD, I empathize with you 110%. {{{{{{BIIIIIIIIG hugs}}}}}}

Please contact a qualified psychiatrist and seek some some guidance. It may be that your depression is worsening or that the particular meds you are on simply don't work for you any longer. Yet it may be you are BAD-2 and need a mood stabilizer. Only the psychiatrist can make that determination.

I, along with many other on MDJ, will be keeping you in thought and prayer. Please keep us up to date with your findings and your feelings.

Post edited by: 2ofme, at: 06/11/2012 05:37 AM

Hello and welcome, i'm glad you found this group its got very supportive members here who live with having bipolar, You will learn a lot here. Read as much as you can at this site I have and learned soooo much about this illness, as others have already posted only your psychiatrist can diagnose whether or not you actually have bipolar, some of us it took many yrs before getting a bipolar diagnosis, i've had bipolar for 29 yrs, was treated for depression anxiety for most of those yrs then finally got diagnosed as having bipolar I in 2007, this has been such a relief now i know what is going on when i get symptoms as before i just said 'its the depression' and walked with these ups and downs blindly. I wish you all the best, feel free to post wherever you wish and you can contact me or any group leader should you have questions or concerns.

Thank you everybody. I will be calling my psychiatrist this week and talk about mood stabilizers. I've been feeling like I'm on a roller coaster all day long for the last few weeks. I'm glad I found this group, my bf is supportive but he doesn't fully understand. Like I said too I used to have my sister to talk to but now she denies ever having any problems. Even a few years ago when I decided to move out of my mom's because her mood swings were affecting me too much my sister did not support me. When I told that some days I dident even want to be alive she told me I don't feel like that everyday so that I was fine (honestly the only reason I haven't committed suicide is because I couldn't hurt my niece and nephew like that)