Cyclothymia Support Group

I'm just wondering what caused everyone to seek out a diagnosis in the first place? Was it your own decision, or were you encouraged by family or friends?

I decided to get diagnosed after my therapist told me that she was concerned that I might be bipolar. She very helpfully explained that if I spoke to my GP about the possiblity of getting a psych referral, I could get properly diagnosed and treated - which was a bit of a revelation; I thought that there were no resources out there for dealing with mental illness, unless you were at the stage of being forcibly committed!

I'd always felt that I experienced emotions a little differently to everyone else. I put it down to teenage hormones when I was younger, but when I was in my twenties and still having extreme, unpredictable mood swings I realised something must be wrong - but I assumed it was depression. I hated and denied my diagnosis at first, but now I'm so glad that I came across someone who recognised what was going on and helped me get diagnosed - it's the best bad thing that's ever happened to me!

I too thought I had a hormone imbalance and I was very moody being on the pill, more downs than ups which I thought was normal. Then I came off the pill and my moods seemed to become so up and down that I found that I couldn't live a normal life - I couldn't make plans because I didn't know how I was going to feel. I ended up letting lots of my friends down so many times cause I just couldn't face being social. It got to the stage when I ended up breaking up with my long term partner of 6 years that I loved - I was going through a stage of being really hyper, feeling on top of the world and not really upset or bothered about what I had thrown away. It was like my whole life was spiralling out of control and there was nothing I could do to stop it, I had 2 mental health asessments during the last few years. The first one I was told to stop the drinking etc which I did and then for a whole year I was clean and my moods were still up and down, kind of worse I found. Then I had my third mental health assessment in July and the Dr diagnosed cyclothymia. It's all really new to me still and I am finding my feet a bit. I just thought I was a terribly moody person with behavioural problems!!! Sorry, I went on a bit there! That's it anyway in a nutshell xxxx

I can relate to this discussion - for years my husband & I and GP put it down to hormones (really bad ones!) until the moods became so abnormal & so out of control. We then jointly decided to go back to GP which resulted in an urgent referral to psychiatrist. New to me too. Finding my feet too.

It is quite worrying that us girls are all so accepting of some pretty out-there behaviour, under the guise of it being down to hormones! It would be really nice if the medical community made more of a distinction between what you can expect from PMS, and what would be something to be concerned about!

Yes I agree. I was lead to believe this for years and I was so confused when my blood tests for my female hormones etc etc came back normal..

Gosh when I think about how bad the downs were and how anxious and frightened of god knows what, I felt.

By the way, went back to my pshychiatrist yesterday. He said as well as Cyclothymia I had symptoms pointing towards something else as well, which I questioned. He said he didn't want to say at this stage, but would speak to his colleagues and write to my GP, but it might make me more difficult to treat.. whatever that means. Suppose I have to wait now and see.

Hope everyone is doing well?? xxx

I quite agree rainegirl. I ended up having to have a hysterectomy at a young age, being lead to believe it was my hormones (although to be fair, hormones did make it worse). Thankfully, I'd had my baby girl before then.

@DAngelo - bad pdoc... how frustrating to not know what's going on. Guess it's a bit of the curse of the NHS lottery. Mine is very forthright, which is nice, because even in the medical profession I find that mentioning bipolar leads to being treated a little like you're made of glass. I hope you find out what's going on soon.

@GW11 - that's terrible! But at least you've got your little one. Sometimes it feels a little like the female body is designed to attack itself. I wish I'd been born a cat!

Morning,

Just to update you on the letter from my pdoc. I was expeting him to go into what my "other" symptoms pointed towards, but he never mentinoned anything but Cylothymia.. It was just the usual summary of the session. I was quite anxious about getting the letter. Hey ho. I suppose that's good but I was anxious for no reason.

I hope you both have a lovely weekend.

xx

Glad you heard back; try not to worry about what your pdoc says. Maybe he's not sure if there's something else, and wants to make sure before bringing something up - better for him to get a second opinion in that case, I guess!