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Reality Check Please

  • Post starter Post starter Kb3
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Kb3

As I have written about ad nauseam, I stopped going to my psychiatrist about seven months ago.

At my last appt I found out that he had not been honest about my diagnosis. I had been under the impression that it was anxiety and depression at the very least, or PTSD because that's what I have, but no, he has me down as bipolar II. Not only did this infuriate me, it created a huge problem as well. I am supposed to report a bipolar dx to the driving authority, which obviously I hadn't.

That wouldn't have been such a big deal, except for about 6 weeks before this appt with him, my car had been hit by another driver, who took advantage of the fact that there were no witnesses, and tried to claim that I had hit him at a different location. At one point it looked like the case was going to court. I would have been totally screwed, because I had not reported the bipolar diagnosis, and my insurance could have been invalidated, meaning that I would likely be responsible for all costs involved if I lost. The other driver was trying to defraud the insurance company, and was padding his expenses to the tune of over $25,000.00.

As luck would have it, the idiot had forgotten that he had written down all of his contact information and the actual site of the accident on his company's stationary and given it to me when it happened, so the investigation has come through in my favour, and I won't need to go to court.

After I stopped freaking out, I made an executive decision and called the driving authority to report the bipolar DX, and then dropped the psychiatrist. I figured that even if my insurance premiums are higher, it's worth it just to be able to finally wash my hands of this whole expensive nuisance and not worry about invalidating my insurance coverage.

It seemed like the most reasonable, hassle free way forward to me. The only problem is, the psychiatrist is not cooperating with the driving authority by submitting information supporting his diagnosis. A couple of months ago they wrote to me suggesting that I contact him to see why. My exact thought was, forget it, the ball's in his court, I'm not getting involved.

Today I received a bill in error from his office.

Clearly he is trying to have me contact him, but only in the most aggravating ways possible. I'm assuming there's some medico/legal reason why he won't contact me directly, and explain what it is that he wants from me, but frankly I'm past caring, and would just like him to fill out the paperwork and leave me alone.

This is what I keep saying to myself.

I would just forget about the whole thing if I didn't have the faintest glimmer of hope that he wants to tell me that he will correctly diagnosis me (over the phone; I'm never setting foot in that office or any other psychiatrist's again), and save me higher insurance premiums, and the insult of having a false dx on my driving record.

Expanding on this fantasy, he would also apologise for not paying the slightest f*cking bit of attention to what I have been saying for the last four years, and support me in weaning off of Seroquel successfully(again by phone).

I will be the first to admit to being a daydreamer, and understand that that's all this is - a dream. I just need someone to give me a hard slap and tell me again why I need to stay away from this ridiculous situation, please.
 
Weird. The whole thing.

I honestly would question the doctor's ability to be a doctor. Someone had to graduate at the bottom of the class, right? It's a very serious thing to call someone Bipolar. I have it, and my doctor waited over a year of watching me all the time, until he confirmed his theory. Then there was other doctors ( 3! ) who supported his idea. To me PTSD and Bipolar symptoms are way different, maybe I am just more aware of my illnesses but I can't see how a doctor would so lazily say something like that. I fired a doctor once for so oblivious not listening to me when I spoke to him.

Not comfortable with all this over phone stuff. Doctors shouldn't be giving medication advice over the phone.

There's also NOTHING wrong with getting another doctor's opinion. And you probably should.

Didn't realize you have to report these things either. :O_o:

Sounds like you need to get your bearings again. Hope I understood everything correctly, and was some help. I think I started rambling.
 
Weird. The whole thing.

I honestly would question the doctor's ability to be a doctor. Someone had to graduate at the bottom of the class, right? It's a very serious thing to call someone Bipolar. .

Weird it is, but welcome to my life.

This guy didn't give me the bipolar DX, some quack in Manhattan did in one fifteen minute appointment. The drugs she prescribed did not agree with me AT ALL. Long story short, I was treated for the wrong mental illness for close to a decade. I have made tremendous progress with good trauma counselling for the past year.

Once you get tagged with this DX you can have the comportment of the Queen and psychiatrists will still think you have it. It really does not resonate with my life or the problems I actually have, in any way. I have come to accept that nothing I say will ever overturn it though, and am sick and tired of arguing about it. They see what they want to see.

Thanks for responding, I appreciate your support:).

PS
You don't have to report bipolar in the US to the DMV I don't think. Probably worth checking though, it was a very unpleasant surprise for me where I live:(.
 
Confused...Do you agree with him that you have Bipolar disorder? Then why tell the DMW if you don't think you do? You have every right to you records...ask him for yours. Ask him why. It's a serious thing.
 
Once you get tagged with this DX you can have the comportment of the Queen and psychiatrists will still think you have it. It really does not resonate with my life or the problems I actually have, in any way. I have come to accept that nothing I say will ever overturn it though, and am sick and tired of arguing about it. They see what they want to see.
I disagree.

If one psychiatrist gave you the diagnosis in a 15 minute session, sure, that is absolutely incorrect. Don't quote me, but from memory I think a Bipolar diagnosis has to be assessed over a 6 - 12 month period for accuracy.

Saying that, if your current psychiatrist backed that diagnosis after seeing you for four years... that's two psychiatrists saying Bipolar, not PTSD.

IMHO, I would seek a third diagnosis from an independent psychiatrist, tell them nothing about previous diagnosis, and see what they come out with.

If they also derive Bipolar, then that is 3 psychiatrists all stating the same thing. That is like saying, 3 strikes and you're out. There is no way 3 independent psychiatrists who all derive the same outcome are all wrong. You would have better chances at winning the lotto than all 3 being incorrect in their professional assessment.

People think that having a history of trauma equates to PTSD. That is not accurate. You can have an horrific past filled with trauma, and not have PTSD. You can have one event and get PTSD.

The fact that your first psychiatrist diagnosed in 15 minutes may simply be... they're that good at recognising specific illnesses. Some are... some aren't, some follow industry protocol.

PTSD is supposed to be assessed over 6 - 12 sessions... my shrink, GP and another shrink, all diagnosed me only seeing me once. They even mentioned how Bipolar and PTSD can present near identically, though all had zero doubt. I had seen a further shrink since then, same result without question.

Sure, you could chase a diagnosis as well. Plenty of people do that until they get the answer they want, not the answer that a doctor is going to give. Are the other two wrong? Maybe... anything is possible. Are you wrong? Also possible. I would honestly seek a third, independent psychiatric diagnosis, and not tell them about prior diagnosis... that way, they will be independent and not tainted by taking any professionals prior diagnosis into consideration.

Your answer is merely an independent shrinks assessment away.
 
Confused...Do you agree with him that you have Bipolar disorder? Then why tell the DMW if you don't think you do? You have every right to you records...ask him for yours. Ask him why. It's a serious thing.


I definitely don't agree that I have bipolar disorder, and I know it's a very serious thing. You have my admiration for having to manage it on top of PTSD. The thing is that I have been so burned by psychiatrists over the years that I have no faith or trust in them whatsoever anymore. I actually feel that the profession has traumatised me, and don't want to engage with another one for any reason because they are now triggering for me.

Since I have no bipolar symptoms, and I respond to trauma work, I feel that my fastest way past them is to take the DX, report it, and never go back to one. Nothing psychiatrists ever did helped me with my PTSD, so it's not as if they add any value to me anyway. Trauma therapy has been what I needed, and it has worked.

My real issue seems to be that I have been too trusting in the past, and have stayed with bad situations for too long when I should have just walked away. Now that this psychiatrist seems to want me to get back in touch, I am worried that I am going to fall back into being manipulated again out of naïveté, and just wanted to stop myself before it happened.

It's part of an overall medical phobia. I have been very badly treated by doctors in the past, and avoid them whenever possible. It doesn't matter if they are decent, I just have no faith in the medical profession anymore and generally feel better with little to no involvement with them. Maybe I'll work it out in therapy, but right now it's not a settled issue.
 
I also meant to say thanks again for your response, and yours too Anthony. I realise that this is a frustratingly straightforward situation to read about.
 
ITA with Anthony...

Not a comment on the OP, rather just saying, but I am amazed at how many people say they got a second opinion but only after they transferred records. This isn't a second opinion! Many (most?) drs will confirm a previous opinion rather than go against the status quo. Sad but true.
 
I also wanted to point out that the reason your last pdoc is not signing anything and probably needs you to give consent. Even though you are no longer his patient your records are still confidential and he would need that agreement in writing. So you might think about that as well before allowing any information out from his office regarding something you are not comfortable with.
 
Thanks Rain, you bring up a good point, but I have actually signed off paperwork enabling them to talk with him re my driving abilities. He's just stalling for some reason.


<edited to remove quote. No need to quote entire post, especially of post immediately preceding yours.>
 
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