misdiagnosis?

I am 34 years old and just recently delivered my 4th child. I have been diagnosed with depression since I was 14 years old. I have always had constant mood swings...sometimes several times a day. I honestly do not know what it feels like to be genuinely happy. I don't even know if I have ever been truly happy. When I was 29, I was diagnosed with adult ADD and depression. The med combination at that time kind of helped. I was able to retain things and felt kind of normal. I was taking Straterra and Zoloft. I now currently see a counselor, but no doctor. My family doctor won't prescribe anything for any mental conditions. And it is at least a 6 month or longer wait for a doctor in the office I go to for my counseling. I was diagnosed last year with anxiety/panic disorder, major depressive disorder,and a possible mood disorder. I guess my question is...couldn't this be bipolar? Could this be why the meds I am prescribed do not ever seem to work? Any thoughts would be so greatly appreciated. Thanks.

TarynErb: I can highly recommend the book, "Why Am I Still Depressed" by Dr. Jim Phelps. It really helped me understand what was happening when they changed my Depression diagnosis to BPII. He also has chapters on co-exsisting and similar conditions like ADD. He also has a website you can google, I am too much of a book person to have it memorized.

Are there other psychiatrists where you are. That wait seems a bit much. If you do have a mood disorder, instead of Depression any prescriber should be very careful about ordering any SSRI antidepressants because they can make mood disorders worse over the long run. The book explains it all.

And welcome to the site, this is a good place to post. Some of the other posters know more websites too-so check some of the other postings.

I was also DX with depression only for a really long time by family doctors, etc. But as a teen I was Dx as bipolar and I did not know it. I did not get a diagnosis as an adut - a correct one - until I was 28. I spent 10 years at elast on wrong medications or no medications and result wa snot pretty. It is very possible you are on the wrong things, because that happens, the only way to know for sure is to get in to see a psychiatrist...so good luck to you with that - maybe there are others locally besides in your counselor's office... Also, I have three children so I know it is hard to have these problems with kids in the picture...

I want to second that recommendation for Jim Phelps' "Why Am I Still Depressed?".

I think that book saved my life.

But even without the book, you can check out his website

http://psycheducation.org/star...

I will say this, it is definately not uncommon for people who are bipolar to be misdiagnosed as having ADHD and/or depression.

Don't fault the professionals...its hard. :-D

Good luck! I was diagnosed and treated for depression for years until I started noticing the signs in myself. Before having a full blown manic phase like I had years ago I made it into a doctor and I'm about as normal as I'm gonna get!

Do think long and hard about dismissing a diagnosis of ADD by "replacing" it with one of BD I/II/etc. Many websites and books mention that symptoms on the bipolar spectrum can "mimic" ADD. It is definitely the case that such misdiagnoses occur. That being said, I seem to read it so often in books and on the web that it seems to me that many folks, from patients to pdocs to all manner of pundits, are somewhat quick to pick the first of these two options:

a) bipolar but previously misdiagnosed with ADD
b) bipolar, comorbid with ADD

Yet, the rates of bipolar folks with ADD (and ADD folks who are bipolar, if you prefer) are far from insignificant. In fact, some would argue that the comorbidity is remarkably common.

Having said that, however, most of what I read does make the very, VERY IMPORTANT POINT that in comorbid instances, stabilizing the mood is of primary concern. This is important especially in cases where stimulant treatment is necessary. Until a few years ago, most studies suggested that stimulant therapy was not a definitive aggravating factor in manic events or a cause of cycling. But at least one recent study of a larger group, over a longer trial, found that stimulant therapy could be an aggravating factor in perhaps up to 40% of cases.

The upshot of all that is that stabilizing ought to be the first priority. Then, reasonable caution and thoughtful observation are certainly in order as one begins stimulant therapy for ADD...or narcolepsy...or weight gain...or depression...or etc.

...and what better tool to aid that cautious addition of ADD drug therapy than a mood diary or tracker of some sort. Anyone know of a good one? *wink*

-hood

-hood