When I was about 15, I had a psychiatrist diagnose me as bipolar. ( No, there was no testing and we only saw this pdoc a few times). The pdoc put me on lithium, which is a moodstabilizer.

Had some very interesting things happen after starting lithium and they WERE NOT good! For one, I started becoming more defiant and was skipping school. My temper was worse than it had ever been. At one point, I ended up chasing my brother around the house with a knife. Yes, a knife. I have always been sensitive and had a short fuse, but I was NEVER violent. I would even beat people up at school.I started having suicidal thoughts. Things were so bad my parents threatened to turn me over to the state. At 16, I dropped out of school.

Since the lithium was making me worse and not better, my parents took me off the lithium.

14 years later,( tearly this year) I am dxed as bipolar again by a different psychiatrist. This was only after one visit and no testing. I seriously don't believe I am bipolar, especially after my previous experiences with the lithium.
She just based her diagnosis on the fact that I do get depressed, have racing thoughts, make impulse purchases, can be very irritable, and have trouble making decisions.

I belong to another forum called squalor surviviors, for people that have severe trouble with keeping house. One day I made a post about the problems I was having and someone suggested that I do research on ADD. She included a link. I have visited many websites and have also visited numerous bipolar websites. The ADD fits me much better than the bipolar. This one website had an ADD checklist and I marked off about 8 out of every 10 symptoms.as far as the racing thoughts, impulsiveness, irritability and having trouble making decisions, while those are symptoms of bipolar, they are also symptoms of ADD. I printed it up and showed it to my primary care physician and he has started me on Adderall.

BIG BIG difference! My house has never been clean for more than 3 days in a row.. ever, not in the 11 years I have been on my own.3 weeks later my house looks great every day and there are very few misplaced items. I don't procastinate nearly as much and I can focus on only one project at a time and get it done before moving on to something else. Before Adderall this was impossible, no matter how hard I tried.

I am much more insightful, my mind is clearer, I can remember things, and I am less anxious. I no longer worry about small, petty stuff that I can't control. I still sweat the big stuff but instead of getting depressed and feeling sorry for myself, I am looking for solutions.

I am also less irritable, am better at coping with stress,waiting in line and at the doctor's office, and so much more.

Plus I am much more considerate and not as selfish. I don't bug my parents as much and have much more tact and can communicate with my mom without ticking her off.

The best thing is, the last time I saw my psychiatrist, I gave her a list of my symptoms plus a history of me. She reviewed it and gave it to my therapist. I told my therapist about my primary care physician putting me on Adderall and how it is helping me. She was amazed. Plus she can see differences in me, too. She said that I am more alert, answer questions much more quickly, and am much more conversational.After my testimony, her observation of me, and my information/symptom sheet, she thinks I have ADD. Before she was on the bipolar kick along with the psychiatrist. How nice it is to have someone believe me and get the treatment I need.

I am elated to finally find out what is wrong with me and have something that really works.

As far as depression, I heard ADD can cause it just for the simple fact it makes you act in ways that turn people off, as well as make yourself feel ashamed.Most of the times I feel depressed is when I feel lonely and after I have done or said something I shouldn't have. I have always had trouble making and keeping friends, so I have always been lonely. I am working on changing that.

Ever since I have started Adderall, my depression is starting to lift and I am more emotionally stable.

Have you ever had a bad experience with a misdiagnosis?

From what I have seen here on the forums, it is not all that unusual to start with an initial diagnosis of ADHD, and later discover that someone is bipolar.

This is particularly true of children, as kids are some times identified as having ADHD at an early age and later develop strong symptoms of bipolar disorder anywhere from early to middle adulthood.

From time to time, we have someone come into the forums who has been misdaignosed as bipolar and they turn out to have anything ranging from ADHD to, borderline personality disorder, to asperger's syndrome... There are a lot of things that can have a rather similar cross-sectoin of symptoms that mimmicks bipolar disorder in a superficial way, and I suspect that now and then someone gets a misdiagnosis.

The trouble is that ADHD and bipolar occur over a wide range of severities, and it is possible to be only a little bipolar, and appear to simply have adhd. Also, it is not uncommon to have both conditions.

Flights of ideas, and rapid mood swings are hallmarks of bipolar disorder, while difficulty focusing and impulsivity and characteristic of ADHD. Those are subtle differences, but are differences nonetheless.

In any case, now matter what label you choose to go with, I am glad that you have found a combination of medications which works for you.

Work with your docs on this... it is possible to have a little of both...

Myself, I am diagnosed with ADHD and anxiety and have many relatives who are bipolar. With virtually every reeelative around me bipolar, my doctors and I are acting on the assumption that I am potentially a "stable bipolar", or maybe a tiny bit bipolar (cyclothymia)... and my treatment plan reflects this possibility, by chosiing meds that are not antagonistic to bipolar, or adhd.

This is important as I'd really hate to be treated for anxiety and end up in full blown bipolar mania because my doctor put me on the wrong medication... My doctor is a nice person and most definitely would be unhappy if that happened.

The edges of these things have fuzzy diimensions, so take it as it comes, and don't rule out anything , get informed, and please do take good care of yourself.

good luck

ME :D


When I was about 15, I had a psychiatrist diagnose me as bipolar. ( No, there was no testing and we only saw this pdoc a few times). The pdoc put me on lithium, which is a moodstabilizer.

Had some very interesting things happen after starting lithium and they WERE NOT good! For one, I started becoming more defiant and was skipping school. My temper was worse than it had ever been. At one point, I ended up chasing my brother around the house with a knife. Yes, a knife. I have always been sensitive and had a short fuse, but I was NEVER violent. I would even beat people up at school.I started having suicidal thoughts. Things were so bad my parents threatened to turn me over to the state. At 16, I dropped out of school.

Since the lithium was making me worse and not better, my parents took me off the lithium.

14 years later,( tearly this year) I am dxed as bipolar again by a different psychiatrist. This was only after one visit and no testing. I seriously don't believe I am bipolar, especially after my previous experiences with the lithium.
She just based her diagnosis on the fact that I do get depressed, have racing thoughts, make impulse purchases, can be very irritable, and have trouble making decisions.

I belong to another forum called squalor surviviors, for people that have severe trouble with keeping house. One day I made a post about the problems I was having and someone suggested that I do research on ADD. She included a link. I have visited many websites and have also visited numerous bipolar websites. The ADD fits me much better than the bipolar. This one website had an ADD checklist and I marked off about 8 out of every 10 symptoms.as far as the racing thoughts, impulsiveness, irritability and having trouble making decisions, while those are symptoms of bipolar, they are also symptoms of ADD. I printed it up and showed it to my primary care physician and he has started me on Adderall.

BIG BIG difference! My house has never been clean for more than 3 days in a row.. ever, not in the 11 years I have been on my own.3 weeks later my house looks great every day and there are very few misplaced items. I don't procastinate nearly as much and I can focus on only one project at a time and get it done before moving on to something else. Before Adderall this was impossible, no matter how hard I tried.

I am much more insightful, my mind is clearer, I can remember things, and I am less anxious. I no longer worry about small, petty stuff that I can't control. I still sweat the big stuff but instead of getting depressed and feeling sorry for myself, I am looking for solutions.

I am also less irritable, am better at coping with stress,waiting in line and at the doctor's office, and so much more.

Plus I am much more considerate and not as selfish. I don't bug my parents as much and have much more tact and can communicate with my mom without ticking her off.

The best thing is, the last time I saw my psychiatrist, I gave her a list of my symptoms plus a history of me. She reviewed it and gave it to my therapist. I told my therapist about my primary care physician putting me on Adderall and how it is helping me. She was amazed. Plus she can see differences in me, too. She said that I am more alert, answer questions much more quickly, and am much more conversational.After my testimony, her observation of me, and my information/symptom sheet, she thinks I have ADD. Before she was on the bipolar kick along with the psychiatrist. How nice it is to have someone believe me and get the treatment I need.

I am elated to finally find out what is wrong with me and have something that really works.

As far as depression, I heard ADD can cause it just for the simple fact it makes you act in ways that turn people off, as well as make yourself feel ashamed.Most of the times I feel depressed is when I feel lonely and after I have done or said something I shouldn't have. I have always had trouble making and keeping friends, so I have always been lonely. I am working on changing that.

Ever since I have started Adderall, my depression is starting to lift and I am more emotionally stable.

Have you ever had a bad experience with a misdiagnosis?

I was dx'd as ADHD at age 5... was abused became depressed and my shrink that i had as a child said "i was wrong you are a bipolar"... when i was 13 i had the dx of ADHD back but only for a couple of months because in 1993 the doctors believed that kids who had bipolar could not have adhd... well my "affective state" has been labelled as "chronic hypomania" until last year when my doctor put me on dexedrine and off the bipolar pills and said your doctor was wrong. I am slowed down now and i don't get angry so quick and I have impulse control and i can shut up.... I know the misdx deal and it sucks because my life went to hell as a result of the wrong dx

WOW WHAT A FEELING!!!!!


lol.. I can so relate to the house cleaning thing. My daughter told me yesterday..
"Mom, I LOVE our clean house. I think I could like it this way." She concluded with "Your the BEST!" :faint:
I can feel comfortable having house guests over almost all the time without apologizing or shoving things in my room, or heven forbid under the couch...:o

As far as the misdiagnosis.... I was diagnosed as Manic Depressive when I was 15. I was seen by the doctor after I did the unthinkable and took several overthe counter pills. STUPID... yes, this I know. Never since then have I ever even entertained the idea of that, but regardless.. that is what I did. I was put in a "hospital" and spent 4 weeks there. I was labeled there as Manic Depressive and have been on about 10 different meds since then. About 3 years ago, I stopped taking everything.
(Some back ground info... the year before this incident...
-My mom sent me to live with my dad and his wife because I was too much
to handle.
-My dad then put me incharge of their two kids (they both drank
excessivly.. so I was a welcome party)...
-I was in school there and the guy that I was seeing shot and killed hisself
-My aunt died of the fast acting hepititis
-Her husband died within 6 months after that
-My dad then told me that his wife couldn't live with me either and I had to
go...)

Not anything out of the ordinary...:eyebrow:

Anyways, I met a friend that has ADD about 2 years ago. I never really thought about it until one day he said a few things and really got me thinking. I went on line and read about ADD and was dumbfounded...
THAT WAS ME TO A "T"!!
Of couse because of the previous diagnosis... I was skeptical because they were so much the same. I talked to friends and family... (manic and depressive phases...) and other factors and decided to see someone for a "New" diagnosis. I told her about the past and the events of that year... etc, My main concern was the obtaining a TRUE diagnosis.

I spent 6 sessions @ 1 hour apiece with a BT who is very familiar with BP and ADD. After tests and family discussions she started me on Adderral, a VERY low dosage due to the fear of inducing a Manic Phase. Now I'm at 30mg a day and LOVE the doors that are opening for me. I still see her every week, and get my meds from my family practitioner. It is slow work, but better safe than sorry. :)

Your story is very interesting to me. I relate. I was on all kinds of "bipolar" drugs over many years. I often said I was not depressed just frustrated/stressed out. I was told I really was depressed just didn't know it. I think most doctors are ignorant about ADD. When ritalin relieved the frustration from being overwhelmed and going around in circles all the time, all I could do was look back at my life and think what a waste, it could have been different, etc, etc. Because I could never finish what I start and all the other difficult things about having ADD, I never really accomplished anything. I'm 51 now. I had all the opportunities and blessings in life but no way to relax and stick to anything. The damage is done. I think that the diagnosis of bipolar is always given to people from doctors that don't understand ADD. It's tragic. But when we get knowledge of ADD that's when we have to start standing up for ourselves and seek the correct treatment and understanding. It's hard at first. My previous two doctors would not treat my ADD even tho they thought I had it because they believed it would stimulate "mania". When I did get ritalin the exact opposite happened of course. New doc says I never was bipolar. Well, I know that and just have to go on from here. Yes, my life "could" have been much differernt/better BUT that's the way it is. There are worse endings. And although this is a late beginning for me (I'm 51) at least I am in the right spot now and can look forward to some peace.
Kat

Reaction to lithium, although pretty unusual for even a misdiagnosed person, isn't a great reason to think you're not bipolar. I can see how the diagnosis fits.

But, the fact that you are not experiencing mood problems on Adderall is a big indicator to me that you were indeed misdiagnosed. It's not hard to do!
Bipolars on stimulants don't usually react well unless their mood is stabilized first.

I wasn't misdiagnosed bipolar, but I was misdiagnosed with chronic depression for nearly 5 years before it became apparent I was indeed bipolar. The meds would work for a couple of months, then back to the drawing board!

Once I was on the right meds (for me, Depakote & Prozac -- I'm BiP II) I was great. Haven't had a mood problem since.

Of course, I didn't understand the cognitive problems and ignored them until a few months ago. Now I have a dual diagnosis and dual meds to go with it, but life is terrific!

I was diagnosed as being bipolar after just one session too. I fought it though. I KNEW I wasn't bipolar. I was nursing a baby at the time so they put me on zoloft instead of mood stabilizers which did NOTHING. I still had depression. It's only been recently that I discovered what ADD is and have been told that indeed, I probably do have it. I'll be seeing someone for an official diagnosis in a couple weeks. It seems to me that a lot of psycs get on a track where they either diagnose everyone with bipolar or everyone with ADD. They share so many of the same symptoms that once they decide it's one or the other, they feel there is no need to do more testing. I'm lucky. I could have spent the next 10 years thinking I had bipolar and was just crazy because the meds weren't working. I happen to have a brother who is a Dr. though and because he knows me and knows medicine, he is the one that said he didn't think it was bipolar. It then took accidently finding out about ADD to convince me that I was right and I'm not depressed or have bipolar.

...but not through a pipe.......


Pervious discussion serve to illuminate how this can and does happen! Some times ADD is mistaken for bipolar and vise versa how ever there are occasions where individuals can have both!

Disorders often confused with ADD (http://www.addforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16902&highlight=Co-morbid+conditions)


From the “other end”

Research: Diseases that Co-occur with Bipolar Disorder (http://www.addforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15781&highlight=Co-morbid+conditions)


ADHD Study ((I found out some interesting stuff)) (http://www.addforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=26146)

with particular interest in the following post

Clinical perspective: (http://www.addforums.com/forums/showpost.php?p=265582&postcount=4)


Closer look or feel: (http://www.addforums.com/forums/showpost.php?p=265665&postcount=8)


Just think of all the disorders that medical professionals have to choose from it is almost amazing any one gets properly diagnosis….it takes a lot of vigilance to keep up with facts in the areas of mental stuff…..

50 conditions that mimmic ADHD, PART I (http://www.addforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=26832)


I was diagnosis as having ADD, then bipolar but then back to ADD again with the change in mood being from hormonal changes and yes I felt like crap on lithium also. However the more I have learned the more I see we as the people who call our selves patients need to become involved with our own care…step one being willing to take the time to find a health care professional who is willing to listen and teach!!

With all these choices and possible mistakes finding a doctor who is willing to be a partner in the process is of utmost importance preceded only by our willingness to educate our selves about our “condition” and how it affects us….and be willing to accept the responsibility for our own care being primary focus…….


Laying the responsibility of our care solely at the feet of any doctor no matter how smart or up to date is unrealistic at best……….it is our condition and therefore our responsibility!


Okay not sure where this came from medication may be wearing off (smoking a search engine through a pipe and copying and pasting faster than the computer should have been a clue) :rolleyes: but some times even in an unmedicated state the stuff that pops out of me is some times still useful!

When I first went to my GP, about ADHD, he listened to my story etc, and all he said was "can you laugh?" ..huh..I thought.."are you able to be happy?" or something like that..then it clicked, and I said" Yes, I am not unhappy, I am NOT depressed"
So that was also his initial thought too. Luckily he sent me to a specialist in adult ADHD and here I am :-)

Ohmygosh we just went through this with our son. First it was ADHD and Focalin and Adderall. Then it was Zoloft for anxiety. Then it was Namenda and Clonidine for God-knows-what. It seemed he was just getting worse and worse at school and home.

We saw the pdoc last week again in frustration and he decided to put Nathan (12 yrs) on Geodon, which is for Bi-polar. Doc says he doesn't fit a "mold" of a cut-and-dried neurological disorder. I doubt many do, though...

Since day one on this med, he has been SUPER. I can't describe the differences in our son. It's like he matured two years in only the 5 days he's been on the drug!

The only side effect he has is that it makes him sleepy. That's not bad at all because now we can get him to bed at night!!! :D

The only side effect he has is that it makes him sleepy. That's not bad at all because now we can get him to bed at night!!! :DThat's so great!

The sleepiness will probably go away in a few weeks.

I found this site while doing some research on ADD.

Quite a funny story, I was on the phone with my banker and she was looking at my HORRIBLE mismanagement of my finaces and suggested that, as she herself was, I might have ADD. I laughed and we started joking about forgetting to put soap in the dishwasher or not starting the dryer, lost keys, etc., but I had wondered this myself some time before.

Currently I am seeing a pdoc. I am on Wellbutrin XL for my depression and for the past five months have been taking depakote ER for moodiness, irritability and migraines. When she prescribed the Depakote, she said she was giving it to me because i had "something like" bipolar and it would even out my moods. The Wellbutrin clears the fog that i live in daily, and I swear, I have tried to wean myself off it and I fall right into a funk. The Depakote keeps me from becoming as irritable and spazzing out at little things like I used to, but I feel like I am still not functional...it's like those things take away the actual emotional issues, but don't fix the other things that a lot of times cause me the stress that makes me spazz out or become depressed and unhappy with myself and my life.

First, I must say when I was 13 (I am 27 now) I was diagnosed as manic depressive/bipolar. I spent lots of time with various pdocs in and out of treatment. I was on lithium, tegretol and depakote which did nothing but make me tired all the time and did not change my "behavior problems". I was a little less tense in my reactions to things, but I still got into trouble at home mainly for my irresponsibility, lack of attention to things, inability to control my mouth, running away, etc. I was eventually at age 15 diagnosed with oppositional defiant disorder and conduct disorder. Eventually I moved out and had a family that broke up with divorce. It was VERY stressful and i ended up seeking treatment again.

So, after the call with my banker, I started reading about ADD and I literally started crying. Sure, I have some signs of bipolar but most importantly I have never had manic or hypomanic episode. I fit a lot of the criteria currently for borderline personality, but ADD seems to be the only diagnosis that encompases ALL of my symptoms. I called my father and asked if ADD had ever been considered a diagnosis and he said no. WHY NOT????? I asked. I started going back into my childhood and it all seemed to make sense.

-in 2nd grade I was constantly kept inside at recess for disrupting the class for talking. I excelled in my grades and it was felt that I needed more of a challenge so I was double promoted to 4th instead of 3rd. Freshman year, I was 12, I tested at an IQ of 148, but NOBODY could understand why I only brought home B's and C's. (Well, I did well on tests, but never brought back homework and always waited until the last minute or turned projects in late).
-To this day and as far back as I can remember the family joke is how spacey I am (my dad used to call me "ace-d-space-d-bubbles"....I would be late for my own funeral...I'd lose my head if it wasn't attached, I'm a walking disaster, I'm like a baby with my sleep schedules screwed up...etc.
-going as far back as I can remember, I consistently can't remember things like starting the dryer after having just put clothes in...going into a room for something and not knowing why I went in there or finding something else that grabs my attention. I procrastinate terribly. I have horrible money and time management and housekeeping skills. I obsessively research things. I am always late. I have been told I have "low-frustration tolerance." I have lived in 9 different places in 10 years. I have dropped out of school and restarted 3 times, having changed my major those times as well. I am gung-ho about starting something ie. new job, new house, new car, etc. but am bored very quickly. My cell phone bills have been in excess of 500 bucks a month because I am constantly chatting on the phone. Finally, focus, I can't focus on something unless I am truly interested in it. I space out or, say I am reading something online, I don't even hear what my kids are saying...until I hear....MOM!!!....are you listening to me????
-I can't wake up in the morning unless I have a cup of coffee and two red bulls and sometimes I still can't. I seem to shut down sometimes about half way through the day and get overwhelmed so I have to have a nap. I can't handle structure...can't do a normal 8 to 5. I currently work from home as a transcriptionist, which is good for me in some ways, but trying to stay focused when I have 100 other things racing in the back of my mind is very challenging to say the least. Besides which I am SO bored with my job!
-I have a very short fuse. Little things irk me and I blow things out of proportion. I tend to be unable to calm myself down. I get shaky, dry mouth, my body temp rises. As embarrasing as this is to say, I have been physically abusive to my significant others and verbally to my children. It's like a snap and lose control...like a switch..(hence the depakote), then I feel like crap afterwards.

P.S. my mother has all the same issues, actually a few more. ;)

Anyhow, I don't want to make this too long, but I'm thinking I might be being treated for the wrong thing. I just wondered if you guys had any thoughts on this. Thanks in advance :)