So,

You'll laugh because I have this major "should I stay or should I go" complex with my psychiatrist.

I have a new family doctor that I am seeing and I am going back to my pdoc.

I am VERY pdoc resistant. I have a special oppositional place in my heart for psychiatrists.

I want to ask questions. Lot's of questions.

I have an idea of what I want to ask, and the first one being.

1. Why ADHD? I think the ADHD part may actually be more correct/consistent than the bipolar part.

2. What symptoms does she see (re:ADHD)?

3. What type?

4. Should I just try an ADHD medication?

5. Why bipolar 2 as well?

6. Are my mood swings just caused by major situational stressors, or is it just ADHD under pressure?

7. Mood swings exist with ADHD? So how do you differentiate Bipolar mood swings from ADHD mood swings?

8. I don't feel my issues are really bipolar. Not all the time. I don't have all the signs and symptoms, particularly with the hypomanic side- could it be just major depressive features mixed with ADHD?

9. If I don't have any of this, then what now?

Those are all great questions. I hope your psychiatrist will fully answer them for you (some are great and will, others aren't too helpful). Hope you get some answers so you have a better understanding of your diagnosis. I think that understanding is the key to dealing with it.

my doc doesn't see enough of the ADD to really justify a diagnosis. YAY. She thinks attentional problems have more to do with depression issues, and anxiety.

Not sure of the bipolar stuff. Anxiety a definite. PTSD perhaps.

That's the way my pdoc sees it as well. The depression and anxiety are the largest problems for me (and can cause or exacerbate ADD-like symptoms), so the clear decision was to treat the depression and anxiety first and see what happens. Still working on that one, as my depression has always been treatment-resistant. There's also the matter that I have a great deal of agitation and repetitive movement, much of which is a reaction to the anti-depressants. My pdoc believes that adding any kind of stimulant to that would make me feel worse, not better.

So it seems that pdocs must handle each of us on a case by case basis. Sounds like ours are taking the same approach, though - treat the depression and anxiety first and take it from there if more help is needed.

No one is saying that my ADHD is not there, I just have more pressing problems. I'm finding ways to deal with the ADHD myself, and think I could just live with it actually. I'm not in school, I work at home, I don't manage things well - but good enough.

My mood issues are the major problem, as well as some social phobias, and a fear of eating in front of others when I am really agitated. I have a very hard time. I can manage teaching a class but as soon as it becomes interpersonal or closer in proximity, I tend to be a mess.