A somewhat pathetic Saturday night: Richard's working, so I'm making cous-cous bake and watching an ancillary double feature of The Remains of the Day and The Servant. James Fox is in both of them, how's that for weeeird?
A couple of days ago, Richard and I received some news that we don't know what to make of. He visited a university psychiatrist because our doctor, a GP who knows a great deal about mental disorders, recently retired. A hulking biker of a psychiatrist told Richard that he does not have bipolar disorder, as diagnosed about ten years ago; he's merely "self-centred" and has symptoms identical to those of manic depression. ?????? The dr. reached his conclusion because he doesn't think Richard has ever had a major manic episode - the one he apparently experienced after separating from his ex-wife ten years ago was just a normal reaction to a stressful situation, he said. He advised Richard to wean himself off anti-depressants, but oddly told him to go ahead and take Zyprexa, an anti-psychotic drug sometimes used to treat bipolar disorder (which can have serious side effects).
Now, naturally we'll both be thrilled if it turns out Richard isn't bipolar, but this came as a tremendous shock. We have no idea how to deal with this.
On a parallel note, Richard's mother was recently told by her doctor that she is not asthmatic, even though she exhibits all the symptoms of asthma and has to use an inhaler occasionally.
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3 comments:
What about the episode with the kids last year? Definitely get another opinion! You've lived with this; what is YOUR gut feeling?
I really think Richard IS bipolar. He's on a half-dose of Paxil right now and his irritability is already rising, something I've noticed in other manic depressives. His episode ten years ago was NOT, despite what the dr. said, a "typical, normal" reaction to separation. In many ways it was a classic manic episode. True, it's not as severe as some people's, but then Richard does not seem to be severely bipolar.
We've talked about getting a third opinion, but it seems quite possible that every dr. he talks to about this might have a different opinion! Right now we're both at this "Now what?" stage.
I agree. We all have to know our own bodies and what's best for them. Doug has to go with HIS gut instinct. We don't want another meltdown!!
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