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HI everyone, I'm cycling( my term for the highs and lows of this deal)right now, so please bare with me... I'm looking for some advice and/or similar situations as the one I am in. I'm in the military, going on 17 years, and I have come to realize that I could be ( read: AM) bipolar. I've found that getting help through the military healthcare system for mental health issues is extremely difficult. I haven't been diagnosed by anyone with " the power" to do so, but I am smart enough to see the signs. I've been seeing a counselor for about 4 years off and on, and am being treated for depression I think. I'm on effexor and seroquel, though the latter was prescribed as an alternative to ambien to help me sleep. Whatever. ANYWAY...my point is...Getting someone in the military health care system to diagnose this condition is proving extremely frustraTing. I've been told that I am suffering from PTSD (wrong), depression, or just that I need to deal with my childhood. All of these "diagnosis" given by members of the Army mental health system. When I try to press my point that there is more to it, I am dismissed as ignorant or just trying to get out of going back to combat or whatever. Are these people for real? Right now I am just trying to hang on for 3 more years until I can retire. So, where am I going with this...Does anyone else have experience with BPD and the military, and advice? Please forgiveme for this jumbled post, it is very difficult to concentrate right now.
Posts: 1 | Location: North Carolina | Registered: 04-06-2007
I have Bipolar and Im not in the military but I know a lot about there system in healthcare. What are you feeling? when you feel "high" and "down"? Thise to medications that you are taking can be more harmful to you with this illness. You need to be on a mood stablizer and you should cont. with the psychotherapy but what I do is keep a journal about he emotions and thoughts for that day and let the therapist read it becasue they can see something that you might not see for your episodes that you go though. And if you are officially diagnosed by the military they have to pay for all your healthcare when you get out and they would probably make you get if you were diagnosed and than they would have to give you diability for your illness and all that you have to go though is bullshit. The best advice I can give you is to research the smyptoms and print them out and highlight or cirle all that you feel and take it to that doctor and say I feel all of this.
As a former member of the US military, i understand your pain. Believe it or not, it took moving to OK to find out what was wrong with me. I was first diagnosed as having cyclothymia, then it was moved to a BP II diagnosis. I found that i had to go through the hoops to get what i needed, but in the end it was worth it. I found a great psyciatrist that actually listened. I was told by one provider that i was stressed and that i needed to buy some bath salts and candles and that would make it all go away. The few things that i did that helped with my diagnosis and treatment were i kept a journal. My husband kept one too and we compared notes. He knew when i was going to have an episode before i did. the other thing was i researched my family. my mother and brother are untreated bipolar and i have a cousin and uncle that are treated, all on my mother's side, see the pattern. Alot of providers feel that it is genetic, if you think to your past and see a pattern, write it down and bring it up. it also depends on the branch you are in. one thing that i learned being in the air force, you can always ask for a referral to see another provider. I was told that i too had PTSD, what a crock!!!! i told them about my mother and brother and they were all to happy to help. also, research your meds, the military healthcare system is eager to provide vitamin "M" for everything. it may not be an anti-depressent that you need, it may be something that effects the chemicals different. i had great results with topomax, unfortuneately my illness broke through the medication. I understand that this is all over the place, but if you want specifics, just let me know. i can only assume what base you are at, i have probably been there.
Good luck!! and hang in there, we are all able to get through it! heck, look at my family tree
First, I'm BP too so this isn't coming out of left-field. This is way out of date, but from what I understand, it stands. My grandfather was a WWII vet and was seriously wounded, deafened and almost completely blinded in service - a patriot to the end. He had serious "mood problems" back then, but from what I understand it took something like 40 years to actually diagnose him with BP - years after the BP diagnosis was available. It was horrible for his family (my grandmother, mother and aunt) and they tried to push the army (VA) hospital to help. I don't know what the final straw was, but he was diagnosed with BP put on Lithium (I don't know if anything else) and it helped him tremendously. This is not to say that Lithium is the magic element for anyone or everyone, but it did help him. It's worth mentioning that as a child he watched almost all of his family die in the concentration camps. So yes, he had PTSD as well. I don't know if he had any other dx or not. I "inherited" the BP bit unfortunately. The lithium seems to help some, but not with the deep depression and for me not with the rages - but that's just me. I also have PTSD but clearly that's 2 generations away from the holocaust and is a fine donation from my stepfather (who is not BP that I know of, but I never thought about it until now). I and 2 of my boys are ADD, and I and 1 of my boys are OCD - he is also autistic. So I guess what I'm saying is that I've heard it can be hard to get a dx in the military. That's old intelligence but like I said I hear it's still very valid (my aunt is a therapist working near Pendleton in SD, CA and works with vets). It took me 2-1/2 years of pretty bad psy. care to find a good psy. doc. I was incredibly lucky - infinitely lucky I think - to somehow get the [then] Dean of Psychiatry at OU to work with me. He is truly awesome. He got a big promotion last year and is no longer seeing patients "outpatient" but hooked me up with a fantastic psy. resident. She too is wonderful. The two of them are about the only docs that I think ever really both listened and contemplated what they heard before even considering a plan of action. That's rare as far as I'm concerned.
That said, the one thing I haven't seen mentioned is this... Have you considered going outside of the VA (or whatever it is called now) hospital system to find a good doctor that will work with you to get a diagnosis (whatever it really is)? Finding a good doc can be really hard, and hard on you - probably any of us that have had to fight the healthcare system in one way or another can offer that up. Also, *I don't know what I'm getting into here* is it possible that the military has a reason to not dx people? If they are not able to work - justifiably - it costs them a soldier at least and that's not even considering the great people and wonderful talent that they may lose.
Feel free to let me know if something here doesn't make sense!
It is so frustrating to want help and not be able to get it. If you want to look there is a good mood chart at PsychEducation.org. You can download them as an Excel file.
I have been in the Army for 13yrs now. I was misdiagnosed for 10 yrs with major depression and ADHD. I am on Tricare Remote and fortunate enough to be able to see civilians for my care who finally diagnosed me correctly. My advice would be like the others, document everything. I used to tell my doctors that this was not working and suggest some other drug to try, sometimes it works. I am currently on Seroquel and lamictal. Trying to find the right cocktail as everyone else. The best I can say is stand up to them and tell them that the counseling and meds are not working and insist that it is bipolar and like someone else suggested ask to see someone else. i asked to see a neuropshycologist who upon our first meeting diagnosed me with bipolar. Dont give up.
Hi, My name is SEEPS. Iam an American Indain Im 22. I my blood line has a long history of war, From the present day of 2007 to Back to the Indian wars. Many of my Native Four Fathers fought In American war. I my self Im a warrior at heart. I box and Ive been a cerified fire fight since 2003 the day I turned 18. Its always been I dream of Mine to serve my country in the US Armed forces. Ive always felt the need to do something honorable and brave.You Might even say A hero. Im my heart Im a Fighter and a warrior. Tomarrow I will on paper be Diagonosed With BPD. There for my Dream to Inlist in the Armed forces will not happen. Im finding that had to except. I think any man whose Wishes to serve IN the military should have that wish. How ever I understand that does not answer your question.
Hi Superdave This is late but just found this site. I feel your pain, I too am in the Military. Been in for 15 years. I have been dealing with the Highs and the lows for years. Started seeing a counselor about 4 years ago, the same story-you have anger issues. After about 6 months-the counseling was going nowhere, so they put me on meds-Zoloft 50mg. I took that like candy. They increased it to 100mg, and alittle later 200mg. a day. Still had the same problems. Then a deployment to Iraq and back problems seem to have gotten worse. Doctor says you may have PTSD, and if you feel you have to increase your meds. to 300mg. a day, and I'm perscribing Ambien to help you sleep. Had some more problems, temper out of control, My chain of comand said something had to change. So I sought a civilian psycologist, he told me to bring my medications with me when I came. I had my first session with this doctor and within the first session, he diagnoised me with Bipolar Disorder. As far as the Zoloft they had me on for years he said that it would cause me to have the anger breakouts. so he has reduced the zoloft to work my way off of it and has put me on Depakote 1000mg. a day I have only been on it for a week but, I seem to feel alittle more stable. Will let you all know how it works with a little more time. Kate was correct about the wrong meds. being more harm than good. Try to seek a civilian off base, Wish you luck. You all write back let mt know how things are going.
digger I'm just wondering how you are doing on the new meds? Does the military know that you are bipolar? I thought that they discharge people for that
