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Mis diagnosed with bipolar affective disorder

Alice-nice-Alice

My autism spectrum condition diagnosis in early January of this year has shed bright light into every area of my life and one particular area of huge importance is my interactions with nhs psychiatric services. To cut a long story short …

I was diagnosed with bipolar affective disorder in 1999, then treated with mind destroying meds which had massive negative implications for my physical health too for over twenty years. Well it is now absolutely clear to me that the bipolar diagnosis was wrong, the symptoms they identified as mixed episodes in particular and which played a significant part in their diagnostic process I now understand were autistic meltdowns and even allowing for subjective interpretations of my behaviour in those times clearly weren’t in line the DSM5 criteria in terms of episode lengths. 

I have initiated the process of challenging and then hopefully having removed the bipolar diagnosis with my psychiatric team though it’s very early days, I’ll update this thread as things progress one way or another as I’m certain I’m not the only person this has happened too. One member of my psych team has said off the record that they are concerned I might try to sue for medical negligence, it’s unlikely but I’m not entirely ruling it out yet  

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Parents

  • This happened to me too. I feel robbed of years of emotions as the antipsychotic medication removed any feeling from my head. I have been off all medication for 9 years now and have since had children (one of which is also autistic). Only after extensive counselling have I been able to establish and accept who I am as a person. I feel your pain and frustrations.

  • in reply to NAS85546

    Thanks for your openness, we have been abused by the psychiatric system and the damage we have experienced is huge. I was on anti psychotics and anti depressants for over twenty years. The two worst consequences were weight gain (25jg) and cognitive impairment. I’ve got 22kg of the weight off now since unilaterally weaning myself off olanzapine and the benefits are huge: I’ve reversed pre diabetes, reversed moderate sleep apnea, my blood pressure is down from typically 160/90 to 135/80, and I’m certain my life expectancy has improved. Bad as the physical stuff was the cognitive was worse, my spatial awareness was damaged resulting in numerous minor bumps and scpaes when driving, my logic and sequencing were destroyed and my creativity impaired to such an extent that I was unable to write (writing has been a core skill in both employment and hobbies). 


    However I want everyone to know that getting off all psychotropic meds has reversed all the negatives. It’s taken three years to get off them all and for my mind and body to return to good health, but do know that the damage isn’t irreplaceable. 

  • in reply to Alice-nice-Alice

    Total respect for being immune to the pressure to conform, with the box you were placed in and finding your own path.

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