Dx of Bipolar

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Fudge y'all. My mother has been in a panic about my diagnosis of bipolar (from age 14) coming up in this evaluation I'm gonna be facing. I sent the board a front cover of a medical record (which was the voluntary detox just past 5 yrs ago, because it was the only medical tx I had ever received and this was when I was naively trying to be transparent with the board). In the actual full record (which I guess they will be obtaining) it says there is a "history" of bipolar. Now, today...as a grown woman...a grown, sober* woman...i don't believe that I am bipolar. I glanced over the symptoms and no, none apply (and have not for many years). My mom's fear is that they are going to force me into therapy or meds. Again...I'll say that would be just about criminal. In all seriousness though...how might this affect the direction of this nightmare I'm fixing to be living? Thanks in advance.

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I never heard of then forcing you onto meds. The opposite usually applies. Treatment is a different matter. I would hope they wound not try to force you into treatment after many years of being sober

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Thanks for the reply Spanked. I've been doing alot of reading on this forum and thought I had read about nurses having to do therapy as part of contract. Am I mistaking the therapist factor for part of substance abuse counseling? I keep reading about how corrupt this whole system is and fearing the worst.

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I never heard of then forcing you onto meds. The opposite usually applies. Treatment is a different matter. I would hope they wound not try to force you into treatment after many years of being sober

If they big boyed me into seeing a therapist, would that therapist hold the power to say I didn't need their services?

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Specializes in Psych, Addictions, SOL (Student of Life).

The only meds I've ever heard of being required was suboxone for a heroine addict.

I went off my antidepressant with my psychiatrist's supervision and board blessing in year 3 of my diversion.

Hppy

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Specializes in OR.

My contract reads that I am required to see my therapist until as such time she deems it no longer necessary. Contract be danged, I happen to rather like seeing my therapist. I personally think everyone should have a nonjudgmental person to unload on for an hour every week or two. Besides, these programs create enough stress and difficulty that it's always nice to have someone to go to for objective advice....

It is highly probable that I will continue to see the same person even after the end of this nightmare.

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If they big boyed me into seeing a therapist, would that therapist hold the power to say I didn't need their services?

I am mandated to see a shrink and a therapist for the duration of my five years. I happen to be on meds, but I'm not allowed anything like a controlled substance. I am mandated to follow my shrinks recommendations, but he wouldn't force me into anything I disagreed on, I wouldn't imagine. I am, however, mandated to take naltrexone, which my shrink does not really agree with and he's pissed the program makes him write it.

And no, I was not reported to the Board for mental health issues; just substance abuse. But since I have depression, the program decided to control that too. (I do have a separate therapy requirement for substance abuse. My mental health requirements are a separate, surprise requirement.)

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I am mandated to see a shrink and a therapist for the duration of my five years. I happen to be on meds, but I'm not allowed anything like a controlled substance. I am mandated to follow my shrinks recommendations, but he wouldn't force me into anything I disagreed on, I wouldn't imagine. I am, however, mandated to take naltrexone, which my shrink does not really agree with and he's pissed the program makes him write it.

And no, I was not reported to the Board for mental health issues; just substance abuse. But since I have depression, the program decided to control that too. (I do have a separate therapy requirement for substance abuse. My mental health requirements are a separate, surprise requirement.)

The side effects of naltrexone sound horrible. I can't understand how the board can mandate that you take this medicine.

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I am mandated to see a shrink and a therapist for the duration of my five years. I happen to be on meds, but I'm not allowed anything like a controlled substance. I am mandated to follow my shrinks recommendations, but he wouldn't force me into anything I disagreed on, I wouldn't imagine. I am, however, mandated to take naltrexone, which my shrink does not really agree with and he's pissed the program makes him write it.

And no, I was not reported to the Board for mental health issues; just substance abuse. But since I have depression, the program decided to control that too. (I do have a separate therapy requirement for substance abuse. My mental health requirements are a separate, surprise requirement.)

If I may ask, did you tell the board (through evaluation or what ever the case was, I am new to this) that you suffered depression or was this something that threw you for a curve? I had admitted in my nice letter of explanation that I suffered from depression and alcoholism (and that they fed off one another) for years. But since I have quit drinking 3 years ago (this March woop woop) I have not struggled with depression at all....

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Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.

Bad news: once you've been diagnosed with a psychiatric illness, that diagnosis usually stays with you for good. "History of bipolar" means you had symptoms at one point in time (or more), and even though you haven't had them in many years, you are still considered to have bipolar. It's not curable. All we can do is manage the condition; for most that means meds and/or therapy. You may be one of the lucky ones who remain stable for much of their lives, but you are always going to need to look over your shoulder. The illness can come back anytime, and anything---or nothing---can trigger it.

I'm sorry you had to disclose this to your BON in addition to your substance abuse issues. I've been fortunate in that my state BON has elected to let me keep renewing my license despite my own bipolar I diagnosis. I haven't practiced as a nurse in four years (I'm on Social Security Disability) and that could be why I haven't had to go through a program like the ones other posters have described. I will likely never return to nursing as I cannot handle the stress of it, but it's good to have the option.

A word to the wise: NEVER volunteer information to the board. You don't want to lie to them if you're asked directly, but there are aspects of our lives they just don't need to know about. Good luck.

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If I may ask, did you tell the board (through evaluation or what ever the case was, I am new to this) that you suffered depression or was this something that threw you for a curve? I had admitted in my nice letter of explanation that I suffered from depression and alcoholism (and that they fed off one another) for years. But since I have quit drinking 3 years ago (this March woop woop) I have not struggled with depression at all....

I did not tell them I had depression, it was something they stumbled unto when they read the medical (not psychiatric) hospital records they required as part of my investigation.

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The side effects of naltrexone sound horrible. I can't understand how the board can mandate that you take this medicine.

Technically the Board doesn't mandate it; the monitoring program does. So it's not a legal mandate, per se, but if I want to stay in compliance with my "voluntary" program, I have to take naltrexone.

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