two poles, not one [IMPORTANT]

It's always somewhat complicated when one of your long-term diagnoses gets changed.

I have known since the summer of 1995 that I have clinical depression. Unipolar, atypical, with psychotic features and severe premenstrual disorder on top. Not very exciting to me here in 2008.

Well, apparently I actually don't. It's bipolar II, sometimes called "Depression Plus". ARGH!

I thought I knew what unipolar and bipolar were. I swear last time I looked things up I was definitely still unipolar with mood cycling on top. In fact this DSM description (yes, I know I don't live in the US so the DSM isn't directly relevant) claims you can't be bipolar II if you've ever had a Mixed Episode. Bah. Apparently, while I was busy doing other stuff with my life, doctors were fiddling with the definitions. Now, there is something called the Bipolar Spectrum - just like the Autistic Spectrum, only with mood disorders! Personally, I've had what that site calls "Roller coaster depression", "Depression with profound anxiety" and "Depressive episodes with irritable episodes", sometimes all at the same time. ( Read more... )

periods are disgusting

ARGH. Period pain. I have been woken up every 2 hours by it. Now I have run out of doses of medication, because both the painkillers I'm using can only have 4 doses in 24 hours. I have to wait until 12:10 before I can take something again. ARGH.

Why can't someone invent a painkiller where you can take it every 4 hours for the whole 24 hours? Is that really asking too much? ( A bit more detail, cut for those who don't care. )