crash! need advice

So I had a wonderful manic month and I've officially crashed. I made an appointment with a new psychiatrist. He is pretty sure I am not bipolar and I only have anxiety as a result of taking Prozac, a side effect. And my initial reason for going on Prozac was situational and should have been handled by therapy alone.

He decided I should start tapering off my Prozac and just do therapy, no drugs. I didn't really get a chance to tell him about my BP- he just stood on his soapbox about how there was no discernable difference between SSRI's and a placebo. The risk of SSRI's are too high and all my manic episodes are a result of taking antidepressants. I would have told him my mania happened before SSRI's were introduced but he really didn't let me talk.

I left the appointment and spent today becoming more and more confused. Not to mention I am in a low so I am being a pessimist and irritable. I guess, I need some advice- would you take this guy's ideas with a grain of salt and seek a second opinion or would you give him a shot?

I have been previously diagnosed BP and have a history consistent with it which is why I am getting the urge to run in the opposite direction.

I think you should get a second opinion since he didn't listen to you. People with bipolar are much more likely to respond badly to antidepressants than those without.

But I would love to see someone like him so that he would change my diagnosis, since all of my manic episodes were induced by either adding or removing an antidepressant. There was only one potential 'episode' before that for me, and I'm not sure about it. It wasn't diagnosed. My therapist thinks I was experiencing PTSD.

Your appointment was with a new psychiatrist. What happened to the first psychiatrist who prescribed Prozac? Why did you leave?

One of the best psychiatrists I have had believed in medication, but at lower doses if possible.
He also believed in talk therapy. He said to get the biggest, best effect, a person should have both medication and talk therapy.

See your original psychiatrist if possible. Otherwise see if you can see another new one.

Take care,

We have a real shortage of psychiatrists in my area. They are really booked up or don't accept new patients. So he was one of the only docs I could see. Now I know why...

He had horrible reviews all over the internet. Apparently he gets on his soapbox and doesn't listen to anyone. Oh well.

I was diagnosed in a urgent care facility and I have been seeing my gp doc since due to the unavailability of psychiatrists. I might go back to the urgent care to see about a mood stabilizer in addition to the Prozac.

Regardless of what he said, I'd run! If the guy doesn't let you talk, or doesn't make you comfortable enough to talk then he's not doing his job right. That's one of the most important things for me in a mental health professional - do I feel comfortable talking? Do I feel like I could say anything I need to? If the answer is no, then I'd be off.

I would try and find someone else. Even if that someone else also questions the diagnosis, this guy doesn't sound like a good professional. Even if you have to wait, you could still see your GP, right?

I am sorry you had to go through that, it must be very upsetting. Especially if, as you say, you've crashed. Things can get to us in a way that they wouldn't if the mood was different.

Stay strong!