MedicFilter: tests for bipolar disorder?

June 6, 2004 6:48 PM

I was recently diagnosed with bipolar disorder. As part of the ongoing diagnostic process, I was asked to take the MMPI, the results of which took a long time to return to me. Turns out that I scored 'invalid' on the test, with the implication by my doctor that I was trying to throw the results, even though I answered the sometimes insipid questions completely honestly. Now doctor and family alike are looking askance at me, and I feel a bit paranoid over where treatment options will go next due to this (I've already had some very bad reactions to alleged "low side effect" medications). Should I change doctors, re-take the test, or just let it pass?
posted by WolfDaddy to health & fitness (10 comments total)

You should exercise your right to get a second opinion. Don't be afraid to ask about the possible alternatives, and by all means, emphasize the adverse reactions you've mentioned. Consider retaking the test if you find a physician you're more comfortable with, but don't let the one experience with the prior doctor sour you.
posted by Smart Dalek at 7:08 PM on June 6, 2004

I'd get a second opinion from a diff. doctor.
posted by amberglow at 7:21 PM on June 6, 2004

Switch doctors. He shouldn't need that test to diagnose you properly. (I'm bipolar myself.)

Also, get thee to the bipolar forum at About.com. That place is a treasuretrove of info, plus the folks at the forum are wonderful. The med folder alone is worth its weight in gold.

On the subject of meds, I have tried quite a few. If you want, you can email me or post here and I can give you info on what worked for me-and didn't.
posted by konolia at 7:42 PM on June 6, 2004

Personally I would have taken a second test even if the first one scored "valid". If possible, a different test.

May I ask you what suggest you to take the test, or why was it suggested to you ? If you don't want to answer I understand , it's personal stuff one may choose not to say.
posted by elpapacito at 7:44 PM on June 6, 2004

Get a second opinion, definitely. My neurologist recommended I take that test a few years ago, and the neuropsychologist I met with after that recommendation was happy to administer the test if that's what was wanted, but he said the MMPI is kind of outdated and there are more accurate ways to measure what the MMPI is designed to measure.

I ended up taking that test anyway. I remember answering all of the questions honestly, too, but I could plainly see how the questions and possible answers were worded in such a way to sometimes be misleading. Or at least to pigeonhole the test subject into one of just a few possible categories. (As in, "Wow, if I answered that question this way instead, they'd think I was totally out of my head!")
posted by emelenjr at 7:58 PM on June 6, 2004

I would get a second opinion for no other reason than that psychiatric issues cannot be dealt with adequately unless you have a large amount of trust in your treatment provider.
However, I would express the reasons that you are leaving this doctor. Both to the current and new doctors. I had an extremely negative experience with a GP once, and I've found that once I relate this experience to any new doctors, they treat me with a great deal of respect for recognizing what type of treatment does and does not work for me.
Be strong, and don't be afraid to ask for what you need. The doctors will respect you for taking an active role in your treatment. You will not hurt the current doctor's feelings, this happens to them all the time, and is part of their job. In fact, by drawing this issue to their attention you may help them to improve.
But above all, do whatever it takes to make you happy with the level of treatment you are receiving.
posted by nprigoda at 5:01 AM on June 7, 2004

elpapacito: I was asked to take the test due to the aforementioned bad reaction to medication. Said reaction was mania of an intensity I've never experienced before (and don't care to experience ever again) which caused the doctor to think I might be bipolar II rather than suffering depression.

konolia: I'll e-mail you. Thanks.

all: thanks for the advice and insights. I'm seeking a second opinion.
posted by WolfDaddy at 6:25 AM on June 7, 2004

Actually, the more I'm hearing about this, the more I'm inclined to suggest: RUN to a new doctor.
The doctor has diagnosed bipolar II when all evidence is suggesting that the episode was brought on by medication, and one of the major diagnostic features of BPI and II is that they are NOT related to a change in medication or substance abuse.
Yeah, get a new doctor. Each one will have their own expertise, but for this one to make a diagnosis that goes against what's in all the texts without suggesting a referral is raising warning flags for me.
posted by nprigoda at 8:29 AM on June 7, 2004

nprigoda, many antidepressants, if not concomicantly administered with mood stabilizers, can trigger manic states in bipolar "type 3" people. I'm adopted, but what family history I have indicates bipolar disorder in every single genetic relative I can find. The combination of my own history, what genetic history I have on hand, and my reaction to the medications that triggered mania are what has led to the current diagnosis of BPII. However, the diagnostic process is still "ongoing" ... and I'm still seeking a second opinion :-)
posted by WolfDaddy at 9:29 AM on June 7, 2004

Hey WolfDaddy, I sent you an e-mail. You're right, I shouldn't make a snap "diagnosis" without all the info.
I would still look into the Young and Klerman bipolar subtypes, and keep in mind (you probably know this already) a lot of the interactions between SSRIs and other medical conditions are as yet unknown, and further obscured by the reliance on the "patient-years" method of investigating long-term side effects.
Best of luck with all of this!
posted by nprigoda at 11:56 AM on June 7, 2004