When diagnosis is unclear

Hi @Saffy

*****************************************************************************************************************************

You wrote:

I'm new! I'm a carer for my partner when she has episodes of mental illness. She doesn't have a clear diagnosis, but she suffers from some psychotic symptoms and depression.

I work full time in a busy job and have been quite overwhelmed lately with having to take time off work to care for my partner and then getting more and more behind in my paid work.

I just wanted to reach out here and learn to access some more resources for carers. It's become clear that my partner's illness isn't go away in a hurry and although she is able to work and function in the between times, I have to accept that I have a caring role. So, I'm hoping to find some support and camaraderie here

*******************************************************************************************************************************

So much of what you wrote is what I have experienced. It has been a long road for me and my partner (hubby of 33 years aka Mr Darcy). I work to support us, my work have been understanding and not discriminatory in any way but Mr D's crisis of 3 1/2 years has affected my work and I am only just starting to feel that I am getting back into things and it does worry me as there are a lot of changes at my work and worry about the security of my job.

Saffy, the main difference between us is that it took me far too long to realise that I needed to adopt the caring role, What started as being OCD and anxiety deteriorated to psychosis, mania, depression and suicide attempts.

Once I took on the role and got much needed advice from one of the docs to "look things up" things started to take a turn for the better in that with the present treatment psychosis and suicidal ideations seem to be absent. I realised that Mr D had been in no state to give a decent history and I put together as best I could a treatment history - list of all his interventions - drugs, therapy. ect, responses to treatment, hospitalisations. presentations to ED etc. etc. It probably needs summarising now (I listed all scripts collected as I wanted to prove compliance). I had never heard of things such as hypomania (esp antidepressant induced hypomania), emotional dysregulation and the like.

We have had 15 years of mental illness all up, 6 of things worsening, 2 really bad years and 18 months of slow recovery from an acute episode. I am hoping an appointment this week will give clarity to his diagnosis as I was able to really add to the history with information received from discharge summaries.

I would really encourage you to attend pdoc appts with your partner - not sure how it works in the private system but in the public system there are obligations to carers, If your partner is willing, becoming their enduring guardian in relation to health is really helpful. Familiarise yourself with your states mental health act, understand psychosis as well as possible loss of insight. As per the podcast I sent through, document any changes.

Even though it is looking probable that bipolar ii (with ocd, gad and personality disorder nos) might be the final diagnosis for Mr D, I found really good information on Sz websites as well as BP ones - have posted some of these in the "whats new" tab, these include loss of insight and carer grief @Shaz51 has put through some good carer tips in the "looking after ourselves" tab.

Sorry, my thoughts are a little all over the place at the minute, hope this makes sense to you. If you would like to ask me anything, please feel free.

Darcy