I could have been stuch on psychiatric medicines for the rest of my life--but Dr. Packer got a detailed history and asked questions about medical as well as psychiatric (and cultural and social and educational) history. She informed me that my one and only manic episode occurred at the same time that my rheumatologist prescribed prednisone for my arthritis, adn that it went away as soon as the prednisone stopped. She changed my diagnosis from Bipolar One to Bipolar Three and assured me that I need ""watchful waiting"" and ""observation"" rather than heavy duty harmful meds like depakoate, which I was on before. I gained twenty pounds and lost half my hair from the depakoate. I would rather have regular appts with a Dr. who knows what they are doing and is prepared to restart meds at the first sign of relapse, rather than suffering side effects of a drug that was necessary in an emergency, but is not essential for the rest of my life. I have been seeing Dr. Packer once or twice a month for the past ten months and have not had anotehr episode. I feel very lucky that my mother recommended Dr. Packer.
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