I have Bipolar II, which was diagnosed in London Harley Medical District by a consultant psychiatrist, an honoury senior lecture at imperial college London. I cannot afford private treatment but I managed to scrape together to afford the assessment. I came to Sittingbourne Memorial for treatment on NHS (the 6 months it took to see the consultant anyway) I was told I had another condition. Despite for the 5+ years here being told first I didn't have a condition other than standard depression/anxiety. Also the fact I'd spent 6 months coming to terms with the lifelong condition of bipolar II. The consultant demontrated lack of knowledge in the bipolar spectrum. Particularly between I and II and also then attempted to diagnose me with cyclothymia........as and I quote "You dont have/havn't had major or clinical depression." Then attempted to diagnose me with emotionally unstable personality impulsive type (rare in men) Cyclothymia is a lesser version of bipolar spectrum, that either develops into full bipolar in many, or improves with age. This diagnosis was reached due to not taking proper evidence and not looking at the facts. My medical record is full of this. I was also told "If you had bipolar you would have been in hospital", clearly showing a lake of awareness in the difference between bipolar I and II. People with bipolar II rarely needed sectioning. I was also told to triple my mood stabiliser, despite me lating reading that cyclothymia isn't well treated by mood stablisers, and lamotrigine, what I was prescribed in London was the best for BPII. Of course I wont be listening to that advice. I also predicted this kind of outcome prior to attending to my GP. I also predicted to my mother who has Bipolar II, that they would rediagnose or say she didn't have it. The consultant said she didn't have it and to "get it out of her head". Wow I wish us bipolar suffers could get it out of out head. My advice if you are dealing with this or similiar things in mental health, dont go here. Some of the team are quite helpful, but the consultant psychiatrist seems clueless, and seemed more interested in discrediting the previous private diagnosis. I was also asked why I went private, so was my mother when she went and my mother was told that the psychiatrist in London was no good and diagnoses people with Bipolar for money and had said 4 others have it that dont. This seems very unprofessional. The consultant in London is very qualified and I could tell from the difference in treatment. You will probably also leave angry, confused and in a worse state than when you entered, not a good thing for anyone suffering with mental health.
"If you have Bipolar, or think you do. Dont go here..."
About: Sittingbourne Memorial Hospital Sittingbourne Memorial Hospital Sittingbourne ME10 4DT
Posted via nhs.uk
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