:welcome2 Annie! I'm glad that you were comfortable enough to post. Believe me, everyone is here to support one another and to share their experiences. The board is filled with caring people who really understand the struggles we have.

Many people are hesistant about medications and diagnosis with their children. But when the proper medication combination is found, it can improve their lives so much - other parents on the board can share their stories about that.

It is a difficult process at times and I'm sorry that you also have your own issues to deal with as you mentioned. I think Elaine's suggestion is a good one to also have yourself reevaluated. Bipolar is not the same in all people and the "typical" symptoms that you read about online or in some books do not encompass all the different ways it shows itself in people. My DH is bipolar and the way bipolar shows itself in him is not the typical stereotypical image. It's a gift you can give yourself to get a proper evaluation to find out either way. It is also very common to selfmedicate with alcohol. But a dr can rule out things like bipolar or depression which are both treatable with medication.

It sounds like your instincts led you in the right direction with your son. Even though you didn't want to acknowledge it at first, you pursued finding the answer to what was going on. As hard as that was, that was such a great thing you did for him. I hope that they find the right combination of meds for him soon. Others on the board may be able to offer some advice as well.

Please don't hesitate to post anywhere on the board. And you can also send a pm to someone if you don't want to post on the general board. There is a lot of support here and I hope that you won't hesitate to use it. If you have a question, just ask. If you're having a bad day, you can vent. If something is going well - that's great to hear about too! We're all here for one another and want to be here to support you as well.