[Lily]

I have had the unfortunate problem of having hard to diagnose down immune system problems with neurological symptoms as well as a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. The bipolar disorder diagnosis came first and every time I go to a physician they feel that they have to question me about the mental illness. I have had strange things said to me like "bipolar disorder can cause all kinds of problems," and your problem is depression or anxiety or somatization. I was just written off by a doctor without appropriate testing as having somatization disorder and it affected the way I was treated in the local hospital. I was released while I was very ill and had some rude things said to me such as wasting people's time with my problems. I understand that somatization disorder actually exists but it seems that everyone thinks they know what bipolar can and can't do and doctors sometimes seem to forget that you still have a human body just like everyone else and can get ill too.

[Mrs. Bear]

Amen, sister. Stick to your guns, girl. Just cause we are moody, doesn't mean we can't get ill.

I am so sorry you had to go through that. What an arogant so and so to tell you that you were waisting someones time.

What about our time? What about the money we spend for them to do their jobs.

Nice to meet you. If you can't tell, you just hit on one of my pet peeves.

I am so sorry you had to go through that.