Does anyone have bipolar NOS?

[lightningandsnow]

I seem to be rather hard to diagnose these days. While some doctors have called into question whether I've ever been hypomanic at all, my main doctor from the university seems to think I have some form of bipolar; either bipolar II, or bipolar NOS. He originally said bipolar II, but seems to be leaning more towards the NOS.

What does that even mean? Is it just a generic label because I'm hard to diagnose? (I also have traits of borderline personality disorder, and while I've clearly had depression and a couple of mixed states, it's hard to tell whether I've had full-on hypomania without meds. I think I have, but what do I know?)

Gah. I just wish I had a proper diagnosis!

[Odin2005]

1. I do, because Cyclothmia isn's an official DSM-IV diagnosis.

[mdmc]

2. nos= not otherwise specified

People, imho, tend to receive several diagnosis throughout their lives. Depending on what is going on in life, treatment providers attempt to place the patient into a proper category (diagnosis).

I've seen people initially diagnosed w. OCD disorganized type.
then
General Anxiety Disorder..
then
Severe depression..

I tend to pay very little attention to a diagnosis and focus on what people want to change in their lives.

So, In your instance, I would ask what difference would being bipolar II vs. bipolar NOS would mean to you? Or to put it another way, what in life is causing you trouble and how can we make it better?