Husband’s sister finally being treated - for bipolar disorder :-(

[NotMyFirstRodeo]

My husband’s younger sister overdosed on OTC medication a little less than a week ago, two days after her birthday (33) while visiting her parents in the independent living facility here in New England that they moved to in February.

She’s currently in the hospital, just tonight being transferred to an inpatient facility after having been diagnosed there a couple days ago with bipolar disorder, but it seems obvious to me that DH’s younger sibling has BPD. Her older sister was diagnosed with BPD a few years before she ended her life in 2011, so it’s not like any of this is new for us.

I’ve known her and my husband’s family for over 15 years, and the family dynamics (specifically, the parents’ relationship with his sister) are pretty awful, to put it mildly. I’m feeling helpless that they finally have the opportunity to get help for her (the parents have been 100% of her financial and other support while she pursues an acting career in NYC), but I don’t know how to communicate to them that I think she’s being misdiagnosed. I’m just so frustrated because I see them repeating their mistakes, and I can see where that will lead. I feel for my husband; he has had very little contact with his sister over the years due to her behavioral issues (he’s the only one who has been able to set any kind of boundaries with his sister and parents, and there’s  a 12-year age difference so they didn’t spend much time interacting with each other growing up) but he and I are both worried about what’s going to happen to all of them now.

Sorry, this is mostly venting; I’m just very frustrated with the whole situation, and I don’t know any other people with direct experience with BPD that I can talk with.

[SlyQQ]

I understand in some places for health insurance reasons the diagnosis between BPd and bi polar can be fluid,

The actual treatment they are getting is what is important, though, sadly there are no drugs recommended for the treatment of BPD, and so they end up treating the symptoms and not the cause when proscribing,

hope it goes down the right path for you and yours , good luck.

[NotMyFirstRodeo]

I think it’s very much related to her not having insurance that she’s been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Unfortunately, she’s been prescribed antipsychotic meds I think in an attempt to stabilize her mood.

I did hear one slightly positive bit of news, in that her parents were told that it’s hard to make a definitive diagnosis after one interview (no kidding... .) which makes me think that someone there is at least open to exploring other Dx. Unfortunately, the clock is ticking here, as her parents have been told this is a short-term treatment program which could last as little as a few days to a week or so before she’s discharged.

Sigh... .

[CollectedChaos]

Sounds like you are in the US so hopefully this applies to you: insurance/other means of funding healthcare will only cover the treatment of axis I disorders (depression, anxiety, bipolar, etc), not any axis II disorders (personality disorders) on their own.  Because of this, people who are diagnosed with BPD or another PD will often be primarily diagnosed with bipolar, depression, anxiety or another axis I disorder.  That way, insurance will cover their treatments.  I imagine this is happening with your SIL, even if she doesn't have insurance - this "workaround" has just become the standard of care here.  Providers also don't like to diagnose people with PDs because they then follow them forever in the system - if they're incorrect in their diagnosis, it's difficult to correct.  Hope this helps