How many. . .

[tallyn75]

I'd like to get a feel for an average here:

How long have you had bipolar symptoms?

How many times have you been hospitalized for bipolar symptoms?

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As for me, I've had it for 17 years, and I've been hospitalized 9 times.

 

[Alive again]

I have never been hospitalized for bp. I faked a suicide attempt once (I am an RN so knew how to do this, not recommended) to get an expedited referral to a p doc. This doesn't even work in the system that exists now a days, so definitely DO NOT DO THIS!!!

I was diagnosed 3 years ago. Medicated twice previously for depression and then had been extremely ill and disabled due to depression for 10 years prior to manias developing far enough to be identifiable as such. I have bp 2. In hind sight I can see symptoms from my childhood of extreme crying jags and such. I have been suicidal on and off since age 16, 30 years now. . .

 

[berry2000]

Symptoms began at twelve. Sadly diagnosis not made until 27. Hospitalized twice in the same month. Mostly due to some psychiatric response to birth control and medication interactions...but i'm not making excuses. Hospitalized twice.

 

[rushingwind62]

I'd like to get a feel for an average here:

How long have you had bipolar symptoms?

How many times have you been hospitalized for bipolar symptoms?

--------------

As for me, I've had it for 17 years, and I've been hospitalized 9 times.

Looking back I can see I have been BP For most of life but I wasn't diagnoised until 6 years ago. Since then I have been hospitalized 5 times. My last hospitalaztion was almost 3 years ago. So it was rough going at first but I am pretty stable now.

 

[4Everloved]

I was referred to a counselor who can write prescriptions and my appointment today. My regular counselor was mad because my anti-depressants I've taken for 10 years weren't working any more. So she referred me to this licensed nurse practitioner psychiatric counselor.

She says I'm bipolar. This was just a few hours ago. I've had exactly one pill. I see this counselor again in two weeks.

I just wonder, have I always been bipolar? And how can I be sure that I actually am bipolar?

 

[Greeble]

We think (my doc and I) that the symptoms began around 12 or 13 I wasn't diagnosed until last year (I was 45) The symptoms were masked and attributed to a collection of bad things that happened to our family around then. I spent all of the time since in and out of deep depression. I had *no* idea where deep unending well of rage came from.

I managed to cope. I have kept the same job for 20 years. People were surprised at the diagnosis. (Everyone except me) The road rage is mostly gone. Driving is now *much* easier!

I am on two meds and have never been hospitalzed.

I am alive so the meds are working. Out of depression is another goal I hope to achieve at some point.

 

[Alaskamomma]

I was daignosed as bipolar II a year and 10 months ago. Have been in the hospital twice. Once for three weeks. ANd another time just three weeks ago where I was in for a week and the dr changed my diagnosis to bipolar I with a mixed episode.

Looking back in my life I can see my bipolar weaving in and out of my life until I was the age of 5. Pretty signficant events have happened (most not so good) around various times that I now see as manic epidsodes.

Sometimes it is helpful to look back other times it is painful to see all the damage I have done when ill. But now I am on meds and taking some herbal supplements to see if I can maintain order with in this brain of mine.

 

[Ramona]

I've shown symptoms since I was about four years old, but it went undiagnosed until I was 16. Right now, my psychiatrist still can't tell whether it's moderate-severe bipolar or mild-moderate borderline personality disorder, but treatment is similar so I'm mostly ok about that.

I've been hospitalized four times - twice for impulse control, and twice for SI.