How long...
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How long...
| Wed, 12-27-2006 - 1:50pm |
I see it's kinda quiet. Perhaps folks are still traveling or visiting family.
Anyways, I thought it might be interesting to know how people would respond to these two questions:
How long from first symptoms to diagnosis?
How long have you been diagnosed bipolar?


14 years until diagnosed
2 years since diagnosed
Hi tallyn,
It was about 21 years from first symptoms to diagnosis.
I've been diagnosed for about 5 months.
Peg
Hmm. I don't remember when I started showing signs, but the first time a doc said the word "bipolar" to me was when I was 18. I was officially diagnosed nearly three years later.
I am now 34, so it has been 14 years.
Express!
Beth "Petrouchka"
How long from first symptoms to diagnosis? Let's see, looking back I started showing symptoms at 7 yo and self-dx'd 8 yrs ago, but didn't receive an "official" dx until mid last year, so 31 yrs from first symptoms 'till "official" dx.
How long have you been diagnosed bipolar? around 8 mo.
Started depressive symptoms at 5 years old. Started manic symptoms in my early teens. Was dx'd with major depression at 13 and then dx'd bipolar at age 33. I also have had agoraphobia and panic disorder with these other dx's. My agoraphobia has improved tramendously, but I still have a good amount of anxiety and occasional panic.
So, 8 years after symptoms of depression before dx's and 20 years before bipolar dx's after symptoms.
I was on mood stabalizers on and off before being dx'd as bipolar because they seen I was having mood swings but didn't give me that label until I was 33 and went i/p and they seen my moods on a daily basis. After my dx's my treatment has been more successful. I have been able to learn about bipolar and how to treat it. Treatment not just with meds but with behavior therapy as well. Therapy is so so important with any mental illness. That is where you are supposed to learn coping skills and learning ways to change negative thinking - IF- you have a good tdoc that is. I have been lucky to hav had a few good ones in my many years of treatment. There has been some that weren't worth crap. You have to shop for a good one. Ok, more info than you asked for.
It is a hard road. Ups and downs.
Tina
~ Tina ~
Symptoms 1st appeared-for sure--when I was in my early teens, but in retrospect talking with my tdoc, I probably had the 1st glimmer of something wrong as early as 5 or 6, if not before
Was finally dx'd 5 years ago (Feb 02)-- I'd seen pdocs/tdocs off & on for years it took them 30+ years to do so, even bringing up the possibility myself almost 20 years ago only to be told I wasn't because I didn't think I was the president or God