I'm a retired Home Health nurse, and I am also bipolar. Didn't figure it out until 1998, when my mom was diagnosed on her deathbed. With a second major in psych! The mood swings can be blamed on life stresses, so it's hard to diagnose. I figured it out when I cried over getting a $4000.00 check. I was overdosed on depakote, my liver and pancreas went toxic,almost died, and now I'm afraid to take anything. The doc had me on 1,000 mg/day. I only weigh 100 lbs. Looked it up in the PDR-I thought that sounded like too much! I had a psychotic break too, without knowing it, and took my hands and eyes off the wheel while driving in a school zone. Now, I have a broken neck and head injury to go with it. The shrink is not responsible because I didn't go to the hospital. Heck, I didn't even know anything was wrong with me! I have partial seizures now, and my neurologist just overdosed me on Zonegran. Turns out it's a sulfa drug, and I'm allergic. I have chronic migraines, and carry imitrex injections everywhere I go. Then, to top that off, 8 years ago I went through menopause, in itself a mood disorder. Is there no end? Good thing there's a heaven. I, for one, can't wait!