True 'nuf. Hear ya, Ryask! (SI has never really been an issue for me.. but sui ideations? --plans, acquisitions? Holy cow.) The depressions sooo long and deep... oh yes. For me the irritability issues were not slight though-- they threatened the very few relationships I had. Undiagnosed for a loooong time? Oh. So. Hear. You. 25 years+ from the first obvious signs....
Even though parts suck... I'd still take hypomania over depression ANY day! Times ten! (At LEAST!)
Like you said, Ryask, super wow-za on the straight SSRIs? Yup.
Save us from Ebay...
(Been really really good on that front once I knew what was going on...)