Good post. It's interesting to read all of your responses.
I was diagnosed about a year and a half ago. I fall somewhere between cyclothymia and BP. I think my onset was about 5 years ago. Starting around then I was coping with a serious back problem, then a hip problem, escalating Fibromyalgia symptoms and several broken bones from an accident thrown in there for good measure. During that time my symptoms were attributed to clinical depression. However anti depressants made the situation considerably worse.

Unlike most of the folks posting my onset was in my mid forties. I have read, and my therapist has suggested, that a combination of too many steroids (injections by several different doctors) combined with a very stressful job and home life sent my brain chemistry off kilter.

On the positive side, we seem to have found a combo of drugs that is helping although I still have rapid cycling and I'm far from symptom free. I take Lamictal and Effexor.