I've had 3 BP diagnoses, but they were all different... BP 1 NOS, BP 1, BP 1 w/ psychotic features.

[Blue_Bird]

1 time. Bipolar 1 with Psychotic features, then it was changed over to Schizoaffective Disorder Bipolar Type and has been that ever since

[fern46]

I was diagnosed twice as Bipolar 1 with psychotic features. Now I am essentially undiagnosed as they no longer know what to make of me. My diagnosis remains the same for insurance, but my pdoc and NP have both told me they are no longer sure I'm bipolar. Now my pdoc says I had brief reactive psychosis and we havr to wait and see if that morphs into something else.

[Skeezyks]

I've never actually been diagnosed with anything. One psychiatrist I saw in the hospital suggested there might be a "bipolar element" to what was going on with me.

[HALLIEBETH87]

I’ve seen several pdocs mostly because I’ve been seeing one off and on for 15 years-since I was 17. Almost all of them say I’m bp except my current psyd says sza

[bpcyclist]

Three times, all inpatient.

[Nammu]

Multiple times since the 80's.

[Under*Over]

Im not sure. I usually just tell whatever new therapist I have my diagnosis and they either agree or dont.

Like right now my therapist is wondering if I have schizoaffective with bipolar 2 as the mood disorder instead of bipolar 1. With PTSD heightening my emotional reactions when I am hypomanic.

Im not sure this counts as a “new” bipolar diagnosis though. Its the same condition just with a different name.

So I guess Ive been “diagnosed” like this- 4 or 5 times. Ive been moving a lot so I dont tend to keep therapists for very long. A year at most usually- sometimes less than 6 months, and different therapists have floated different ideas.

My last therapist diagnosed me as schizoaffective bipolar type. The psychiatrist I was seeing at the same time had diagnosed me as the same at about the sams time. Not sure if these count as individual diagnoses too- for example.

So I dont know. Thats my answer to this question

twice.

well: once officially, and then someone wanted a re assessment because I moved and my records didn't come with me for what ever reason

exactly the same result

so guess I could say twice

[*Beth*]

4 times, starting around 1991. Always was BP2; now it seems to go into BP 1 (much mania).

[Wild Coyote]

BP ll - First Pdoc to diagnose this.
BPII - Second pdoc diagnoses me the same.

[Mountaindewed]

Off and on for 14 years. Now they are wondering if I have narcolepsy instead.

I can't even remember or figure out how many times. What officially constitutes a separate diagnosis? A complete psychiatric evaluation and then a declaration? If that, then at least 6. If also a psychiatrist witnessing me manic and having proof of a past depression? Maybe 9 total with dx on medical records. I've had the full work up, even including CT, PET, MRI, EEG, blood tests, physical exam, and more. I've told my story more times than I can remember. I'm at a stage where telling me I didn't have bipolar disorder 1 would be like telling me I'm actually a male chimp named George.

I have had anxiety as part of my bipolar disorder at times, but not always. Otherwise, I don't meet the criteria for any other disorder other than bipolar disorder. I was once also given a dual diagnosis of bipolar disorder and alcohol dependence, but I am not an alcoholic. [Long story!] I happily drink one glass of wine each night nowadays, and no more, with no real desire for more. The bipolar stuff has been happening for 34 years and continues through today.

I thought I typed some long response here days ago, but it disappeared. Sorry I replaced it with another long one.

[BipolaRNurse]

My first pdoc diagnosed me with bipolar NOS, but the next four providers I saw all agreed that I had bipolar 1, and it's stuck with me for the past five years. I don't think it'll ever change, and there's probably a really good reason for that.

[Phoenix_1]

I diagnosed myself in 2011, after 6 weeks of out patient group therapy at the hospital. It was from 9 to 3, 5 days a week, and the 2nd time I'd done the group therapy. I wasn't diagnosed by a pdoc until August 2013. I finally got the correct psych meds in July, 2017, after being diagnosed BP2 by a new psychiatrist. I'm still working on finding the best drug cocktail, but I'm so much better than before.
So I diagnosed myself in 2011, and was diagnosed BP2 by psychiatrists twice after that.

[Moose72]

Everytime I get a new pdoc or T I am rediagnosed.

[randal]

Officially, five times, I guess.
First by my family physician(1), who only thought I was plain vanilla "Bipolar", no numbers added.. Then my first real psychiatrist(2) determined that I was a "classic manic-depressive" and Bipolar I. He insisted on sending me to a community-based free clinic (even though I insisted I had the money and could afford my treatment) where a psychologist(3) diagnosed me as plain-vanilla bipolar (again) and passed me on to a psychiatrist(4) who diagnosed me as Bipolar I (again). He was an Reservist and told me I was eligible for VA treatment, and sent me to the local VA hospital. They diagnosed my condition as "bipolar spectrum"(5), which I think is the only official diagnosis, although most of the docs I've seen there tell me I'm Bipolar I.

[~Christina]

Bipolar I right out of the gate.

[Polibeth]

I voted 3 times because I was seen by a number of providers over the years and when I got a new pdoc they re-diagnosed me.

I've been with my pdoc for nearly 10 years now and I know that we are both comfortable with the diagnosis (first suggested in 2003) now.