The bipolar illness typically shows up in late adolescence to early adulthood, although it can appear at anytime. If you are already being treated for Clinical Depression, most likely you would have already known if you were bipolar. Lexapro would have made you manic if that were the case. However that may not mean it won’t appear later. There have been different statistics I have read on line about the probability of having bipolar if someone else in your family has it is around 30-50%, but there doesn’t seem to be a definitive answer. Certainly it is genetic and runs in families as well as Clinical Depression. I was on Lexapro. I credit it with saving my life and have been off the drug now for almost a year. Let me prepare you if you haven’t already weaned off this drug before. Do it slowly. I would take twice as long as what the Doctor prescribes. Most people experience severe dizziness and I also couldn’t stop yawning for months. The dizziness lasted about 2 weeks. It was so bad, I couldn’t drive. Something my Doctor never shared with me and it made it difficult for me to drive to and from work. After that I was tired all of the time. Going to bed and getting up at the same time was very helpful. I also started taking vitamins. While I was on Lexapro I wasn’t able to cry. I don’t know if that is the case for you. Of course I didn’t want to cry, but be prepared when you come off of it because those lows do come back. I cried a lot. In the beginning after coming off Lexapro I was severely depressed every weekend for months, then slowly it became less and less. Now it’s just about twice a month and I usually can shake it off on my own. I have been told that 80-90% of people with Clinical Depression can’t function without antidepressants or if they wean off of it at some point in their life they will face another crisis where it’s crucial to go back on the medication. You should talk to your Doctor about that.

oh another severe side effect of which I fogot LOL is memory loss. I would forget huge gaps of times and conversations I had with my boyfriend. I still (obviously) suffer from memory loss, but in the beginning it was very noticeable by everyone around me. I say that lasted a good 6-8 months.

MY Mother comitted sucide in 2001 and i was very concerned as she was misdiagnosed for over 40 years! She abused her self with street drugs which made her depressions worse. I have been seen a shrink and i was informed that bi-polar can and does SKIP a generation, but it can be passed on to your children. Know that street drugs intensifys the illness including alcohol. So hang in there and don't dwell on it, set your goals. Just because you have a bad mood or day, doesn;t mean you have bi-polar, but pay attention to how you feel.. all the best ww