Being Bipolar in a Working World

Most, if not all my co workers know I am Bipolar.  If you tell one woman you work with "in confidence", practically every woman you work with will know within 24 hours.  I talked with my work buddies about "my situation" and in not so short a time I started hearing little rumors here and there.  Malicious ones too.  "Do you know she takes a handful of meds?"  "You know she  had a nervous breakdown?"  How does something so innocent get twisted into something so hurtful?  Women can be such bitches.  It's a hard decision whether to speak of your disease with your co-workers or not.  I kinda wish that I never had.   Most understand, but I think a few hold it against me. 
But if you never speak up, you are faced with "staying in the closet" much like being Gay was 15 years ago.  It still isn't socially acceptable to have a mental illness and work in a high functioning job.  Hopefully someday soon it will be, IF we begin to talk about ourselves.  We can be plant supervisors, nurses, CEOs, lawyers, mechanics ...... whatever we damn well please.  
Now I did purposefully share with my boss that I am Bipolar.   My boss and I used to work together on labor and delivery.  The very first day I came in for my interview, she asks about a lapse of time in my work history.  Well I had already made the decision to be upfront and tell her that I had a breakdown, and that I had spent a year and a half recooperating.  I also told her that I was perfectly well and fit for work now.  We also discussed that if I got in a "bad way" I would come and talk with her and let her know that I need to be off work.  In the two years I have been here, there have been two days that I took off due to stressors at home that had just become too overwhelming.  And she very much understood.  It wasn't convenient, but she knew it was just as important as if I had a fever of 102.5.  I am so grateful that I have a boss that is understanding and compassionate.   Thanks Donna!