BP type II, rapid cycling, ? about hypomania

Hello.

I generally post on the depression board, as I usually identify with that more than bipolar stuff. Recently though, I have noticed I go from being extremely low to feeling really good in a matter of a day, sometimes even less than a day. My official dx is Bipolar Type II (along with GAD and BPD). Never dealt much with the hypomania until this past year. Have been treated for depression for 20 years, starting at age 16. Not sure when, but maybe 5 years ago, suddenly my chart said bp type II. Ok. I do agree with it.

So, anyway, my question is this: is it really bipolar type II if the severe depression and hypomania come and go so fast at times? I was reading something about the "definition" of hypomania, and it said the symptoms had to be there for something like at least 4 days. In the past, the cycling was much slower, and depression often lasted for months, hypomania for generally a week or so. Lots going on now, lots of stress due to medical issues (for ex: met w/ surgeon last week who said she could help me to feel better to some degree and improve quality of life with a colostomy & additional surgery).

Bottom line is I'm not sure what's going on. Is this rapid cycling really possible? Is it "all in my head"? Does anyone else experience this? Do I need meds adjusted or if it is stress, will meds not help?

I know I should be asking my psychiatrist all those questions, I will call her after the weekend. Just curious about your opinions. Hypomania symptoms include: needing very little sleep, getting lots of stuff done/very productive (cleaning things I never knew needed cleaning/have never cleaned before), super talkative (and lots of really long emails, sorry), very deeply affected by things (ex: someone holds a door for me and I think they are just amazing, I go on about how people are so kind and thoughtful, the world is good), and big plans for things, planning out how I'm going to give away all my $ to charity, and I want to pretty much "save the world". Luckily, the $ thing doesn't actually get carried out much.

So, the symptoms do not cause a lot of significant trouble for me, but it sorta bothers me anyway. I imagine this is what some people feel like on drugs or something. My case manager said yesterday that as long as the symptoms don't really interfere with my life, I don't need to be concerned. Like I shouldn't be bothered or upset about it. But I just don't feel very genuine when I'm like this. I don't like it.

Thoughts?


Thanks.

sunny,
bright user name !!!!

You need antidepressant,antipsychotic(mood) and anti anxiety pill for sure and i am no doc but you will know next week.My husband is a rapid cycler ..and i can relate to you as i have witnessed his moods and at times they can be scary and overwhelming but relax dear as you are functional .

the day you can't hold a job or take care of yourself is what is called dsyfunctional and that is what medical world cares about .

i am in constant worry the day my husband reaches that stage (as he is in denial and unmedicated).

be careful and record your moods (mood chart),have someone monitor you who lives with you.

take care to eat medications regularly as missing a dose is extremely bad.

be proactive and you will win this BP for sure .

healing prayers your way !!!!!
good luck!

Thanks for all the great thoughts and suggestions.

I do currently take both anti-depressants and lithium (plus a million other meds for other medical stuff). Been on the combination for many years, but the anti-depressant has changed quite a few times. Lithium has remained the same med, just different doses as needed. Seems like my cycling from depression to baseline to hypomania used to happen over a period of months, or at least weeks, and now it's down to sometimes less than a day it seems.

Like last week...early in the week, I was so down and depressed, lots of crying and isolating, hopelessness, I was having suicidal thoughts. Then went from that to (definitely) hypomanic in like 1 day. At that point, I was luckily just "thinking" about how to word things in a letter I wanted to write (but never did) where I was going to give lots of $ (that i really don't have) to an adult day-care that I used to volunteer at. Plus, I really should've been sleeping at the time, I think I slept about 2-3 hours that night. (I'm usually a person who needs at least 8 to function, and sometimes even a nap). Found myself coming up with all of these great plans to "make the world a better place" and felt like I had a new chance at life. I also decided that my apartment needed lots of cleaning--you know, using a q-tip to clean the drain in the sink, touching up paint that had been sorta scraped off INSIDE of the closet, and taking a manicure scissors to cut the fuzzies off of my clothes, and of course, out of the inside of my shoes! (talk about weird and obsessed with cleaning!)

My doc and therapist and I have figured out that often times, cleaning is a way for me to feel in control over something, when so much of my life (mostly medical stuff) is out of my control right now. It's sort of my "go to" way of coping with stress. Working on using other ways of coping. I mean, I like a super clean apartment, but I take it to the next level, it's not good.

So, as for the rapid-cycling (sorry I got way off topic up there), how can a psychiatrist even treat that? I know when it happens slow, we adjust meds depending on where my mood is at, but when it moves up and down so quick, what the heck do you do???

My case manager said as long as it doesn't interfere with my day to day life stuff, like work (i don't work) or other responsibilities, don't even worry about it. Well, it sorta does interfere. But more than that, it feels uncomfortable and gets so extreme, I feel like it's just a matter of time before I do some or even one of the "out there" kind of things I think about doing. Depending on where my mood is at during that time, acting on my thoughts could be extremely harmful.

How do you deal??

Hi Sunny,
My daughter and I both have bipolar I. Mine is under much better control. She takes her meds religiously, but she rapid cycles. She can be happy at noon, but at 7 PM she is suicidal. Are you on a mood stabilizer? It's a good time to just go to your doctor and check in.