Rapid cycling cyclothymia.

Has anyone experienced rapid cycling states of hypomania or minor depression?

To spare you the extremely long winded post I typed up (and got deleted) before this, let me start off by saying I've been formally diagnosed with cyclothymic disorder (with potential for comorbid ADHD and OCD), I've been ruled out from borderline personality or autism spectrum/pervasive developmental disorders, but my case is atypical at best. I experience general, long-term mood patterns of 'up' and 'down', yet the difference seems only to be minor at best, characterized by more or less emotional reactivity, a tendency to introversion or extroversion depending, and higher or lower levels of anxiety and general self-esteem depending on the time of the year (and this occurs independently of seasonality, to further rule out seasonal affective disorder). In addition, I also experience brief, transient episodes of depression (characterized by lowered mood, tearfulness, hypersomnia, distraught over past events and future plans, self-hatred yet no significant anhedonia or lowered motivation, albeit my motivation is almost always shot no matter what mood I'm in), and brief, transient episodes of hypomania (characterized by increased talkativeness, euphoria, high excitation, high self confidence, psychomotor agitation, non-delusional, yet perhaps unrealistic grandiosity, and, occasionally, flight of ideas, irritability, and inner restlessness, subtly distinct and more insidious from the inner restlessness I experience in my euthymic, baseline mood). Note that neither such state lasts more than a single day, but can occur several times over a string of days and can rapidly cycle between each other or my normal mood. My up states, however, seem to be more prevalently hypomanic and my down states seem to be more prevalently dysthymic. I maintain a high level of self control during either state, never engaging in spendthrifts (though the impulsivity from my attention deficit symptoms do have an impact on my finances), nor sexual indiscrimination and indulgence in hard drugs, and never engaging in self-harm, serious consideration of suicide, nor any seriously extended display in bed due to depressed mood (while my depression can reach a resend that causes me to lay in bed for a few hours, my incessant desire for distraction will inevitably pull me out of it once again even while still depressed).

Whilst, I've stated above, I've been diagnosed with cyclothymic disorder formally (and given mood stabilizers which I've just started on course), both my psychologist and my pdoc admit that I'm a tough cookie to diagnose, and, depending on how my current treatment course turns out, the diagnosis might change once again. In addition, I seem to display a general reduced capability for affective empathy, albeit a completely unimpaired, perhaps even distinctly better-than-average ability for perspective taking. I suspect this is more consistent with schzoid/schizotypal symptomology (though I do not consider myself either) rather than antisocial personality symptomology, though I do indeed display certain antisocial/sadistic/narcissistic tendencies, complicated by likely conduct disorder/oppositional defiant disorder in childhood. I also experience high levels of generalized anxiety and guilt, desire for love, and genuine attachment to friendships. I have a very set self-image and locked in long term goals for my life (though my general lack of motivation is very hard to overcome in this department). I have never experienced any psychotic symptoms, hallucinations nor delusions, outside of the influence of illicit drugs, even during high levels of stress. I'm an ambivert with a high degree of social success, gaining comfort and energy from social situations (albeit strong tendencies to social anxiety - it's complicated), as well as confiding in myself. My dad suffered from unipolar depression, my mother is likely hyperthymic in temperament, one of my uncles on my mom's side was committed, though the actual reason was never clear for several reasons, could've been anything from schizophrenia to bipolar disorder to severe autism spectrum disorder. I've been treated with SSRIs, tricyclics (no effect from either), antipsychotics (risperidone, aripiprazole, olanzapine), no effect other than side effects, stimulants (Adderall, Dexedrine, Ritalin), which generated states worryingly similar to my hypomanic episodes), and, as stated before, now mood stabilizers (lamotrigine).

Does anyone else have similar experiences to share?

I don't have very similar experiences really... well, maybe I do. I'm an ultra-ultra-rapid cycling bipolar II, with states of hypomania and major depression. Don't get too stuck on the idea of getting "properly diagnosed" -- it's all about which box to check for the insurance forms really anyway. What matters more is your symptoms and how well (or not) they can be treated.

I am glad to hear you have started on mood stabilisers -- hopefully those help a lot. My mood stabiliser is odd -- it stabilised my *mood*, just not the rest. So I still have motivation, libido and anger swings, but my actual *mood* stays pretty stable. Which is a drastic improvement, even though not 100% what I would like. Intro/extroversion also cycles, which is a bummer when setting social appointments

I have a very set self-image and locked in long term goals for my life (though my general lack of motivation is very hard to overcome in this department)

This really rings a bell. I am exactly the same. It leads to what I realise is senseless self-whipping over how "I need to do more to get where I want to be".

Not sure if this is helpful -- hopefully at least a bit. Big hugs and I hope the mood stabilisers help!

Hello!

Well I want to share my exeprience with you. First I had panic attacks, but before panic attacks I noticed I was irritable, a real pain in the a*** and hyperactive. My mind was flying around and I also noticed some changes in my body ( for example my eyes and also muscles on my body were switching). Also my DC asked me if I have any hormonal problems. Well then I got panic attacks (all together I had about 3 or 4 of them) and got AD which at first made it worse but then I took it for about a year and I was feeling great but not myself. I was shopping all the time but wasn't happy about it. I was too calm and didn't give a damn about everything. I guess I was hypomanic. Then I went off AD's and then the real "party" started.

My mood started changing, I was sad, cried a lot then happy, then didn't sleep, didn't eat, anytime there was something stresfull (or not even that stresfull) my mood would switch. Thinking I had anxiety I went on another AD's ( so the doctors messed me up) which made me even worse. My mind was literally changing from one minute to another, my mind was a chaos. Then I ggot of ADs my pdoc said I have cyclothimia cus if I had anxiety or depression then AD would help and not make it worse which makes sence.

I am currently on 100mg of Lamictal (my therapheutich doze) and I am eating it for about 17 days now. All together I am taking Lamictal for little less than two months, but I guess it takes up to 3 or even more months to see a difference.

My current state? Well, mixed. I eat and I sleep quite normal, my libido is so so, depends in what kinnda mood I am. If i'm sad I don't feel like having sex and if I'm super happy (but not manic) I feel like i need sex every day several times funny

As for other things well I know that for cyclothimia and bipolar you should first take mood stabilizers and I heard Lamictal is really great but it takes time to kick in (not the same as AD which kicked in in about 5, 6 weeks in my case). So if you are experiencig mood swings then stabilizer is the right decission.

But I don't want you to think I am totally self-confident about this drug. I am just praying it'll work. I try to help it as much as I can, but everytime smth happens that's out of my routine my mood swings, I eventually get anxiety and depression all together. But I guess it's not as severeas it was and I really hope it'll go away soon. SUre everyone gets nervous when they start a new job or something, but come on, geting almost a panic attack? That's just not right.

Maybe you read "my theory" that if you are curing the basic illness you have all the other things should go away. At least I am hoping for that.

Best of luck to you!

It's been about a month or so since I started the lamotrigine, and I've been doing well. My mood cycles have stabilized and lengthened so now I spend about a week or so in one mood and a week or so in the other, to the point where I can rule out other causes for my mood swings and embrace the diagnosis properly.

Unfortunately, my ADHD symptoms seem to have persisted even with the mood stabilization, and the ineffective response to stimulants really puts me in a bad position. Anybody else experienced in dealing with attention deficit and bipolar type disorder?

I can relate to this very much. Sounds a lot like me. I am just now getting into see a psychiatrist in the coming months. My therapist is leaning towards a mood disorder. She mentioned Bipolar II or Cyclothymia. My highs aren't extreme but I do get more talkative and excited. I do believe I can cycle within hours to maybe even minutes if that's possible. I can be enraged then break down and cry, even sometimes so hysterically that I laugh to myself at what a sap I am. It's such a crazy feeling when all those emotions come out. I feel more depressed than anything and have a lot of irritation at the most minor of things. I love to get out on the town and live the fast life for a night before I'm back to reality so to speak. That might be my mania I am not sure because it's not super intense and doesn't last long at all. I'm hoping to get a proper diagnosis this time even if it is a dual one (Mood Disorder w/ Borderline Traits) ?

bittersweetx3 wrote:I can relate to this very much. Sounds a lot like me. I am just now getting into see a psychiatrist in the coming months. My therapist is leaning towards a mood disorder. She mentioned Bipolar II or Cyclothymia. My highs aren't extreme but I do get more talkative and excited. I do believe I can cycle within hours to maybe even minutes if that's possible. I can be enraged then break down and cry, even sometimes so hysterically that I laugh to myself at what a sap I am. It's such a crazy feeling when all those emotions come out. I feel more depressed than anything and have a lot of irritation at the most minor of things. I love to get out on the town and live the fast life for a night before I'm back to reality so to speak. That might be my mania I am not sure because it's not super intense and doesn't last long at all. I'm hoping to get a proper diagnosis this time even if it is a dual one (Mood Disorder w/ Borderline Traits) ?

Cyclothymia doesn't have any length requirements for its periods of hypomanic or depressive symptoms (other than that the pattern of cycling has to last at least two years and there is no symptom free period, euthymia, for more than two months, though these are often rendered moot in the face of your typical patient). In fact, the DSM-V specifically states that "The hypomanic symptoms are of insufficient number, severity, pervasiveness, or duration to meet full criteria for a hypomanic episode."

To put plain, the highs and lows can last anywhere from ten minutes to ten days, can be irritable or elated, agitated or dysphoric, unpredictable or in response to personal events. And because of this, it is very easy to confuse with borderline personality especially when there's impulsiveness or self-harm presenting in the patient. Indeed, whether or not they are separate entities or different manifestations of the same condition is still debated by the research community.

unstable blood sugar?

I currently have a combination of highs and lows cycling rapidly. I don't want to take any medication for it. Unsure on what can help it?