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Old Jul 21, 2013, 02:30 PM
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Tsunamisurfer Tsunamisurfer is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by newgal2 View Post
Hi everyone. Bipolar, currently rapid cycyling (or mixed). Strange thing is, for my whole bipolar career (past 23 years) I've been very stable. When foolishly off meds, I either had longish periods of depression or longish periods of mania.

Now, 23 years into, my stabilizer apparently stopped working and I have rapid cycling/mixed. When I say rapid, I mean back and forth and all over the place numerous times a day.

Has this been anyone's experience - - where illness changes course decades later? It's been so intolerable. Getting off tegretol and starting lamictal next week. I need relief!
Hi Newgal2.
I had a fairly similar experience to yours.
I was on and off antidepressants for 2 decades, then began a slide into deep depression over 3 years. A pdoc put me back onto antidepressants, and I immediately went into a manic state which turned mixed with ultradian cycling. 3 years later, I still ultra rapid cycle, but the peaks and troughs are less severe. I have been on Valproate and Lamotrigine for a year now. Lamictal has been the best stabiliser I have had. I hope it works well for you.

TS
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