I'm 45 years old. I was diagnosed with bipolar and hypomania about 10 years ago or so. I am currently taking a total of about .75 of xanax, pristiq, trileptal . I also take seroquel which was prescribed for sleep disorders, but am coming off of the drug due to high cholesterol. For the past 6 months or so, I've been steady on about 12.5mg of seroquel.

Anyway, I've often tried to learn about what I have, but have always been shy about asking others outside of my doctor. I only see him 1x per month for a 30 minute visit, basically just to get prescriptions refilled.

I'm not sure if this is mania causing this, or an 'upswing' from bipolar. But after going through a down period recently, I am suddenly getting more energy, more racing thoughts. I find myself talking real fast and pretty much doing everything real fast. I'll sometimes be going so quick that I may get lightheaded (caffeine probably doesn't help). It seems like I have less of an appetite as a result as well, at least until nighttime when I take medication and I slowly get brought back down to earth. During this I have found myself getting irritated rather easily and quickly, and also lashing out as a result. I later usually realize I overreacted, but at the time it's difficult to control the emotions.

Sometimes it feels like an adrenaline rush, although I'm doing nothing to produce the adrenaline, it kinda happens naturally and keeps me on edge.

Sound familiar to anyone? I think reading is my enemy too, as I read about bipolar, and then mania, and then manic episodes and everything starts to sound like my symptoms!

Thanks!!