So after years of being on the same AD I have changed to a new one, and so far so good! But, one of my side effects was mood changes throughout the day. I would go from hypomanic first thing in the morning, to depressed by group time at 9am, then up again by 11 and down by 3, up again then until the drugs knocked me out to sleep. It wasnt the same pattern daily and the majority of the time there was no trigger. I have now found more level ground but having only been on the med 7 days I am still having mood changes throughout the day. Yesterday I got mixed in the afternoon, just to add something different in I guess haha (thanks brain) then cycled back to baseline with the help of meds. This morning I got mixed again but this time was during group so used the supports I had around me and once again got to baseline. I dropped into depression this afternoon but meditation has brought me into a more relaxed and stress free state. I feel I am on the up/happy baseline again now.

This has happened to me before - only when changing antidepressants. So I am not concerned as even this early in I am having more "good" than "bad" and I expect this to level out.

This made me wonder though - how many of the self diagnosed ultra rapid cyclers are on AD's? Can this be causing the rapid cycling?

As I have had this side effect before I am not concerned and look forward to when the depression and mixed leave me. Luckily each does not last longer than a few hours and coping skills or PRN have got me through. I am certainly going to keep going on this med despite the side effects I am having which the pdoc says are straight out "weird" (couple of other strange things going on with my body since the med change) but as said I am not concerned as the side effects from most meds I have been in subside after a few weeks. But I thought this may be an interesting discussion. I'll add a poll just out of curiosity to see who is on ADs and having this reaction.

TL;DR Can antidepressants be the cause of "ultra rapid cycles" throughout the day?