Before I was on the right medications I was ultra rapid cycling (4+ episodes in a month). I would spend 4-7 days (hypo)manic followed by a week or so depression, and repeat with no stability.
When I was on weaker meds, I went down to regular rapid cycling. Instead of cycling quickly, my manic episodes went to being a week or so with more time being hypo and my depressions were about two weeks.
Now I'm on two mood stabilizers, an antipsychotic, and an antidepressant. I have had one hypomanic episode that lasted four days in the past 6 months, so hopefully no rapid cycling at all for 2016.