Hi Becka, sounds like you are pretty well answering your own question at the end there, when you say that your only hypo symptom is irritability, as opposed to the others you name.

The thing about irritability is that it is really sort of a frustration expression, but it tends to surface before the "idea" of being frustrated. It's like this, here you are going along with your life, and then comes the shifting of brain chemistry, weather because of bp, schiz, or any of them. As your chemistry is shifting, before you are aware of it, it is complicating the flow you are in. Things begin to feel different though they haven't changed. Part of us must notice, and gets all snappy and short, like an expression of impatience. I think it comes from the sensation that things aren't going how you remember they go. Does that make sense?

It sure makes sense to me that irritability shows up before the whole "episode" blooms. Maybe the irritability can serve as your advance notice of impending mood shift? Hope this helps some.