Any other rapid-cyclers?

Hey! i was just wonderimg if anyone else here has rapid-cycling bi-polar?

i've met people with bi-polar at the hospital but i've never met or talked to another rapid-cycler, anyone out there?

siani x

I am a rapid cycler. It really can cause havoc in my life. I really don't know what to expect when my meds aren't working.

<font color="#000088"> I often wonder and have more/less 'self-diagnosed' myself as having bouts of rapid-cycling. It's the only explanation for what I go through. One minute I'm coherant adn the next I'm out there in la la land going spastic. Just as Bipolar Bear said, going without meds truly does wreak havoc on one's life. The last 'series' of episodes I went through were a result of my P-doc making me go 5 days without my meds (I'm at the mercy of the State mental health system - all my meds come directly from the place since I have no income and I get them at 'their' convenience, not mine - Long story for another day), it took over 3 weeks (just recently in fact) to get 're-stabalized' and required days/nights of pure HELL... No/little sleep, lock-down of my finances since I'll remember my CC #'s, but can't remember anything else I did 10 minutes ago...

Whenever I 'feel' it coming on, I know at least to let someone know if no one is around... I don't really think I truly know the whole 'ordeal' of rapid-cycling; I know we go up & down over & over, but the durations of each can really vary from one episdoe to the next... Just as I am typing this I have so many thoughts just racing that I have to keep re-reading what I'm typing bcuz I'm losing track over & over and over again....

I could go on forever, but I'll stop now so i don't bore you to death... Let me/us know if you feel things that are similar to what I wrote - I'm always interested in listening to another person and/or helping - we're all in this together.

Try to take it easy and I hope the best for you,
Niko </font>

i know how you feel, when i miss like a day's meds because i'm staying over my friends house my swings just go crazy!!! i don't know the name of the stuff i'm on (i'm just a child, i don't get told anything, it sucks) but i have to take it 3 times a day and if i miss more than about 2 i start to swing really badly again, my meds don't stop the swings anyway, they make them a little less severe, last time i missed 2 days worth of meds i ended up yelling at all of my friends and trying to kiss my old english teacher! it's bad, my friends don't understand that it changes.... some of them have done research on Bi-Polar but they haven't found any stuff about rapid cycling so they don't understand and its hell.

sometimes i can change moods 2 or 3 times a day but other times i won't change for like a month! do you guys get this or are they 'regular' with your meds? are there any particular meds that i could ask my doc for to help with the swings? i've been told that as i get older my bi-polar may 'settle down' and stop being rapid cycling, has this happened to any of you? have any of you had it since teenager-hood?

thanks you guys!

siani x

I think you should contact your pdoc soon, if you are able, and also not be skipping meds, that just makes things worse.
Your pdoc can make a change to your meds or dosages to help this, I'm not saying cure it, but help a bit.
Key, is compliance, and honesty about your skipping meds.
Some that add "self-medications" to the ones' the doc prescribes also ruins things, so I encourage people not to do that either. I'm not saying you do, but want to bring that point up too.
Please take care,
DE

BTW
Yes, Bipolar symptoms can calm down after adolescence, but you still need a mood stabilizer, in time maybe less.
Take care, and try to stay patient, much of this shall pass.
I speak from real life experiences, I'm not reciting some speeach.

I was just dx and haven't started my meds. I agree w/the up and down thing. I have had cycles alternating 4 months up, 4 months down. But I've also had up one day, down down down the next.

I used Zyprexa for it. I couldn't take the whole dose because I was so tired from it My friend Marie, now has weight problems from it and has diebeties also due to use of it. It was a benifit for me and stabilized my moods.

I took Depakote for a year for it and it was great. I was ASB Senitor at School. I made A's in many classes. I could really balance hectic schedules more smoothely than a year later when I couldn't take it because I got a swelling problem in my arms, legs, and heart arrivimeas in the night. In those 12 months my weight rose from 160 lbs to 200 lbs and I had shortness of breath and chest pains all of the time. I had to start taking aspern and ended up in the emergency room in that July of that year with too rapid heart beat. Dr. J. had no choice but to take me off of medicine except for leaving me on the Paxil type drugs which by that time I was even scared to take. I
I had been started on Thyridierizine at the age of 12, put on Stellazine, at 14, and put on Trivial at 15 to 16 and than put on Fluxiene for migranes and than Benedril because the Dr. wanted to help me to sleep, since I was complaining and my parents didn't enjoy all the noise I made listening to rock music in the evenings.

I was put on Lithium at age 18 and took it until I was 29 years old. My thyroid became overactive due to the drug and the Dr. wished to remove my thyroid and I refused to allow it so I discontinued the use of Lithium. When I was 31 after having time in jail for assulting my son's father, I was put on Depekote and took it on and off with Zyprexa until I was the age I am now but quit last year, again because I weighted 200 lbs and my heart was giving me attacks that I was too overwelmed to go to the hospital for, I just started to take a dose off asperin and got so scared that my college advisors took me to the PDoc and they won't allow me to take much for my Rapid Cycling Bi-polor symptoms. I currently take, multivitium, MSM, Morinda Citrofolia, Bacopa, Green tea powder, Guoto Cola, Omega 3 and 6 oil by Flax or Hemp seed oil, Cod Liver oil and use soy products, all of which are taken each and every day. I journal all the time. I am 46 and carefully watching for triggers. I now have use of my mind from a mere lucky 3 days a week to 5 out of 7 days and must thank God, thank myself for reading and researching, and be perseverant. It took a very long hard trail for me to get to a healthy comfortable weight as I am now (155 lbs) It felt terrible to lose it and to do it I had to obstain from all fatty dairy over 2% fat, obstain from all wheat except for some pasta with marinara sauce, and I had to take up eating nuts and fish of which I was not fond of before the delemmia I found myself in arrived in my life like a bird crap- unexpected and not wanted. So not only did I still have a daily problem to fight with rapid cycling but with excerise and weight control and the moral responsibility to MYSELF to in a HEALTHY WAY exercise and lose gradually in a healthy way with my heart condition in mind as well, plus , I was in College for the first time.