Hypomania?

I have been feeling really good for a few weeks now. The past few days I've rearranged my furniture, cleared and cleaned another room, have tons of energy, talk-a lot, have been making homemade meals, am not anxious in public, have felt creative, joking, playing with my dogs, and on and on. I feel like I can't sit still (although I was able to watch a football game today-Go Irish!). I have all these ideas of things to do and actually look forward to the next day. This is in contrast to days that are spent in bed and bad SI thoughts, have no energy and don't really want to live. Could this just be "normal", or does it sound more hypomanic. I have been diagnosed as bipolar 2 because I have had brief times like this where I actually felt good. The thing is, while I am trying to enjoy this, I am really afraid of the "crash" coming. Could I just be OK, or does this sound like hypomania? What do you think?

Haven't a clue, but I know how you feel. It happens to me too.

From the length of time your episode has lasted, the DSM-IV would probably classify your episode is manic rather than hypomanic, whitch is four days, I believe. Go to the "Disorders" menu above, and choose "Bipolar"...the criteria are there.

Before you get depressed again, will come mow my yard and trim some trees?

Just kidding...

DJ

Are you sleeping well at night ? Do you have racing thoughts? Are you more sexual than normal ? Do you call alot of people on the phone you havent talked to in a while ?
I havent had many Hypomanic episodes but these are the things that I did each time . I was ready to save the world while I replanted the garden and baked a cake for the neighbor, but none of those things got done because my thoughts were on to the next project before I could finish.I was also very flirty and came close to having an affair because I was just so ummmm.........exited all the time . My judgement was poor . I took risks I would never take in a stable state of mind .

This is my experience with Hypomania. I hope this helps you. And I hope you are just feeling better . I am thankfull everyday for meds that work and for a great therapist.

Blessings to you

I was feeling that way since April...plus sleeping about 3-4 hrs. a night & having plenty of energy. Are you shopping, too? I experienced all the symptoms people here have described & I didn't go to my meds provider cuz I was enjoying it too much, then suddenly a negative comment from my husband sent me into a really bad place & I overdosed & ended up in the ER. I've since learned that you often go into a crash after being manic or hypomanic, but it is really difficult to give up the feelings of self-esteem & just plain joy that come with it. I also contact people I haven't spoken to in yrs. I think it is important to let your provider know about your symptoms, because you can do rash behaviors like I did when you crash, but I sure do miss it.--Suzy

Suzy,
I am fine and have been stable for a while . I deal mostly with depression and have only had a few manic episodes. I am in treatment and plan to stay in treatment. My family knows about my bipolar and are very supportive . I am in a good place now. Thank you for your concern,
Sher

Thanks for the replies. I see my psychiatrist next Monday, and I will definitely tell him about my concerns. I would just enjoy it if I didn't think a crash was going to come, but who can foresee the future.

BTW, Davey, I don't do outdoor "stuff". I have a very bad phobia about snakes, so that translates into lawns and trees. Sorry!

Darn! And with all that energy...

Hope things go well at the pdoc's!

DJ

Well I don't know about the official number of days it has to last, but that is totally what I'm like when I'm hypomanic. I always think its just me finally getting motivated to get all my ideas done - then more ideas come - and my house gets cleaner and cleaner and more and more organized. I don't crash after every time though. Only every now and then. Mostly I just go back to a sort of flat, less motivated style of living. Hope you get the most out of feeling good and don't crash.

Well, I've crashed after being hypo manic or manic since April. This is really bad. I want the mania back. I'm still feeling torn up because of the negative comment my husband said about my weight. I have very low self-esteem & that triggered all tha bad feelings I have about myself when depressed. Crying easily. I do see my meds provider today. Hope I don't cry in the waiting room. (I did that a couple weeks ago waiting for my internal med doc who is treating me also for vaious ailments).

I asked the receptionist to put me into a room. She looked up & saw the tears flowing & said there were no rooms available but she'd put me somewhere. Ended up in a closet (& I was grateful for that) until a room became free. Cried the whole time there. Crying now.--Suzy

(((jonblu))) I'm still going... no crash yet, glad that you don't crash hard after it.

((((Suzy)))) I hope you can get some help and get through this crisis time. I know I am really sensitive about my weight. Unfortunately, I have been eating more lately, but maybe I'm working it off. But, if (when) the depression hits, I'll start starving myself again.
Take care of yourself, and, here's a tissue, hon.

Well, my psychiatrist said today that he agrees that I am hypomanic, so it is bipolar 2. For the first time I actually have to decrease my antidepressant. He doesn't want to mess too much with my meds, but I am afraid that the hypomania is getting worse each day and will go into mania, or the big crash is on its way. Anyway, I guess the main thing that makes this hypomania, instead of just doing well, is that I really don't feel in control of myself. I don't dare to stop and rest and think. That's what gets me into trouble, thinking too much. I see my T tomorrow and really don't want to work on issues because I am afraid of the downward spiral. Should be interesting, she saw me last week hypomanic, and I think she will tomorrow too (so I'll probably talk way too much!)

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complic8d said:
I have been feeling really good for a few weeks now. The past few days I've rearranged my furniture, cleared and cleaned another room, have tons of energy, talk-a lot, have been making homemade meals, am not anxious in public, have felt creative, joking, playing with my dogs, and on and on. I feel like I can't sit still (although I was able to watch a football game today-Go Irish!). I have all these ideas of things to do and actually look forward to the next day. This is in contrast to days that are spent in bed and bad SI thoughts, have no energy and don't really want to live. Could this just be "normal", or does it sound more hypomanic. I have been diagnosed as bipolar 2 because I have had brief times like this where I actually felt good. The thing is, while I am trying to enjoy this, I am really afraid of the "crash" coming. Could I just be OK, or does this sound like hypomania? What do you think?

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Wow...I have times like this...I guess I should tell my T? I have been happy the last couple days, I actually feel optimistic, I have been getting some long-overdue jobs done around the house. I am confused...I LIKE feeling up like this. How do you know what is normal productive happy and what is hypomania?

RainbowFaerie

Saw my meds provider a few days ago. She increased my Lamictal & added Trazadone for sleep. She said not sleeping is a big sign for going into manic or hypo manic state & that I have to be heavily drugged if that's what it takes for me to sleep. She said my brain was not working right after so many months (6 mos. of 3-4 hrs. a night) & that's why I suddenly crashed and overdosed.

Not crying as much so the meds are working or I'm just worn out from all the crying I've been doing.

Did lose 3 lbs. so the thyroid med is working.

Hope all you with hypo mania can enjoy it & not crash, but you are taking a risk if you don't tell your doc about it.--Suzy

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RainbowFaerie said:
Wow...I have times like this...I guess I should tell my T? I have been happy the last couple days, I actually feel optimistic, I have been getting some long-overdue jobs done around the house. I am confused...I LIKE feeling up like this. How do you know what is normal productive happy and what is hypomania?

</div></font></blockquote><font class="post"> The difference RainbowFaerie is both degree and length of time. Normal productive happy doesn't go from task to task to task kind of obsessively. All things are supposed to ebb and flow; tides, weather, moods. . . :-) Yes it feels good but there's always a price to pay like with any "drug." As the Arabian proverb goes: All sun makes a desert.

Isn't it ashame that we have to analyze us having a good day?
I think it is important for us to allow ourselves to enjoy having a good day and not question every emotion asking if this were a bipolar emotion.
I wish we could allow oursleves to get angry or mad or sad or happy and not have to try to figure out if this is bipolar or not....
this is us!
Does this make sense?
bizi

sorry just trying to verbalize what my therapist has been telling me...to not be a prisoner to my "Bipolar Label"...

How are you doing?
Just wondered if you are stabilizing.
bizi

Thanks for asking. I am still pretty hypomanic, but I'm getting a lot done. At least once I day I kind of "hit the wall" and get really tired. I take a nap, but if I don't then I don't do well in the evening. I have had a few episodes of utter hopelessness and was very afraid I was falling again, but the next day was better and I think I just wear myself out. I still feel like I have to keep moving, and I don't dare think. Thinking is what gets me into trouble, so if I can avoid it, I stay "safe". I don't really know how I am, I'm enjoying the fun times and trying to sleep when I get worn out (with the help of meds). I'm kinda getting sick of feeling like I'm walking on a tightrope, I could "fall" either way.
Thanks to all of you for being a "safety net".
Love ya. HUGS!

Well, it's been a long few days. I got denied on my SSDI reconsideration. They didn't get all the records in time from my psych and my primary care. Now I guess we have to get a court date and that will be a long time from now. :-(

I spent about two hours crying on Friday. I was so down. I haven't been able to concentrate on anything for more than a few minutes. I always have a short fuse. I was so wound up Saturday night I did six loads of laundry, dishes, and some other housework. I only slept about four hours last night. I ended up reading this book from the library, "Bipolar for Dummies" until I got sleepy about 1AM. I couldn't keep one mood for a whole day, does that make sense? I got really angry at my partner, overreacting to something she said, and then later that night I felt sad and down. I took the Depression and Mania quizzes and got Moderate/Severe on BOTH.

My primary care said it will be awhile until the medication (Trileptal) really does anything, since I am starting off slow on it. I don't know what a "normal" dose is, guess I'll have to ask the psych when I see her again the end of this month. My partner is like, "Well it needs to hurry up." I said, "Well, I am doing what I can. I can't make it hurry up."

Thanks for being here.

Rainbow Faerie

Dear Rainbow faerie....
Are you taking lamictal or triletal?
I have taken both as mood stabilizer.
The trileptal really was not a good mood stabilizer for me.
I am on the lamictal right now and I think I am doing well.
It sounds like you are rapid cycling and this is very hard to stabilze....ARe you on a antipyschotic medicationat all?
like abilify, seroquel or geodon????
this sounds so very hard on your relationship and your s/o maybe or may not be very supportive of you....
hang in there...the ssdi will get approved it just may not be a soon as you like...there should be back pay though...?
bizi

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bizi said:
Dear Rainbow faerie....
Are you taking lamictal or triletal?
I have taken both as mood stabilizer.
The trileptal really was not a good mood stabilizer for me.
I am on the lamictal right now and I think I am doing well.
It sounds like you are rapid cycling and this is very hard to stabilze....ARe you on a antipyschotic medicationat all?
like abilify, seroquel or geodon????
this sounds so very hard on your relationship and your s/o maybe or may not be very supportive of you....
hang in there...the ssdi will get approved it just may not be a soon as you like...there should be back pay though...?
bizi

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Hi Bizi,

I am only taking Trileptal right now, tomorrow I double my dose. I was trying to find what an average dose of Trileptal is, but maybe there's no such thing?

Yeah, the relationship has been rocky. She is not one who thinks much of medications & therapy. She was pretty against them, but I finally said I was tired of feeling like this and it was my body and so my right to take care of it how I thought was best.

I think a lot of people don't understand and it is really hard when the person who often sees you as a problem is the person you love most in the world. Sigh. She is supportive in her own way, takes me to appointments and is working two jobs while I wait on my SSDI. But she won't go to family counseling or anything like that. So I read a lot about it, I come on here. I hope to make a friend who has this too. It would help

Thanks,
Rainbow Faerie

you may want to contact your local hospital for support groups in your area.
Here in the south there is a group called bridges...a peer run support group for persons with mental health issues.
You could also contact NAMI to see if they have a list of groups....
I am glad that you stood up for yourself.
We have to learn to take care of our needs first....we have to do this as no one else will.
keep posting/venting/talking
bizi

Well, it's over. All I could do yesterday was sleep and that's all I wanted to do today. I had a bad session with my therapist today, wanted her to agree with me about cutting (and she wouldn't, of course). I have been obsessing about SI and SI. I am so tired. I hope this is just a little backslide, but by Friday, if I remain in this state I will be calling my psychiatrist (since we just decreased the antidepressant). I'm very discouraged.

complic8d,

I hope you feel better soon!

RainbowFaerie

Hi bizi,

I am going to check with my therapist and see if they are going to have any groups on it. I am in one right now for PTSD that is very helpful.

The Bipolar for Dummies book is very good, too. I am learning a lot. I think I am going to start tracking my sleep and moods like it talked about in the book. Maybe that will be helpful for the doctor with my medication.

Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday I couldn't sleep more than 4-1/2 hours and I had so much energy...ha. That's gone now. Wow. I was so tired yesterday it was unreal. I ended up sleeping about eleven hours altogether. I took like three naps.

I hope today kind of levels out. I'm going to let my therapist know when I see her Friday for my PTSD group.
Hope you are having a good day!

Rainbow Faerie