Name that bipolar episode!

I am now oficially bipolar I and have been having mood issues continuously since Jan 4. It started off with hypomania and worsened to mania. Then with no break went to depressed but was still up all night like manic. I know it to be a mixed episode. Then right out of the mixed episode with no break I went into another hypomania (where I am right now). My question is: Would this be considered "rapid cycling", one long "mixed state" or three separate episodes (manic, mixed, hypomanic). I don't know why I need to know this but I do want your opinions since scouring the web for information about this had been fruitless.

My condition was diagnosed bipolar with rapid cycling. I would cycle 3-4x a day. It kept me off balance. My family didn't understand...I didn't understand. I've had it now for 40+ years and can recognize the effects and take them and do something about it before it goes on to worsen. My early years I was in a stupor but by following my doc even though I felt like a guinea pig I kept striving for a better life. Meds and shock treatment brought me out of severe deppresion into the light. I went 15 years with little or no symptoms. But about 5 months ago I am feeling the hypomania and depression coming to the surface. More deoression than mania. I have to watch it closely so it doesn't get out of control. I wouldn't be here without the love and suupport of my husband of 45 years. Good luck..be weell..be safe...stay strong.

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Well as I've said before I don't like to assign labels. But what I will say is I was on a very similar schedule before I started medication. I went through an extended depression in dec/jan of last year. Then mixed in feb - exactly as you described, super energetic but horribly depressed in mind. Lots Of rage issues. In march I had my first hypomanic episode that quickly morphed into mania. Then depression, normal for five days, then manic/mixed and depression back to back with no break for the next couple of months.

Each episode lasted a week to a max of two weeks, usually followin the pattern of hypo, mania, mixed, depression. It was exhausting. Didn't end until I started trileptal. I hope you catch a break from the constant cycling! I would not go back there if I could help it.

I insulate myself against depression and mania which is mostly insomnia for weeks on end by taking 2,000mg of omega three's per day. Since starting this routine, I've had no further episodes.

The bipolar spectrum is very wide indeed, so almost any thing is possible, even ultra, ultra rapid cycling too. Which must be very difficult! You can be all over the map in a mixed state too. Hard to say what's going on.