[Dudeyys]

So my doc seems to think Im a rapid cycler and I believe this to be true. He perscribed me abilify but i forgot i tried it once and it gave me terrible akathisia. What other meds would you guys recommend for this condition? Just so i can have questions when i see my pdoc again.

[CANDC]

Here are some articles that discuss options (I don't have the technical expertise to make suggestions)
Psych Central - Search results for Meds for rapid cycler

[Skywalking]

I'm diagnosed with rapid cycling and am doing fine on lamotrigine. A lot of people here seem to take it, many in conjunction with other drugs like antidepressants. Supposedly it's very good at managing the rapid part of it.

[~Christina]

I hope your not a rapid cycler. That means you would be having 4 or more distinct episodes that last 1-2 weeks either up or down at a time or mixed . When first diagnosed or med changes occure people have moods all over the place so "rapid cycling tends to get mentioned" But once a person find stability I feel that is when keeping score is more accurate.

Are you taking a mood stabilizer? Lithium , Lamictal? I would give a mood stabilizer a good try before hopping on an AP to control the swings.

Good luck and welcome to PC

[ozzy1313]

Originally Posted by ~Christina

I hope your not a rapid cycler. That means you would be having 4 or more distinct episodes that last 1-2 weeks either up or down at a time or mixed . When first diagnosed or med changes occure people have moods all over the place so "rapid cycling tends to get mentioned" But once a person find stability I feel that is when keeping score is more accurate.

Are you taking a mood stabilizer? Lithium , Lamictal? I would give a mood stabilizer a good try before hopping on an AP to control the swings.

Good luck and welcome to PC

Is what I have been having rapid cycling then? I am up, down, sideways, backwards and have been for at least 4/5 months

[Dudeyys]

Originally Posted by ~Christina

I hope your not a rapid cycler. That means you would be having 4 or more distinct episodes that last 1-2 weeks either up or down at a time or mixed . When first diagnosed or med changes occure people have moods all over the place so "rapid cycling tends to get mentioned" But once a person find stability I feel that is when keeping score is more accurate.

Are you taking a mood stabilizer? Lithium , Lamictal? I would give a mood stabilizer a good try before hopping on an AP to control the swings.

Good luck and welcome to PC

Well, when I first was hospitalized they thought it was depression/anxiety disorder so they put me on Zoloft. After that i would go in to what i believe now to have been a hypomanic state feeling euphoric at times and on top of the world then at the end of the month like the flick of a switch id go into a deep depression/anxiety that i cant even describe. This cycle happened like clock work for 3 months until they changed my meds to Lexapro and abilify. The abilify gave me extreme akathesia so i had to stop taking it. Few weeks after starting lexapro i started ultra rapid cycling. One moment depressed, the next happy and feeling euphoric. It eventually turned in to diurnal mood swings. Id have cripplig depression in the mornings and by night be feeling good. Then after a few weeks it went away for almost 6 months. Now here I am with the diurnal thing again agonizingly fighting through the day until my mood flips.

And to answer your question, no, ive never been on a stabilizer.

[~Christina]

Originally Posted by ozzy1313

Is what I have been having rapid cycling then? I am up, down, sideways, backwards and have been for at least 4/5 months

Honestly, I think your mixed and have thought so since you first came to PC . I'm no Pdoc of course , but Mixed and rapid cycling is often confused.

[~Christina]

Originally Posted by Dudeyys

Well, when I first was hospitalized they thought it was depression/anxiety disorder so they put me on Zoloft. After that i would go in to what i believe now to have been a hypomanic state feeling euphoric at times and on top of the world then at the end of the month like the flick of a switch id go into a deep depression/anxiety that i cant even describe. This cycle happened like clock work for 3 months until they changed my meds to Lexapro and abilify. The abilify gave me extreme akathesia so i had to stop taking it. Few weeks after starting lexapro i started ultra rapid cycling. One moment depressed, the next happy and feeling euphoric. It eventually turned in to diurnal mood swings. Id have cripplig depression in the mornings and by night be feeling good. Then after a few weeks it went away for almost 6 months. Now here I am with the diurnal thing again agonizingly fighting through the day until my mood flips.

And to answer your question, no, ive never been on a stabilizer.

Seems that your AD's are causing your mood swings. If I take an AD I am off the chart swinging from light poles angry hateful in 2 days.. I am one of the ones that can never take any kind of AD's ..

Until you find some stability , I think its rather foolish to label rapid cycling until you and your Pdoc can compare your cycling based off a period of stability. make sense?

[Dudeyys]

Originally Posted by ~Christina

Seems that your AD's are causing your mood swings. If I take an AD I am off the chart swinging from light poles angry hateful in 2 days.. I am one of the ones that can never take any kind of AD's ..

Until you find some stability , I think its rather foolish to label rapid cycling until you and your Pdoc can compare your cycling based off a period of stability. make sense?

Makes complete sense. In fact I'm not happy with my current doctor and I've learned he has a bad reputation. Hes kind of a stubborn know it all who doesn't listen. He talks to me like I'm an idiot. So I'm searching for a more reputable pdoc in my city now that I have better insurance to cover it.

[butterflypower]

I take Trileptal. 450 mg twice day (900mg total). I feel pretty calm with it. I don't know my swings before. I'm bipolar not specified at the moment because I got a new psychiatrist and she needs to get to know me. I don't know much about my bipolar. I'm supposed to take classes to figure out my triggers and such. I new to being bipolar. But my medicine seems like it's helping so far.

[BlueInanna]

I can't take Abilify cuz akithesia also. I have been on latuda & lamotrigine for awhile now & didn't even realize I wasn't on a mood stabilizer. So started depakote a week ago. Omg I'm already stable from the mania. So far so good. I'd recommend it. I'll probably gain some weight but won't be anything near what lithium did to me. Gained 50 lbs on lithium no thanks to that one!

[unlived]

Originally Posted by BlueInanna

I can't take Abilify cuz akithesia also. I have been on latuda & lamotrigine for awhile now & didn't even realize I wasn't on a mood stabilizer. So started depakote a week ago. Omg I'm already stable from the mania. So far so good. I'd recommend it. I'll probably gain some weight but won't be anything near what lithium did to me. Gained 50 lbs on lithium no thanks to that one!

lamotrogine is a mood stabiliser

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[BlueInanna]

Originally Posted by unlived

lamotrogine is a mood stabiliser

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Sorry. Pdoc told me last week I was not on one. I must have misunderstood her.

[chasms]

I'm on risperdal which does help to some extent. It sort of dulls my experiences, making them more manageable. I experience rapid cycling and mixed episodes then depressive episodes, predominantly.
I was also on abilify, did nothing for me but made me twitch. I was on lithium for a week, had to quit bc of shaking. They thought of putting me on trileptal at one point but never did. I don't know if i will be put on a mood stabilizer again. I am still rapid cycling and having mixed episodes (some of that kind of blurs together with my bpd)

[bipolarman]

Hi there, for what its worth i'm ultra rapid cycling. I take an anti depressant daily with lithium which on the whole keeps me stable.

However, I also have diazepam occasionally to mellow out when things start spiralling. Also take antipsychotics occasionally. These I take for around 5-7 days when manic.

This cocktail seems to work although you have to self monitor or be receptive to others if they think you maybe swingoing too much one way or the other.

[QUOTE=unlived;4277714]lamotrogine is a mood stabiliser

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Lamictal is a ms, but not a very strong one. I've been told by 3 pdocs now. Depakote works much better for mania, while lamictal for depression. And that's been my experience too.

[LastQuestion]

Dark/light therapy has done wonders for my stability.