Long Term Success

How long has anyone gone between episodes? I guess thats one of my worries is going along real great and all and then crashing and burning off on an episode.

I went six years between major episodes after having ECT after a year - long mixed episode. When my symptoms resurfaced I was pretty unstable for a couple of years. Then I found a good med combo and was stable from March 2016 - oct 2017. That’s a pretty decent run. I believe I would have remained so had I not had to switch meds due to high prolactin.

I once went three years, episode AND medication free. It wasn't good though, lots of drinking and partying were involved.

I think for us, the episodes will always come, its part of our condition, with medication or not.

The goal should be how to navigate through them so they don't overwhelm us.

How are you defining "episode"? To be considered an episode does a mood state have to be extreme for a certain period of time? Does it need to disrupt life (work, family, relationships)?

Yeah thats what I was thinking. A severe episode

I would say its been at least 2 years since I have had an episode. During that time I have had some rough spots - road bumps but have always returned to baseline. And, I have had stretches of time when I forget I have bp.

15 years between major episodes. I was on a serious roll before the latest kaboom.

It's been over a year since my last hospitalization, the longest I've gone since my first hospitalization. I had some cycling in October/November, but I always do. I'll say 11 months is the longest stretch with no major episodes. It seems short but from the time I developed bipolar symptoms I've always been rapid cycling and it'd be amazing if I had a week of stability.

Lord I don't know. It seem sim always in an episode every few months at last. I rapid cycle. I guess the longest was year with manageable depression.

Other than mild depression in the winter and hypomania in the early summer, I'm very stable and have been for almost three years. I used to rapid-cycle but not anymore. Life is good.

BP II. Stuck in severe depression. It feels a little more manageable lately. It's been many years since I've had a clear break from depression.

I hope you have better luck.


WC

I can go several years between major episodes. But I find myself dealing with a milder level of symptoms for shorter durations in between. If that makes sense?

I've gone without an episode for a little over 2 years now. I credit the combination of Lamictal and Abilify and good sleep hygiene (I go to bed very very early), as well as only working part-time; as a freelancer, actually, which allows me to take time off for doctors' appointments and I know I can take a mental health day also without guilt, because I'm entirely allowed to make my own schedule, day to day. My current work schedule produces far less stress than when I worked full time.

I obviously hope this continues for some time to come. My last pdoc, who specialized in BP, told me that she has patients who have gone without episodes for 10 years. This gives me hope.

I rapid cycle, so not very long at all. I can't even estimate. This is just how life is for me.

I once was episode free for two years. I then started to look for a job. Right after I started, a bout of severe depression hit me. I only recently started feeling well enough to look for a job.

The longest I can go between episodes is 3-4 months .. but to be honest I don't even know what my normal mood is. That's how much I cycle between moods .. so I probably have rapid cycling. Right now I feel numb .. no depression and no mania but I can't feel any emotions at all. Guess it's good to not be able to feel anything .. not sure.

About 12 months .. full blow out.

I have ups and downs often but I don’t consider it a true shift unless it’s over 2 weeks, up or down