[BlindBetta]

Hello my name is Sarah I am 30 years old and was diagnosed with Bi Polar Disorder about 13 years ago. It was in high school. After going on a few "Adventures" I went to see a psychiatrist. After a two week voluntary stay in a mental institution I was told that I was Bi Polar and that I was 'Same Day Cycle'. After trying 4 of the 'newer' medications they found that I responded to the older Lithium medication. I have been on the same 1200 mg does for a very long time and it works really well for me. It works so well that about 5 years ago I was told that I should step down a dose and that is where all the confusion begins.

Now since the first episode I have always been able to dip into euphoria. Like visiting an old friend sometimes for a moment and sometimes a few hours in the middle of the night every few weeks. I wend down from 4 pills to 3 and there she was, my old friend and there too was depression and chaos and it was all to much for me. I found that if I went down a half step I could enjoy the benefit of my condition with out most of the negative issues. On a three dose day I can summon euphoria with a thought and ride on the extra energy as long as I need it and then she falls way. This can last a moment to hours depending on how long i keep pressing the right trigger in my brain. On a four dose day it is harder to summon her and when I do it's closer to a runners high but any extra energy is good. I don't see much of depression but he normally shows his face in the afternoon. At work it is easy enough to distract myself enough that he goes away. At home he stays for a few hours and I normally turn to Netflix to sulk. In either case I can normally switch from to Euphoria as a way to get ride of depression but at home that means being hypo manic the next few hours. I am euphoric every day.

I wanted to learn my type of BP so that I could read more about and discuss it with others.I was doing expensive research. I thought the either the doctor forgot to tell me or that I just forgot it being so long ago. I thought I might have had cyclothymia because I was cycling faster than the description of Rapid cycling or even the description for ultra rapid. I found out about ultra ultra rapid cycling or ultradian cycling and I was like yeah it has to be that or cyclothymia.

I went to a physiologist (before that I was seeing college doctor for prescriptions). Apparently I don't qualify under cyclothymia and ultradian cycling does not exist in their book (I still think I have it) I feel like I am a unicorn and if there are any other unicorns out there or anyone who know more about ultradian cycling or anything I would love to chat.

[Wander]

Hi! My partner has a form of Bipolar that sounds similar to yours. He is diagnosed Bipolar 1 or 2 (he can't remember) rapid cycling. He can change from hypomania to depression multiple times a day, or over several days. It can be awful for him to swing around so much. Two psychiatrists have diagnosed him as such so it is definitely possible. You are not alone.

[BlindBetta]

Well the main difference between BP1 and BP2 is the level of mania. BP1 tends to come with hallucinations or what is know as delusions of grandeur when untreated. If it is hypomania that leans to BP2. Make sure they don't have him on anti-depressants because that can make cycling worse. Routine can help; eating, sleeping ect. at the same time. I would have him document when he cycles. There will normally a pattern and knowing when to expect it can be helpful. Knowing what causes a trigger will also be helpful. I practice the philosophy of stoicism or extreme realism. It is the acceptance of what the world for the world for what it is with the knowledge that you choose how to meet it.

There is very little research on this condition because they don't consider it to be a cycle if it is under 4 days even though there are multiple people sharing similar symptoms. There is very little on the ultradian cycling (or ultra ultra rapid cycling) on the web.

[Tucson]

Many psychiatrists do not believe in multiple cycles during the same day as being BP. If this is true, then I think possibly the diagnosis would lean more toward BPD. But I am no pdoc.

[yellow_fleurs]

I sometimes get this, in particular I had these symptoms in a mixed episode while on Lexapro (diagnosed bipolar unspecified) and I also have PMDD and that can cause a lot of emotional reactivity during that time of month. While I definitely have a mood disorder, I am starting to realize with mindfulness and careful reflection of what's going on with me that some of my symptoms may be due to emotional issues, perhaps some issues I have not resolved for a long time. I see you saw a psychologist, have you tried much therapy and has it been helpful? Not suggesting you don't have bipolar disorder or don't need meds, by the way, just that I am finding therapy to be an important part of realizing what's going on in my brain.

[BlindBetta]

When I was 16 I was seeing a therapist and a physiologist in tandem for six months to get over a prior trauma. They had me on Lexapro (depression) and Adderall (ADD) and it was thought that this combination was what switched on the bipolar side of my brain. I started having the episodes after I lost my Adderall and decided to see if I still needed ADD medication. It was not long after that the manic episodes started. At the time I was in a bad place, I was lonely and dating a jerk and when the mania came I just let it take the wheel. Had no real use for therapy for the bi polar the medication brought me back to 20/20 for the most part. I would still go in the beginning but they would just look at me confused since I was fine and write a prescription. I have not had a serious issue with bipolar in over a decade. The new doctor says I am 'bipolar unspecified' but I like the term 'same day cycle' that I was given when I was diagnosed.

I was watching a video on ultradian cycling and it was said that it just falls under the second part of the definition of a mixed episode. "Episodes that fall under rapid succession." but I cant find anything that backs that. (sure it exists but cant find it)

[Wander]

Originally Posted by Tucson

Many psychiatrists do not believe in multiple cycles during the same day as being BP. If this is true, then I think possibly the diagnosis would lean more toward BPD. But I am no pdoc.

This may be the case for many people but I am sure my partner has Bipolar as his mood shifts are not a reaction to external circumstances but seemingly random. As someone with Bipolar I can recognise that he shows all the symptoms of at least hypomania (he May border on mania sometimes as he can lose all insight and grip on reality), and major depression, when he can barely get out of bed and feels utterly hopeless and extremely down. His episodes often swing from one to the other several times a day, but can also last more than a week.