Rapid cycling

Was wondering if anyone had ever been diagnosed with rapid cycling bipolar, or new much about it. I tend to cycle through moods in a manner of hours manias hardly ever lasting more then a day. Never had much luck with meds, but never able to find much info on rapid cycling so......

Hi and welcome to PC!!!!

you needed info on rapid cycling. dont know if youve seen this or not but i hope this helps. in the meantime, keep posting and asking questions, and try to stay calm.

Were here for you!

http://bipolar.about.com/od/rapidcyc...id_Cycling.htm

Colleen

Hey, welcome to PC.
Rapid cycling means you have four or more episodes a year, and it is very common among kids and teens. Four or more could mean simply mean a manic (or hypomanic) state during january-febuary, then a normal state in march, depression in april, manic in may, normal in june depressed in July, and manic in august.
jan + Feb = manic
March = normal
april = depression
May = Manic
June = Normal
July = depressed
August = Manic

That is already four episodes, and considered to be rapid cycling.
It can be as mild as four episodes a year, to as severe as several episodes a day.

Thanks for the reply. It's kind of frustrating because it seems most bi-polar treatment is geared towards people with type I or type II. Even when I read about rapid cycling and they talk about mood lasting for weeks it just doesn't fit me. Seems like I fall into ultradian rapid cycling, I mean I measure my moods by hours usually. There are more overarching moods but….

So has anyone had any specific treatment for this type of bi-polar? And what type of success have you had with it?

I understand how you feel.
It can be really fustrating.
I'm not sure, but I think the thing is that rapid cycling isn't a type in itself.
The only types are Bipolar I , (Mania and depression) Bipolar II ( What I have, depression and a mild form of mania called hypomania) and cyclocythemia [can't spell ( it is a form where you don't get severe depression or mania. You just get very sad and hypomanic)]
and then, some people go through rapid cycling on top of that, where they fit into a type, (or bipolar NOS, aka not otherwise specified, it doesn't fit into a type, but its def. bipolar) and they ALSO have a lot of cycles that change quickly. For example, I am bipolar II WITH rapid cycling.
That is probably why you can't find that much info on rapid cycling,

Rapid cycling is like adding insult to injury. You have whatever type of bipolar disorder, PLUS you go through your moods really fast. My moods last anywhere from 1 hour long, to three days long. No longer then that, from what I can remember. Some people spend several years in a single episode.

I have been diagnosed with rapid cycling bipolar one disorder with mixed episodes without psychotic features.
You can cycle from depression to mania in a 24 hour period. Depression in the morning and mixed episodes during the day, you feel irritable and can explode with yelling, and mania in the evening and at Night. It is horrible and can be very disabling. I am taking depakote er which is good for mixed episodes and rapid cycling. I also take clonazapam too for anxiety. Rapid cycling can cause anxiety and exhaustion to high energy. I am still under treatment and it is getting better as the days go on. Good luck.

rapid cycler here, plus switching from DID, almost tore hubbys head off this morning by noon fine and dandy, skin crawling angry for no reason

rapid cycling is my daily life. I take Lamictal and abilify this seems to help me.

I have been diagnosed with BiPolar rapid cycling, i'm currently on epival and have been for about 2yrs but we are at it's limit right now and waiting to see how it works on me.............it is hard when everyday you never know how your going to feel. I'm a seperated mother of two, i'm working two jobs but have a amazing boyfriend who now lives with us and helps tremendously however doesn't do well with the illness, he's the type if we don't talk about it it will eventually go away and/or get better!!

I can relate to the condition you describe. I have rapid cycling moods that can last anywhere from several minutes to several days, sometimes (though rarely) even weeks. Its a frightening experience and I find it to be really hard on personal relationships, because people never know what to expect from me. As of late its been getting a lot worse... I've never gotten professional help, but I'm heading to a counselor this week.

I am not sure - I know I am diagnosed Bipolar I with Mixed episodes. That's manic and depressed at the same time! To me, though, it feels like I'm manic, then really soon, I'm sobbing- not just "happy then sad". Its a WEIRD feeling!! Its like I can't make sense of reality anymore- the "rules" of the world, so to speak.

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jerseyjoeinflorida said:
I have been diagnosed with rapid cycling bipolar one disorder with mixed episodes without psychotic features.
You can cycle from depression to mania in a 24 hour period. Depression in the morning and mixed episodes during the day, you feel irritable and can explode with yelling, and mania in the evening and at Night. It is horrible and can be very disabling. I am taking depakote er which is good for mixed episodes and rapid cycling. I also take clonazapam too for anxiety. Rapid cycling can cause anxiety and exhaustion to high energy. I am still under treatment and it is getting better as the days go on. Good luck.

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I'm also diagnosed the same, it decscribes so well. I don't have the psychotic features either..though I'm only 20 years old in a couple days and I heard from somewhere if left untreated it can get worse but i hope not because its hard as it is.