[vacantangel]

What do you personally think is worse?

1. rapid cycling

2. taking so much mood stabilizers that you're depressed most of the time?

[darkeyes]

Both stink, the med thing can be adjusted or changed, but the "natural" rapid cycling left alone I'd have to say is worse.
I had been on some mood stabilizers that made me feel more depressed and fatigued, after switching to different one, I no longer get derailed, or zombified.
That is a tough question to answer either way in all honesty, I still believe my meds are the better alternative than not taking them, in fact my dosage was decreased a while ago and I still feel fine, the pdoc was happy to see this.
Cycling can really suck, I know.
I wish you lots of luck with this, like I tell everyone, just never give up.

Sincerely,
DE

[nothemama8]

The rapid cycling is horrible but since I swing up so fast it's bearable with support I have
Angie

Rapid cycling BY FAR!!!!! Up, Down, Up, Down, Up, Down, Up, Down, Up, Down, Up, Down, Up, Down, Up, Down, Up, Down. That blows. Just my 2 cents.

Ryan

[vacantangel]

I totally forgot about this thread. For me, it's the depression. Right now, I'm deep in the abyss, a very scary place indeed. I don't like the ups and downs of rapid cycling but the abyss is far far worse and I don't expect to be leaving the abyss any time soon to do more rapid cycling.

Angel, It seems to me that you feel down so much more often that you cycle. I am sort of the same way. That was the main reason I didn't think (before pdoc and tdoc dx'd me with it) that I was bipolar. Did your docs tell you that you suffer from depression AS WELL as bp? I thought that was an interesting concept when my docs said it cause i thought the depression WAS from the bp disorder.

Ryan