[Squirrel1983]

Dr. V,

I just have a few concerns I'd like you to know about before my appointment on Wednesday. It may be long, but i would appreciate if you would read through it.

You have diagnosed me with schizoaffective d/o. Since I am on an antipsychotic and an antidepressant, I assume you think I have the depressive type. However, every few months I have span of a few days where I feel out of control and almost "hypomanic". I am using the term hyomania lightly because I know that is an "official" term and I am not positive if that is what you would call what I have been experiencing or not.

Friday and Saturday, I went on a spending spree and blew over half my paycheck on stuff that isn't returnable/refundable. And now I am going to have to try to borrow money from my mom for food. As well I was up until 3:00AM on Friday night, then woke up at 7:00AM (so that was only 4 hours sleep, but I felt well rested). Saturday night I was up until 4:30AM and woke up at 8:30AM (only 4 hours again, but still not tired). It's now almost 7:00PM and I am still not showing any tiredness from my lack of sleep the past few days. I also have been neglecting to care for myself this weekend (i.e. -shower, brush teeth, wash clothes). This on top of the lavish spending and the need for less sleep seems like "hypomania" to me. Is it?

This weekend is not the first time this has happened. It happened in December for about 4 days straight and it happened in August for about 3 days straight. In August and Decemeber I was also extremely irritable the days I was lavishly spending, though that hasn't happened this time. The fact that it keeps reoccurring scares me. Do you think this is just a lack of judgement on my part/poor managment skills? Or do you think it might be a "new" symptom?

Are my "hypomaniac episodes" too spread out between episodes to be clinically called hypomania?

The voices have not been back since before my last appointment, so that is probably a good thing. And I have been getting back involved with the activities that I used to find enjoyable and enjoying them again, so the depression seems to be "in check" now too. It's just the "hypomania" or whatever it would be conidered that is concerning me now.

Am I worrying over nothing? Is this just a "bad habit" that I need to overcome? Some input would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for taking the time to read this.

Sincerely,
Squirrel

[Squirrel1983]

Actually is wasn't a letter, it was an email.

[cybermember]

We are in the same boat as I experience what you are going through. My dx is schizoaffective; bipolar type.

[volatile]

Rule of thumb, if it doesn't last at least 5 days it's not a true episode. just sayin.

[hawthoerne]

i've never heard that volatile........

[Secretum]

An episode of hypomania "officially" has to be at least 4 days long, while an episode of full blown mania must last for at least a week. In practice, many people have episodes that are much shorter than that. I've cycled between depression and mania several times in a single day; it's not my typical cycling pattern, but it has happened.

Squirrel, being dx'd with schizoaffective bipolar type probably won't change your treatment too much. I have bipolar disorder, and I'm also just on an antipsychotic and an antidepressant. Antipsychotics are often used as mood stabilizers. Perhaps you need a higher dose or a different AP to control your "manic" symptoms.

[Squirrel1983]

Just got home from pdoc. He considered my episodes hypomania (even if they were only a few days and 4 months apart). He added another med for that. He said it is actually an anti-seziure medicine, but works as a mood stablizer as well. Anyone have any experience with Lamictal?

[Ash0198]

All I can say is that its very very very good! I take and have been for sometime now and it's helped. But now my body rejecting it so to speak. And I need to be off my meds to cleanse my body. So hopefully I won't be on it for much longer!
Before taking lamictal I also cycled between hypamania and depression several times a day...but I sort of miss my highs quite a bit

Good luck to u!