Mood changes with & without cycles

I've had trouble with the racing thoughts, anxiety, indecisiveness, the constant urge to do something, feeling like I'm on edge with everyone, and not sleeping through the night (though I'm not tired) before my last cycle and each time it lasted for about a week. Last month, and the time before that I had got in a mood like that before my cycle had been several months before, though that time it was mainly anxiety, possibly depression, and sui thoughts. Either way, those match up with the symptoms of PMDD the last two cycles and other random ones. It also happens when it isn't anywhere near time for my cycle to. It probably happens more often not corresponding than it corresponds. Last time I brought this up to my T she asked if it was time to start my period and it wasn't and she asked if they corresponded and I told her they don't usually. She said I could still have them unrelated to period and my period just induces one of these, but it doesn't always induce them. Is it possible for weeks of moods like that unrelated to menstrual cycles, but a menstrual cycle might induce one, but doesn't always? I'm almost willing to take meds because it's so tough to control it.

Yes, moods can be unrelated to hormones. Either way, are you also seeing a pdoc, to seek treatment. If it's PMDD, there are meds out there. And if it's something different, then your doctor/pdoc can decide.

Racing thoughts are a hallmark of bipolar.

I happen to know because I was at some point diagnosed as bipolar, then tested by a neuropsychologist who did not find bipolar using a battery of tests, and later questioned the bipolar dx with a psychiatrist who, six months later, believes that it is unclear whether I have it since it is episodic and six months is not long enough to say, but believes that most likely I do not have it. The two things that lead them to believe that most likely I do not have it are:

- my dependence on having enough sleep (people in mania do not need sleep, and although I sometimes cannot sleep, I need sleep, and when I cannot sleep, I am completely miserable, whereas people in true bipolar mania do not get miserable and instead may even enjoy sleeplessness)

- my never having experienced racing thoughts.

I have read a lot about racing thoughts, talked to the psychiatrist, read through the accounts of racing thoughts here on the bipolar forum, and simply cannot relate to them. I may have lots of ideas in my head, but they never clash in my mind nor run in parallel - I am always aware of all the associations that thoughts bring up even when they are complex, and the ideas always make sense. People describe racing thoughts as having several radio channels playing in their head. I have never had that - my thoughts go in sequence, one after another.

This phenomenon of racing thoughts is very unusual and suggestive of bipolar, and not of changes in mood that follow the female's cycle.

So if indeed you have racing thoughts, you need to see a psychiatrist (and not just your therapist) about them, and possibly do things for bipolar management. That said, since another big thing with bipolar is sleep - have you had time when you did not need sleep? or, alternatively, slept for way too many hours - 10, 12, 14?

T also has brought up the possibility of it being related to by cycles a few times over the past couple of years, but it isn't with every cycle and sometime occurs without the cycle, so that's why I'm asking that.

I'm not seeing a pdoc, I'm not sure if I should bring it up or how to bring it up to my T or just go to my regular doc first. Several months ago and about a year ago, I was has having trouble with SI/sui thoughts and t mentioned a pdoc and possibly a mood stabilizer. A couple months ago I was having bad issues with anxiety & possibly depression and t mentioned anti-depressants/anxiety meds.

I'm not sure if my "racing thoughts" are truely racing thoughts, but they're different than anxiety type thinking. I just have all of these ideas come to mind of things I want to do/places I want to go/ things I "need" to buy, such as "oh I want to go on a run (but it's 11pm and dark) and oh I should draw a picture, write a poem, go buy a new ipod, go to the mall, read 3 books tonight, go cook" but I never really end up finishing anything or carrying half of the stuff out because there is something else that comes to mind that I "need" to do. There's also the anxiety/I'm thinking to much about life type of thinking, but that usually starts with one thing then keeps building on that same what if situation.

There have been times I've gone without much sleep and not felt tired, last night for example. I went to sleep at 3am, woke up at at 4:30 and fell back asleep, and woke up at 7am wide awake- luckily I convinced myself to go back to bed for 2 hours, but other days I haven't. Used to I would end up crashing with 12+ hours of sleep after a couple of those days, but so far I haven't. I always I inherited it from my mom because she worked a lot and typically averaged 4 hours of sleep a night.

I was hoping it could be period related since the last two times it has happened right before it, but confused since it has also happened without my period or my period without mood changes before hand.

Starting many projects and not finishing any does occur in bipolar a lot.

It seems that what you are describing is not QUITE that, though.

Bipolar people would run to the mall, find a crafts store, buy out one fourth of its catalog, clutter the home with the craft supplies, and never do more than one half-assed project.

You do not report that. You report just THINKING about doing different things, but not following up on your ideas.

I still think that you could benefit from reading and posting on the Bipolar forum, to see if others can relate to what you are saying and to see if you can relate to what others are saying.

Also, you would benefit from tracking moods. See Optimism Online.

Tracking moods would benefit you in two ways:

- you will see if there is a correlation with the female's cycle

- you can print out the mood chart to show your T and maybe decide with the T if you need a pdoc.

I am not saying you should track your moods for life, though, but just for a few months to collect information.