Rapid Cycling Bipolar Disorder: Reader Question

  A Reader Question for Julie Fast  

Hi, I just received a question from Sandra asking if it’s normal that her depression seems to show up every two months- oh, yes it is normal! Here is my answer:  

 hi Julie,

I have a question.  Looking back at about eight months of journaling, I noticed that every two months or so, my entries suggest that I was depressed.  It would appear that this is cycling every two months.  Could this be accurate?  Anything I can do to correct it?  Yes, I will bring it up with my psychiatrist at the next appointment.

Thanks!

Hi Sandra,

Bipolar disorder is an episode illness- as compared to psychotic or personality disorders which are more stable over time. This means a person can have a few severe episodes and then none for a few years- or someone, like myself can have mood swings [ Read More ]





Bipolar Disorder and Rapid Cycling after something great happens!!!!!

Too Many Mood Swings to Count in Just 24 Hours!

I turned in a large, important and wonderful project on Sunday night. It’s now Tuesday. The project is a proposal for my new book. This is a big undertaking, so I know I have to be extra careful about my health. I was careful! Early to bed early to rise! No late nights- decided to put a hold on a daily phone call I often have with a very stressed and negative friend, etc. I am really working hard to stay stable.

This certainly helped me finish the proposal. I was so elated to have it done! Real pleasure. 

Then I went up.. .and down.. and up.. then WAY down and finally back up. That was just on Sunday!

The same thing happened all day yesterday. Finally, but 11 that night, I was worn out, but up again. I took an Ativan and then another [ Read More ]





Newsletter: Terrible Bipolar Rapid Cycling.. it’s just awful!!!!!

I just went through two weeks of constant rapid cycling.  It sure was tough! I had five distinct mood swings in one day last week. Three were hypomanic, one was mild depression and the other was a severe crying suicidal depression. They all lasted a few hours. I’m doing a lot better today, but I’m tired. 

I wrote other blogs about how I handled the mood swings and was able to keep working and do my regular routines. Then I had about three days of terrible OCD. I told my therapist it was a bipolar perfect storm. I had a tight work deadline, my mom went out of town, a guy at a party started flirting with me and that freaked me out  ( I keep away from flirting these days!), my brother forgot about a concert we were supposed to go to – the tickets were not cheap!-  and then I got some [ Read More ]





Bipolar Rapid Cycling: A mood swing record?

Five mood swings in one day!

I doubt that is a record, but it sure wears me out. In that past week, I’ve had at least 20 mood swings. They are mild, but certainly strong enough to chart. Yesterday I had three distinct upswings. The day before that, I had a few upswings and an intense hour long downswing where I immediately started crying. I’ve also been twitching a lot which means there is something not right with my Lamictal dose.

What is causing this rapid cycling? Though I’m glad it’s on the manic side instead of being constant depression, I know it’s not good for me. I can feel my adrenaline pumping and I feel like jumping out of my skin.  The chemicals are racing through my brain much faster than they normally do. I feel like [ Read More ]