Can you rapid cycle through the day and still be depressed mostly? For those suffering with bipolar like me.?

Question

I'm bipolar and my mood changes within the day and I swear sometimes within minutes. But depression is always there, like I'm depressed all the time but sometimes its like I'm 25% depressed and other times its 75% etc. but I'm always depressed. The moods are like that as well, some days are crazy and some days are lax but whenever I'm manic the depression is just to the side and it like tugs at me until I finally crash from the high (which is basically a lot of anger, anxiety, and overflow of thoughts and paranoia). Is this still bipolar?

Hi, first thanx for the fast responses, wasn't expecting that. I have begun medication depakote so far but I plan on changing to lamictal because I have already gained 5 lbs in two weeks with depa and I'm not having that. My psych. it seems as though he will let me decide what I want to take as far as meds go and will adjust it as I feel fit. I was referred to him because he spealizes in bipolar. I was recently diagnosed and I'm just trying to gather as much info as I can because it's affecting my marriage and I never knew if it was just me or something more. I'm always depressed but I have episodes all the time, is that rare, I just feel lonely because I can't find that much info on people who cycle in the same day.

One more thing I'd like to add. I am exhausted everyday!! Again, depends on how low or high that day was. I'm either tired because I'm depressed and don't have a care in the world or I'm tired because of the crashes from my manic episodes that I get at least once a day.

Answer 1

Bipolar is complex enough to have many, many symptoms. You can certainly have an underlying depression with both high and low swings.
The highs are exhausting, and the lows are potentially devastating.

If you haven't been under the care of a medical doctor for your symptoms, get there. The proper medications, though some won't give up the highs, offer balance and an ability to sustain your energy over the long haul. It sounds as though you have reached the point where you want more than the ups and crashes, so try a new doctor, if necessary, and stick to the plan that the two of you decide on.

Answer 2

Instead of manic or hypomanic episodes, you could be having mixed episodes, which are just what they sound like, a combo of a depressive episode and a manic or hypomanic episode. Without more info, it's hard to tell if this is what's going on, but it sounds like this may be the case (since you describe anger as part of your highs). This is still bipolar disorder; as long as you have depressive episodes and 1) manic; 2) hypomanic; and/or 3) mixed episodes, you still qualify as bipolar.

As for the rapid cycling, yes, there is a category of bipolar disorder that is "rapid cycling." According to the DSM-IV, the manual of criteria used to diagnose mental health disorders, depressive episodes should last two weeks and manic or hypomanic episodes one week (if I remember correctly). However, many rapid cycling bipolars find their mood episodes are shorter in duration. Also, there usually is no between: you're 1) up; 2) down; 3) going up; or 4) going down. Rapid cycling bipolar disorder is harder to treat than "classic" bipolar disorder (in which the mood episodes last months at a time and there are times in which the person is neither depressed nor manic/hypomanic).

Answer 3

Most bipolar is characterized by depression with periods of mania. The depression is the predominant emotion.

I hope tomorrow is a good day for you.