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Question on rapid cycling or similar BP symptoms?

Since being recently diagnosed with BP2, I am wondering what expereinces people have with mood swings over days and hours.  I noticed over the last few months as my condition got worse, i was expereincing dramatic mood swings from extreme anger most of the day to really low depression and sadness by the time dinner time rolled around.  I never really have the extreme manic highs of BP1 obviously, but I can certainly feel the ups an downs just much more often now rather than over weeks or months at a time in occurence.  Does anyone else epxerience this?

I am on meds now (Lamactil and Zoloft) but too soon to see any real relief for changes.
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Avatar universal
Thanks for the link, LeftCoastChick.  Good stuff there.  The Zoloft by the way is something I am only going to be on for a short while longer and I see my doc today on the mood hypomania issues and he is going to recommend some sort of treatment for that.
I wish I could just have something physical to deal with that at least I could control.  This disease is depressing when you realize it is for life.  I just finished the book, "The Unquiet Mind."  Great one for those that have not read but I still found that I finnished it a bit depressed when you consider not only what she went through but will continue to go through even though she is under solid treatment.
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Avatar universal
I've been wondering about Omega-3's.  Do you find they really help?
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Avatar universal
I forgot to add this great website:
http://www.helpguide.org/topic_index.htm

If you look at the bottom of the page, there are links to further info as well. It's been extremely helpful to me.
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Avatar universal
I'm a rapid and mixed state cycler - it basically means I can have a mood swing that is depression with hypomanic features.  I get cranky and irritated and feel down, but then pop right up 3 hours later and a happy camper.  I just had my Seroquel upped so that hypomania is better controlled, it's a relief, but I still get some along with mood drops.

Being self aware is most important and how you are going to manage your swings. You can control them to a point. Regulating your sleep, no more then 8hrs a day, no stimulants or very little. I'm allowed 1 cup of coffee a day. I've even dropped my cravings for chocolate which is a stimulant as well. Eating decently, if you can't be more vigilant, look at taking a multi-vitamin, I also take Omega-3, and that's supposed to help.(just my own daily self care, but see your doc first)  I do stay away from any herbal compound, as far as I'm concerned it's a non-regulated natural drug.  Talk therapy or a support group can be a really helpful alongside a good psychiatrist. You'll have a wellness team, especially if you are newly diagnosed. It was so helpful for me for the first 6 months after diagnosis.

lamictal is a great drug, I wonder about the Zoloft, that's an anti-depressant as well. It doesn't seem like you haven't got anything for your hypomania. If you're still swinging, I would ask about that.  Being too up or having mixed states can be most frustrating!
See your doctor, you can control your swings!
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585414 tn?1288941302
Rapid cycling is very common in people with bipolar. I experienced it in the past before my current recovery and Lamictal was quite helpful on it.
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