[Barbiedoll-]

Hi, I was diagnosed with Bipolar I disorder in my early 20's, and i'm now 45...I use to have long periods of depression with short periods of mania, and now for the past couple of years I have had the rapid cycling...To me, this is the worst...I miss my old days, this rapid cycling is horrible...What I use to go through in a period of a few months, I now go through several times a day...Does anyone else suffer from this?...If so, can you give me any advice on how to deal with it?...Thanks...

[Boxmaker]

I assume you are on a mood stabilizer for treatment of your Bipolar Disorder I. Some people who take mood stabilizers experience a fore-shortening of their depression/mania -- that is, they experience very short episodes (versus months-long episodes) of depression and mania. In addition, their symptoms during these episodes are considerably milder. This may be happening to you and you are experiencing it as a form of rapid cycling bipolar.

A second possibility is that you indeed are a rapid cycler. When you were first diagnosed with bipolar, Bipolar Disorder I was the only form of the illness commonly recognized. The medical community now recognizes other types of bipolar: Bipolar Disorder II, rapid cycling, ultradian, Bipolar NOS and even treatment-resistant depression as a possible form of bipolar. Were you diagnosed NOW (versus two decades ago), you might be diagnosed with some form of bipolar other than Bipolar I.

A third possibility is that untreated and undertreated bipolar episodes can become more frequent with time. Hence, you might be correctly diagnosed with Bipolar I but experiencing episodes that occur much more frequently than when you were younger.

All these possibilities can be addressed through medication. I suggest a visit with a psychiatrist who is knowledgeable specifically about bipolar. (You may need to do some research to find someone who really knows about mood disorders.) Different mood stabilizers might be recommended, depending upon your "flavor" of bipolar disorder. Also, if you are entering menopause, hormonal changes may require a change in your medication or affect how well your mood stabilizer works.

Finally, psychological counseling can help you identify specific triggers that cause may more frequent episodes and help you develop strategies to cope. In any case, you should NOT be suffering what you are experiencing. I strongly urge you to see a psychiatrist and psychologist who know their stuff about bipolar.