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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
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Posted by pedrito on November 19, 2008, at 16:11:58
Hi all,
I am experiencing some kind of emotional and psychological cycle which I describe below and I want your thoughts on what it might be. I am on 200mg Lamictal [for 1 year] and 25mg Luvox [for 3 months] for depression, anxiety and obsessional thinking, which I've had for 12 years. When increasing dose on Luvox recently I could not tolerate 50mg, it made me consistently depressed. 25mg is definitely helping, I have improved mood and less obsessional blame [which is one of my main problems] but this cycle is still in place. Another potential factor is that I have IBS-C, which has a huge effect on my emotions and psychology. I'm not sure if/how that fits into the cycle, I'm mentioning it for completeness.Here's the cycle:
- I feel up and positive, even excited for 10 - 14 days, despite strong obsessional blame. I can only sleep 5-6 hours before waking up because am so excited with things to tackle, even though I will instantly and strongly blame myself and feel 'a bad person' almost all day. I feel tired but wired [I get black bags under my eyes] and can't really relax. A bit like I've downed a pot of strong coffee [which I don't drink].
- over 2-4 days, this segues into a period of sleeping regularly [7-8 hours], feeling less enthusiastic and maybe a little apathetic. Not too bad.
- this proceeds to drop into a period of moderate depression. I feel horrible. I lose motivation and just want to stay home. Things in the future seem threatening and dark. This lasts 5 - 7 days
- this lifts over 2-3 days and the cycle repeats.So this apparent cycle takes 19 - 28 days which is too long for bipolar depression, that I know of. I would like to know people's thoughts on what condition[s], processes, symptoms or interactions I might be experiencing.
Any help is much appreciated, I am sick of feeling like this. Sorry if this isn't the proper forum for this post.
Pete
Posted by 10derHeart on November 19, 2008, at 22:17:02
In reply to some kind of cycle, posted by pedrito on November 19, 2008, at 16:11:58
Hi Pete,
I don't suffer from bipolar disorder and am no expert, by any means. But I have done some reading due to a friend being dx'd and out of curiosity over things I've learned here at Babble over time. What you've written sure sounds like a form of bipolar cycling -to a layperson, anyway....
Could this not be Ultra-Rapid Cycling? Or what is termed, I think, ultradian cycling?
Just these two sites reinforce the possibility, I think...
http://bipolar.about.com/cs/faqs/f/faq_rapidcycle.htm
http://www.bio-medicine.org/medicine-definition/Ultradian/
There's more out there if you Google.
Have you discussed bipolar disorder with your pdoc and/or therapist? Sounds like a worthwhile discussion, given the cycle you've identified.
The folks on the medication board also may have some insight - especially into the drug combination you are on and whether they suspect that could be related, and how....
Just my 4 or 5 cents worth. Hope you find some relief and answers. -- 10derheart
Posted by Dinah on November 19, 2008, at 22:23:20
In reply to some kind of cycle, posted by pedrito on November 19, 2008, at 16:11:58
It's not the wrong forum. We can talk about the psychological aspects of the problem here. But you might want to also post on the medication board to get what might be a more medically oriented reply.
I find that I tend to have cycles. My motivation to track them precisely varies a lot with my mood, so I've never done that great a job of keeping records. I do it for a few days then drop off. Like everything else.
But for me I think I alternate from being really groggy and thick and being too anxious and hyper. I haven't really been able to figure out that pattern at all.
I have better luck at figuring out my behaviors than I do my moods.
Do you notice any sort of triggers?
I will say that I did better on Luvox with a mood stabilizer, and that one of my psychiatrists briefly put down "cyclothymia" as my diagnosis code, though he said I didn't really neatly fit any diagnosis.
What does your doctor say?
Posted by Phillipa on November 20, 2008, at 12:00:32
In reply to Re: some kind of cycle » pedrito, posted by Dinah on November 19, 2008, at 22:23:20
Really? As seems when I upped luvox to 50mg from 25mg even though considered too low to be theraputic I also experienced the same and am now. Thanks Dinah for validating what I also feel mood wish. I change during the day to fear in morning to wanting up late then. thanks again. Love Phillipa
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