Hi all - I'm new here! I'm Adison. I'm 31 - stay-at-home mom

I've been diagnosed w/ cyclothymia for a few years now (as well as OCPD and also struggle w/ bulimia) I know this forum is for bipolar...but I wonder if anyone posting here actually deals w/ cyclothymia?

Thanks!! :angel:

Hi Adison,

I too have been diagnosed with Clyclothymia. I have some eating issues as well. I am on the run right now so I don't have time to write a ton. You have definitely come to the right place.

Welcome. Keep writing.

-Jen

Oh yey! Look forward to posting with you!!

I have rapid cycling BPII, pretty similar to cyclothymia I think. And also recovering from an eating disorder, coincidence? I think not.

Hi Jen and Adison,

Cyclothymia can be a real pain to deal with. For years we fly under the mood disorder radar. I was treated for depression for over a decade taking only SSRI's as my major treatment. I always had racing thoughts, insomnia, a tendency to binge eat to slow down my body (it's weird, eating a ton of carbs actually makes the racing go away), and I would get extremely agitated. I remember telling my counselor once that I longed to have a depression in which I just felt like sleeping all the time. That sympton shows up on all teh depression lists and i never had it!

What I did have was all of the feelings listed above but in spite of what would seem to be boundless energy, I had a hard time doing anything. I was overcome by anxiety. I lost the desire to listen to music, eat anything but plain pasta, have sex all stuff that falls into the depression catagory. I just felt like I was on speed while all this was happening.


So, I finally got the cyclothymia dx. I take lamictal daily, as well as celexa. I am also on Seroquel for sleep but am looking to get off of it because it makes me twitch at night. This also happens if I take Benadryl for allergies - don't know if they are related. I can see a bit of an improvement but I still am looking for that magic bullet to slow down the racing. Seroquel comes close but i just hate the side effects.

I would be interested in hearing from you two - or anyone else really, about how you have dealt with this.

Ciao,

Jen

:) HI i really dont know if iam cyclothmitic or not,I have had the d/x proposed to me But I am unconvinced.Yesterday I went to the mental health clinic and requested a copy of my health records so I reacon maybe I can find out what they d/xed me for.I know I have reacurring periods of depression and I know i have done some crazy stuff sometimes,but who hasnt.I am interested in hearing more about this so write it up.Cyclothmia is on the far end of the Bipolar scale so I guess this would be the place to talk about it.I am interrested in what ways can the hypomania manifests its self,clear examples that led to yalls d/x of cyclothmia.I am not currently seeing a doctor but am trying Lexapro again and propranolol =prescriptions I recieved several mounths ago for depression maintanance,and social phobia.I dont like taking drugs.IF yall tell the crazy stuff yall done Ill confide in yall maybe some,a little.:)

Hi, I have not been posting lately, but this is what I was diagnosed with. I am having a hard time today with stuff at work, but I will write as soon as I can get my thoughts together:eek:

I am on 250mg. of topamax. (when taking topamax you start out SLOW....like 25mg. and SLOWLY build up from there...50mg.....100mg., etc.) Jen, you mentioned you would like something to help you w/ the racing thoughts.....topamax has really helped control my racing thoughts. I'm not saying I NEVER deal w/ this anymore.....but topamax has helped to greatly reduce this for me. It has also helped control my compulsions .....I'm also diagnosed w/ OCPD....one of my compulsions is binge eating (diagnosed w/ bulimia....I binge and purge).......I have other compulsions....I constantly clean....I have this need to control things in my environment ....things need to be neat and clean and in order in my environment. I get very aggitated and easily angered....I feel very aggited and upset when things don't feel neat and clean and I just need things to feel like they are organized and running smooth (yep...I'm a list person!)....when they do I feel calm! You should see my cupboards in my home....everything in those little baskets...all in rows! You should see my closets! ...nice and neat..hanging straight!

At any rate....getting back to the topamax....I've been on med after med after med....combos of meds even.....for me....the only thing that works the best is topamax. Now realize when you take meds....meds are not magic curealls. When you take meds....you can't be expecting that ALL the things you deal w/ ....that you just wake up one day and you feel magically ALL better like you have never dealt w/ this at all. Meds don't target ALL your symptoms 100%.....they make things easier to deal w/. They may target some of your symptoms 100%...or close...but you are not going to find a med to target ALL your symptoms 100%...that'd be the magic cure all pill and there isn't one out there. Meds help you ...they don't cure you. Meds go hand in hand w/ your counseling and therapy. They help calm things down so that you can help you. does that make sense?
Like my racing thoughts for example! Topamax does not make it go away 100%...but to the degree topamax helps target it.....helps me be able to focus and get through my day. The binging.....topamax helps target this and helps me do the things I need to do to get a handle on it ....where w/out topamax I feel out of control and can't handle it at all. My other compulsions....I can't calm my thoughts down enough to think through ...there are mind things I can do when I feel the urge to clean and go crazy around my home! ....w/ topamax ....I can get that down a level or two....when it starts to overwhelm me....I know there are things I can do for me....right now I could probably use some counseling to refresh what those things are.........but do you see where I'm going w/ this? For me topamax works. Might not be it for you....

And w/ any med....I always encourage you to talk w/ your dr. and ask questions....find out if it is a good med for you or what med can be a good fit for you!

Adison - you sound like my twin! I too am a raging cleaner. This has calmed down a bit since my dx and starting meds. I currently take lamictal and adderall, it is a wierd combo, but it is the only thing that works for me. It is hard to explain, but the combo helps slow me down and lift me up at the same time. With all the racing thoughts (thanks to ADD) about cleaning and all of the other million little things to do in a day, I used to get so aggitated and stressed and angry. Then very quickly I would get extremely depressed/withdrawn and not care about anything, even cleaning. The med cocktail helps even it all out. I can concentrate on the important things and complete something before my mind races off to something else, it helps break the cycle.

Hi!

I tried the Adderal(sp?) but it triggered me into a major manic episode...major major bad! So I had to be taken off!

My pdoc monitors me for that also, but as of yet...no such problem. I hope it stays that way, because now I am finally able to function normally.