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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by ernie296 on July 16, 2003, at 13:38:39
Ok, so I think that it is way more than possible that I have this disorder, but what do I do about it? I am pretty sure that I went through a fullblown bipolar period about three years ago, but other than that six month period of time, it has been milder ups and downs. I honestly do think they have interfered with my life, but I feel exteremely reluctant about seeking a medicinal approach. My downs are more grumpiness and not wanting to clean up the house. My ups are...well, up. I do not drink or do drugs of any kind and have been in a consistent relationship for the last twenty years. I do have problems with insomnia and have previously blamed the not sleeping for the mood problems, but it could be the other way around. My most noticeable symptoms are shopping too much, periods of what I would consider mild depression (never really thought about suicide, but had days where I just wish I wasn't 'here'), and then periods where I get three rooms in the house painted in a weekend. I also have periods of time when I am really jazzed about something and want to do it obsessively and then I will lose interest.Stuff like scrapbooking or horseback riding or gardening. Due to this I have a gorgeous garden that is now overgrown with weeds, a gorgeous 3 year TB colt that has some good undersaddle basics but I can't seem to get around to riding these days and a fortune in scrapbooking materials and the start of a fantastic scrapbook that I haven't added anything to in three months. I want to stick to something. I want to stop spending money I really shouldn't on things I really don't need. But is there a pill that is going to help with that? Does anybody have any experience with dealing with cyclothymia without meds? Does recognition of the problem help you to control it?
BTW, this may be totally random, but I did seem to notice that when I was on the Atkins diet, my moods leveled off. Was that wishful thinking or possibly part of the cycling or is there any evidence that milder moodswings can be helped with dietary changes?
Any information or support is truly appreciated. I am 39 years old and I really want to feel that I have some control over my life. Thank you.
Posted by Penny on July 16, 2003, at 13:56:30
In reply to Possible cyclothymia, posted by ernie296 on July 16, 2003, at 13:38:39
> I want to stick to something. I want to stop spending money I really shouldn't on things I really don't need. But is there a pill that is going to help with that? Does anybody have any experience with dealing with cyclothymia without meds? Does recognition of the problem help you to control it?
Hi! My Dx is "mood disorders, not otherwise specified" meaning that I, too, have ups and downs but don't fit the classic description of any of the mood disorders specifically.
I do think knowing that there is a problem can help, simply because being aware of your cycles can help you plan for how best to deal with them.
However, I do think meds are a good course of treatment, but don't know if I would have bothered with them had I not been suicidal (and if I didn't return to that state often enough to scare myself). I take a mood stabilizer (Lamictal) with other meds and it seems to be helpful, though it's far from perfect.
> BTW, this may be totally random, but I did seem to notice that when I was on the Atkins diet, my moods leveled off. Was that wishful thinking or possibly part of the cycling or is there any evidence that milder moodswings can be helped with dietary changes?
I would imagine, though I am not a doctor or nutritionist, that the crash and burn effect you get from eating high-carb foods could contribute to more extreme cycling, so that a low or no carbs diet might help prevent that. Any other thoughts?
Oh - have you thought about (or are you in) therapy? If impulse control is an issue, therapy might be able to help you deal with it without medication.
Posted by ernie296 on July 16, 2003, at 14:51:37
In reply to Re: Possible cyclothymia » ernie296, posted by Penny on July 16, 2003, at 13:56:30
Maybe that is a better description of my problem, 'mood disorder- not otherwise specified'. I don't seem to fit any particular disorder perfectly, but the cyclothymia seemed to come closest.
No, I am not in therapy, but maybe I need to think about it seriously. I live in a small town in a basically rural area and so far have only gone to my GP for help. He prescribed Wellbutrin, but that gave me terrible headaches and didn't seem to really help anything else. He also prescribed Ambien, which helps with any sleep problems I have, but I worry about it being addictive and it doesn't seem like a good long-term solution to me. I need to find out what resources are available to me locally or maybe find a good support group on the net.
Posted by Dinah on July 16, 2003, at 16:06:44
In reply to Possible cyclothymia, posted by ernie296 on July 16, 2003, at 13:38:39
Cyclothymia is my official diagnosis, but I think it's mainly for insurance purposes. Since I have in my life qualified for major depressive disorder, recurrant, moderate, I think I'm excluded from having cyclothymia. I've also had hypomanic periods, mostly precipitated by antidepressants, but occasionally brought on by sleep deprivation.
I understand about the "enthusiasms" as I call them. They've been part of my life for as long as I can remember, and my mother had "enthusiasms" as well. So I might do something non-stop and intensely for a few weeks then drop it for years. My mother and I both have half finished projects everywhere, and it can get expensive. Fortunately the enthusiasms recycle, so I can eventually use whatever I buy again.
I don't know if that's a "normal" thing or not. Certainly my husband and my father don't think so.
A complete course of my mood cycle lasts around 8-10 weeks under normal circumstances, less if I'm under extreme stress, longer if I'm under less than normal stress. Seldom if ever longer than 12 weeks. Because it's longer than 4 weeks, I'm pretty sure it's not hormonal. In the golden days of yore, the excited period of my mood cycle manifested itself as enthusiasms, now more often it's nasy agitation.
I handle it with a smidge of depakote, some klonopin, and a lot of therapy. Just getting to know myself and my mood cycles helps a lot. I can be a lot more detached and philosophical about any particular mood knowing that this too shall pass.
I suspect that like Penny, mood disorder NOS would fit me better than cyclothymia. Although I'm not a huge fan of the NOS. Ever try to find an NOS support group? :)
In the mean time, if spending is an issue for you (as it was for me) take the best advice I can give you and snip those credit cards. Disaster is just a few spending sprees away.
Posted by Penny on July 16, 2003, at 18:57:40
In reply to Re: Possible cyclothymia » ernie296, posted by Dinah on July 16, 2003, at 16:06:44
> I suspect that like Penny, mood disorder NOS would fit me better than cyclothymia. Although I'm not a huge fan of the NOS. Ever try to find an NOS support group? :)Hee hee...we could have our own right here... :-)
I tell people that I have depressive disorder, for all intensive purposes. Then, when I'm feeling obstinant, I tell them that I am diagnosed with "Mood Disorders NOS" and that it means they don't know what the hell is wrong with me. Which I think is the real case. Doc had to put a dx so that's what he put. My first pdoc had "MDD single episode" the next did the same. My old therapist had "MDD recurrent and Dysthymic Disorder". I DEFINITELY think the dysthymia is true for me, coupled with the major depressive episodes and occasional hypomania - brought on usually by a med change or sleep deprivation like you, but sometimes for no apparent reason at all.
I think the reason doc doesn't like to classify me as 'depressed' is because throughout the course of a day I go up and down many times. It's very frustrating to not know how you will feel from one hour to the next and to know that no matter how good things seem right now, in the next minute it can all change.
Oh well.
Posted by Dinah on July 16, 2003, at 19:04:55
In reply to Re: NOS » Dinah, posted by Penny on July 16, 2003, at 18:57:40
You're right. We could start our own support group. :) I too occasionally get a bit hypomanic for no reason that I can see. The only difference is that my moods rarely change that fast. They usually last at least days, more often at least a week. But I do know what it's like to wake up in the morning wondering what my daily personal weather will be.
My husband always says he likes summer and winter best because while he knows he won't like the weather, at least he'll know what to wear. I kind of prefer fall and spring, where there's at least a chance the weather will be lovely.
Posted by Penny on July 16, 2003, at 19:32:23
In reply to Re: NOS » Penny, posted by Dinah on July 16, 2003, at 19:04:55
Yep - I'm a fall/spring gal myself.
P
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