rapid cycling?

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-20-2003
rapid cycling?
1
Mon, 01-03-2005 - 12:33am

I have had a depression diagnosis since I was a teenager. I'm 27 now. However, about a year ago, I also got a bipolar diagnosis which ended up being changed to ADHD, which I think may be more accurate.

My question is, when someone has depression and is NOT bipolar, how quickly do they come out of a "low spell"? I started feeling depressed about 3 weeks ago, more so than usual, I could feel myself just getting really down. This came to a peak about a week ago, and I was very depressed, which included fatigue, restlessness, inability to sleep, agitation, irritability, feelings of failure, hopeless about my future, about things ever getting better, etc. This proceeded and I was still feeling that way this morning. By this afternoon, I was ready to quit my job and go on welfare and just give up. I had no hope that anything would ever get better, I DREADED going to work tomorrow, I had a panic attack because after being on vacation for 10 days, I would have to go back and see everyone, etc. I called my mother bawling and telling her I needed help. I am trying to get back on my meds that I stopped taking in August but things are getting delayed. I was about ready to go to the ER and beg them for meds to help get me through this. I spent all day in bed, doing NOTHING, watching The Surreal Life (kids are at dad's). I have barely eaten in the last couple days and I just have not seen one reason to even get out of bed.

Well, here it is, 12:30 a.m. and I feel better. Not a LITTLE bit better, but measurably better. I don't feel wonderful, nor am I filled with excitement to go back to work, lol, but I feel nowhere NEAR where I was at even 8 hours ago! Is this "too quick"? Does this sound more like bipolar than plain ole depression?

I have 6-7 current diagnoses, a couple of which have been changed over the last couple years. I am trying to get back to my pdoc not only to start over on my meds (I was on 4 different meds until August) but maybe to get a fresh start with my diagnoses as well, just to make sure everything looks accurate, you know?

SO many of my symptoms really do seem bipolar to me, but most of them fit with ADHD as well. My doctor and I had a hard time figuring it out together, and he put me on a couple different mood stabilizers to better gauge how they would help me but I was allergic to them. :( They were Tegretol and Lithium. Maybe we can try something else?

Maybe this belongs on the Bipolar Board, but I wanted to ask those of you who are not Bipolar how long it takes for a particularly bad bout of depression to run its course. And in between those, are you "normal" or are you still melancholy? Or do you actually feel really good?

Thanks!
~Kiya

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-22-2003
In reply to: kiya3s
Mon, 01-03-2005 - 8:12am

Hi kiya


Not sure I have an answer to you on this one. I would think its different for everyone both in how they deal with the depressive episode (as in whether they actively try to get out of it or wallow in it for a bit) and also what exactly is causing the depression.


I myself suffer from chronic mild depression so dont usually have real real lows.

*hugs