Mixed episodes increasing pmdd or bipolar or both?
I used to have pure hypomanic episodes, 1-9 days of happy fun art and imaginations..However because I also have GAD and OCD I have been too afraid to get on medication. I realize myself having really wild swings these days. They’re mainly high anxiety agitation and delusional and paranoid thoughts. Sometimes I become so restless I need to do ANYTHING to scratch the “itch” that I psychologically feel. I have grown very self aware of my cycles , sometimes I don’t catch them and they can get away from me, I’ll snap on someone or give into my hypochondriac thoughts. My sleep is very erratic. 1 day getting 8 next day getting 4. Next day back to 7/8 next day back to 4/5. It is incredibly hard to focus on what needs to get done, I’ve not been diagnosed but I’m always positive I have some form of adult adhd. I’m just realizing I get these more pronounced mixed during the luteal phase of my period. Sometimes they’ll begin a week before the luteal phase which makes me think also bipolar. Even after the period ends I will continue to have highs and lows. I guess my question would be should I try again with an SSRI?
@sincereChestnut1099 When you write "delusional and paranoid thoughts" that sounds really serious. When you also write, "I’ve not been diagnosed" that sounds potentially dangerous.
I'm not an expert, but I agree with you that there could be a lot of possible diagnoses interacting. GAD and OCD are completely treatable without medication (if you can find a competent therapist, not an easy thing). So maybe try to deal with those first and reassess the situation afterwards?
SSRIs are very controversial if there's the possibility of bipolar. There are stories of them making bipolar much worse, which you can easily read about by searching the Internet. The more conventional medication would be one of the mood stablizers, and possibly lithium if you can tolerate it. Of course, you don't want to lose the happy fun art and imaginations, I suppose. That's a trade-off many people with bipolar have to consider carefully.
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Charlie
Hey Charlie, thanks so much for taking the time to reply to this post. Thanks for the advice about the GAD and OCD. I’ve been diagnosed Bipolar, PTSD, OCD and severe anxiety. The main issues is the OCD AND ANXIETY. I have bipolar2 so it’s not intense really, although the past few years have been really hard, debilitating anxiety and very unstable moods. I’ve tried an SSRI many times but as things have gone on unmedicated, my body’s reactions have changed towards meds. The first time I took an SSRI I felt super good for a week and then it stopped working. Second time, I had terrible insomnia. Thirds a charm. Third time triggered really intense hypomania and rapid cycling, but it could’ve just been my body adjusting to the meds? I want to try an SSRI again and just take it before PMDD symptoms crop up. I’m currently looking into getting counseling for OCD. I’m hoping the SSRI could help with that. Paranoia I think is more coming from a past abusive relationship although the paranoia has spread onto everyone I know. I get paranoid they secretly want to hurt me, spit in my food or contaminate my room when I’m not home. Like they’re doing things on purpose secret destructive motives. The paranoia comes and goes. Paranoia of being watched from spies of my abusive ex.. Paranoia about ppl injecting things in the food at the store. Everything must be sealed, nothing can be easily opened. I don’t trust it. See I can’t tell what symptoms belong to which. It’s just this huge mess. Delusional thoughts are more ocd. But they can get weird. I think again the past abusive relationship has a lot to do with this but 1 pretty constant delusional thought that might not be delusional is that my ex has banded together my family and friends secretly telling them about me. They are communicating with my ex anything I do. Even though I ask some of my friends about this they tell me there’s no one but I am not convinced. The delusional thoughts can become extreme and debilitating if I’m not careful and I impulsively do something that sets off OCD and then the hypochondria fucking nightmare begins for a week or two. Anyway, this is a lot sorry to be rambling.
@sincereChestnut1099 Yes, unfortunately huge mess sounds like a good description 
You've mentioned paranoia and delusional thinking a lot, which are sort of related to OCD and hypochondria. Antipsychotic medication would be a very common treatment for all those, if you are prepared to consider medication at all.
Really, it sounds like what's needed is a smart psychiatrist who's prepared to take some time to sort out the huge mess with you and come up with a plan of action.
Charlie
