Questions about bipolar?!

Questions about bipolar?

I was diagnosed with Bipolar about 6 years ago. I was reading on the internet the different types. I'm curious as to the classification I fall into. Here are my syptoms if i'm not medicated. Quick mood swings, easily irratated, constant spending, feeling of guilt, anxiety, can't sleep, massive gain weight (I did loose all of it this last year though) and lack of motivation. Is anybody else out there on lamictal? I've been on this medication for about 4 years. Doctors spent years trying to get me "right". I still feel constant guilt, hard time sleeping and easily irritated. But its not bad like it used to be when I was younger. Does anybody else still feel these symptons on medication?

Most people with bipolar I have episodes of both depression and mania. In very rare cases, they experience only mania. Bipolar I is distinguished from bipolar II by the severity and duration of the manic phase, which can last anywhere from a week to several months, and the experience of delusions. Risky behavior is common in manic episodes and patients often require hospitalization for their own safety.
The symptoms of mania can include rapid speech, insomnia, disconnected thoughts, grandiose ideas, hallucinations, extreme irritability, feelings of omnipotence, paranoia, violent behavior, a marked increase in strength, and openly promiscuous activity.

People with bipolar II suffer primarily from episodes of severe depression with occasional episode of "mild" mania, called hypomania. Hypomania differs from mania in that no delusions are experienced.
Like mania, hypomania can cause severely impaired functioning. The hypomanic episode often feels so good that bipolar patients often discontinue their medication in quest of a hypomanic episode. This is especially problematic because symptoms that come back after stopping drug treatment are often much harder to get back under control a second time.
While Bipolar II has sometimes been described as a "milder" form of bipolar disorder than Bipolar I, the suicide rate among people suffering form Bipolar II is actually higher than that for those suffering from Bipolar I.

Most people with bipolar disorder have an average of 8 to 10 manic or depressive episodes over a lifetime. Some, however, experience much more severe symptoms called rapid cycling. They can swing (cycle) between "highs" and "lows" many times in one day. To be considered a rapid cycler, you must have at leat 4 mood swings in a year.

I am bipolar ll with rapid cycling moods. these can range from 4 episodes a year to 4 episodes in a day. It is how ever hard for me to know what is my bipolar and what is my other disorders as they are closely relatived. I also run an online support group for women with bipolar the link is below if you want to join. I also struggle to get stable on meds but this is down to the fact that when I am feeling ok or hyper-mainc I tend to stop meds, its then very hard to get stable again and find the right meds to work. good luck take care