I told my psychiatrist that i had manic depression tx with lithium 25 years ago, suicidal. now he said i have cyclothymia.?

Questions: From what you have said all that i can say is that, if i were you i would have questions for my psychiatrist. Your story is unusual but not impossible. For one thing, it is possible to have cyclothymia and another mood disorder. This is true if less extreme mood variation preceded a severe episode by several years.

Second opinion: As we have answered this question before, I am not sure what more to say. If you are uncomfortable with the diagnosis, i hope you will either address this with you provider, and/or get a second opinion. As i noted before, one advantage is that both conditions are treated in a similar manner and exist along a spectrum.

Same thing: Cyclothyma is from the greek loosely meaning circular moods. When pts are bi polar this is what they exhibit.

Possible: It is possible that bipolar disorder symptoms can lessen through one's lifetime to the point of being cyclothymic. That being said, if you need a second opinion from another psychiatrist, by all means, seek one out.

Cyclothymia: Cyclothymia is a milder form of disorder with mood swings. It is best to get a second opinion if you have doubts.