The use of carbamazepine and lithium in controlling a case of chronic rapid cycling.

A 34-year-old white female with a long-standing and deteriorating course of rapid cycling affective disorder was successfully treated by discontinuing a tricyclic antidepressant drug and then using a combination of carbamazepine and lithium. This suggests that rapid cycling affective disorder could be an underdiagnosed disorder, especially in patients with affective disorders who are receiving conventional antidepressant drugs who otherwise exhibit a stormy clinical course with numerous medication changes and hospitalizations. It is further suggested that a change in treatment strategy is warranted in such patients, as it could benefit both patients and society by decreasing hospitalizations and increasing the patients' quality of life.