Bipolar vs Cyclothymic

I got the following info off the http://www.bipolar.com site. I often have questions as to the severity of my type vs what others might have.

Bipolar I Disorder — In this type, you have had at least one episode of mania or mixed mood and often experience depression too. In between, your mood may be normal. Sometimes your mood swings happen when the seasons change.

Bipolar II Disorder — In this type, you have had at least one episode of depression and at least one period of hypomania. Hypomania is a milder form of mania. In between, your mood may be normal. Sometimes your mood swings happen when the seasons change.

Cyclothymic Disorder — This is a milder form of bipolar disorder. You may go back and forth between mild depression and a slightly elevated mood. But your mood swings are shorter and less severe. Many people with cyclothymic disorder go on to have a stronger type of bipolar disorder. This doesn’t happen to everyone, though.

Bipolar Disorder Not Otherwise Specified — This type of bipolar disorder is when you do not fit into the types mentioned above. The feelings of bipolar disorder vary from person to person.

And since I forgot my meds for a few days, I figured I will try and write about what it feels like. I didn't mean not to take them, but I have always had trouble remembering my everyday stuff (like birthcontrol---reason why we went another route). Now my dogs do get their medication daily, and normally that is the trigger to take mine, but somehow I also let this slip.

So when I get it (apparently it affects people in all different ways), I feel slightly scrambled and foggy now. I feel differently at different times. Like my mind wants to race but it's bogged down by something. I feel sluggish. Hard to enjoy things I normally enjoy (sound like any commercials you hear?). I can function but it's a little bit of a struggle to get myself up and about.

It doesn't happen often now, but on times like this when I have let things start to slip, and then I need to give myself a boot in the butt to get going again, and pay attention to the care of myself.

Many people think this disease is something it's not. I think it needs to be either very severe or combined with another disorder to create the extremes people seem to think about OR those extremes are totally different disorders. With me any, and with many people it's largely an internal struggle.