What you describe doesn't sound like bipolar to me but I am not a psychiatrist. You mention moments when bipolar is weeks or months.The suicidal thoughts need to be addressed so you should tell your psychiatrist about them and your thoughts that you may have bipolar disorder. They should be able to help you out.
Manic depression is just an older term for bipolar. They are the same disorder. As for sleep, lack of sleep usually brings on mania but one distinguishing feature is that you are not tired after being up all night.
u can be manic depressive without the chemical unbalance which is bipolar my sister is manic depressive and i have the bipolar i also have ptsd and borderline personality disorder i have found that talking about very day life with my doc helps. I have been on meds for 25 years and then i stopped them and just been going to see the physc doc once a month...make a list and follow it on what ur doing for the day try to stay buzy so ur mind dont play tricks on u...when u dont want to move get up u may have to force ur self too...oh most important of all get lots of sleep if we dont get enough sleep we get sick and depressed