Anti-depressants and mood stabilizers [Archive]

kbell

06-14-2004, 07:46 PM

I was wondering if anyone else who posts to this board was diagnosed Bipolar II and is prescribed to an anti-depressant AND a mood stabilizer. I always figured it was one or the other but not both.

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apinecone

06-15-2004, 09:14 AM

I wasn't Dx'd BP II but my pdoc went thru a phase to 'rule it out'. Sort of by definition-- BP has both an 'up' side and a 'down' side, which tend to 'cycle'-- a med that would help stabilize it would be a 'stabilizer' [not being :rolleyes: ], but there's a somewhat different wrinkle with the anti-depressant aspect with BP II. Since BP II involves relatively less time spent in the manic mode and then 'hypo' or diminished level of manic at that, the main thing to work on is the depressive part. But the med shouldn't 'pick you up' (like an 'upper') lest you get 'hyper' or 'manic'. So the idea is to 'elevate' the level of the 'low' without driving or spiking you into an 'up' or destabilize your mostly non-manic mode into a manic mode. You know what I mean? If not, please ask for clairification, because this is an important concept for you to keep in mind while you're going thru the Rx phase of your treatment.

kbell

06-15-2004, 10:55 AM

I took a number of different anti-depressants mainly SSRI's and felt completely hyper. It was really not fun. I know there are a lot of other AD's out there. I'd rather take as few medications as possible if I am able to control the BP with just one, ya know? The potential side effects involved with some of these things are scary and I'd rather not subject myself to that unnecessarily.

jbvalley

06-16-2004, 01:10 AM

Think of it this way: Imagine a three story building. The bottom floor is depression, the top floor hypomania or mania and the middle floor is stability. Regardless of what kind of BP you have, the anti depressant is the up escalator from the bottom floor and the mood stabilizer is the down escalator from the top floor.

That being said it is possible to be stable with only an anti depressant or mood stabilizer depending on how you are cycling and the nature of your disorder.

kbell

06-16-2004, 02:15 PM

Thanks. This is good to know. I don't want to be overmedicated if I can help it and being relatively new to being bipolar, I'd rather go with the experiences of ppl that live with it day in and day out.

mudhound

06-19-2004, 10:21 PM

the wife is on both and then some.

Ruth6:11

06-20-2004, 08:14 AM

Just be careful than the anti-depressant is not the "SSRI" type...
They can actually trigger mania in a percentage of folks with Bipolar disorder.
The SSRI's available in the US are:
citalopram (Celexa)
escitalopram (Lexapro)
fluoxetine (Prozac)
fluvoxamine (Luvox)
paroxetine (Paxil)
sertraline (Zoloft)

kbell

06-21-2004, 05:13 PM

SSRI's are what led me to the Bipolar II disorder. I literally felt like I was going to jump out of my skin. Not so fun.

dietcokefreak

06-21-2004, 07:18 PM

I have been diagnosed as bipolar since 16 years (bipolar II they say now). I am almost 27.. I also have ADD and panic disorder. When I was a child, it was simply deemed "psychosis". I can always remember being on some type of medicine or another, but right now I am taking depakote (1,000mg) as well as lexapro which is a SSRI (this is the only one that hasnt triggered a manic episode) also seroquel and ativan. It is working good for me. Good luck!!

kbell

06-24-2004, 08:01 PM

Thanks. I realize that the diagnosing and finding the right medicine to treat is tricky business but its been a rough road. I'm definitely ready for it to be smoother even if its only a little tiny bit smoother.

apinecone

06-26-2004, 03:35 PM

[QUOTE=jbvalley]the anti depressant is the up escalator from the bottom floor and the mood stabilizer is the down escalator from the top floor.
QUOTE]

Good analogy! It's definitely not a 'static' thing. And one can adjust other factors than by meds, and even the meds take some time to get to a stable level themselves. Stability, yea!
--*^^v^^vvv*^oh oh^^v%v---v--v-^---v----^---v----better-------> :)

mollymadison

06-26-2004, 05:46 PM

I use mood stabilizers and anti-depressants as well as sedatives (think that what's you call them). I am on the following:
Depakote (stabilizer)
Wellbutrin (anti depress)
Neurontin (help with migraines)
Lamictal (Stabilizer)
Klonopin (Helps with sleep and keeps me calm)

I do not know if I am bipolar 1 or 2. We've never discussed that. I get more depressed than anything though. Recently I have been severely depressed and that's when we added the Lamictal. I am in my 3 week of it. I think I'm starting to feel the effects of it. Thank goodness. My Psych Doc even has been kind enough to take me out of work for about 5 weeks. It has helped trememdously.

salty

06-27-2004, 01:01 AM

For about 15 years I used only a mood stabilizer and then the depression came back full force (even while on the mood stabilizer).

I added Lexapro and then Wellbutrin XL. They saved my life.

Salty

kbell

06-28-2004, 12:09 PM

I hear ya. Been on depakote 2 weeks, low dose only 250. I think I am ready to kick it up to the 500 I was prescribed now. Hopefully that'll help. Depression comes and goes for me but it feels like it is not as severe with the depakote. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

kbell

07-04-2004, 11:28 AM

I have had a few moments of seemingly instantaneous deep depression that have not been pretty. Though I am reluctant to do it, I realize that I might feel better if I add an antidepressant to the depakote to help even things out a bit. I'm up to 500 mg on the depakote (one whole week). Should I give the depakote more time to do its thing before I ask for an AD script from my Dr.? Because I am not feeling so great, I'm looking for a quick and easy solution even though I know there probably isn't one. Ugh.