Posted by stargazer2 on September 24, 2007, at 16:45:28
In reply to If BIPOLAR, what do i do next??? what meds?, posted by sometimesblue on September 24, 2007, at 11:54:41
Why do you think you're bipolar? Have you had signs of being bipolar? Your symptoms sound like mine and I wouldn't call myself bipolar even if many AD's have never helped me either.
Have any meds ever helped you? You say you've been on 4 meds for depression. Were they ever given along with another medication to help augment the first med?
You may have treatment resistent depression (TRD) which can be helped, as Phillipa said, with mood stabalizers (Lamictal, Lithium, Depokote) or with antipsychotics (Abilify, Seroquel, Zyprexa, Geodon). This doesn't mean you are bipolar though unless you show symptoms for it, like irritability, insomnia, feeling so good you are invincible. These are manic symptoms. The symptoms vary widely but manic symptoms are usually quite distinctive with an elevated mood and doing things quicker and "better" than everyone else.
Antidepressants can precipitate a manic phase when someone bipolar is taking an AD alone.
Has this ever happened to you?I would ask for meds that can be used in combination with another med and given your history, this should have been tried by now if you say no med has been helpful.
Your doctor is a psychiatrist, right? If not, you should be treated by one, since GP's cannot make the skilled decisions on medications when a case is difficult. GP's typically should only try one or two meds and then refer you to a specialist for more aggressive treatment.
So just tell your doc how you are feeling and tell her that no medications have helped (she should know this)and you're wondering if a combination of medications might be more helpful.
Good luck...
Stargazer
poster:stargazer2
thread:784849
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20070919/msgs/784886.html