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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Janelle on July 11, 2001, at 20:36:04
Can someone explain (in layperson's English!) the difference between Mood stabilizers and antipsychotics? Thanks.
Posted by Shar on July 12, 2001, at 0:10:18
In reply to What's difference betw mood stab. and anti-psychot, posted by Janelle on July 11, 2001, at 20:36:04
Here is my terrible (but I think essentially correct) explanation:
Mood stabilizers help people plane out, people who go up and down like bipolar II folks. It just evens out the mood, but keeps people out of the clouds and out of the pits.
Antipsychotics at low doses can be used for treatment resistant depression (like mine) and supposedly bring one up and out of the depression a bit more. It works in one direction--to bring people up, as it were.
My antipsychotic has been good for my depression. I feel much better than I have for years.
Shar
> Can someone explain (in layperson's English!) the difference between Mood stabilizers and antipsychotics? Thanks.
Posted by ChrisK on July 12, 2001, at 5:46:45
In reply to What's difference betw mood stab. and anti-psychot, posted by Janelle on July 11, 2001, at 20:36:04
Janelle,
I read both of your questions from yesterday and while I can't tell you how they work I can tell you the symptoms I have been relieved of while taking these meds.
I have major depression (no BP) and was given Depakote and Neurontin at differsnt times. They made me feel very flat - emotionless. They really didn't help with the depression which has since been brought under control with Nortriptyline. They REALLY are mood stabilzers. They will stop the ups and downs for most people. My problem was that I didn't have the Ups to stabilize.
Now for Antipsychotics- I took Zyprexa for a long time and now take Geodon. They have been great for the racing, ruminating thoughts that plagued me for years. They tend to give your brain a little rest and clear up your thinking patterns. For me they have been a saviour. Ionly wish that more people could get the same response. I went from very suicidal to the point where that thought only comes up a couple of times a month instead of a couple of times an hour.
I try to look at my meds in terms of how they affect my symptoms rather than what they are called. If something is going to help you with racing thoughts, who cares if it's called an antipsychotic or a mood stabilzer if it helps relieve the symptom that's causing the problem in the first place?
My current med regime is working for me and includes an AD, AP and a med that is primarily used for Parkinson's Disease but it works for me. Please try not to get hung up on categories and instead listen to how your body responds to your different meds.
Hope this helps a little,
Chris
Posted by shelliR on July 12, 2001, at 9:32:50
In reply to Re: What's difference betw mood stab. and anti-psychot, posted by Shar on July 12, 2001, at 0:10:18
> Here is my terrible (but I think essentially correct) explanation:
>
> Mood stabilizers help people plane out, people who go up and down like bipolar II folks. It just evens out the mood, but keeps people out of the clouds and out of the pits.
>
> Antipsychotics at low doses can be used for treatment resistant depression (like mine) and supposedly bring one up and out >of the depression a bit more. It works in one direction--to bring people up, as it were.ADDITION: Mood stabilizers can also be prescribed to "work. in one direction--to bring people up" They are often combined with antidepressants as the first tactic for partial response to that antidepressant, or poopout. For example lithium is often used in that context, as are lamictal and topomax, etc.
> > Can someone explain (in layperson's English!) the difference between Mood stabilizers and antipsychotics? Thanks.
Posted by Janelle on July 12, 2001, at 16:28:53
In reply to Re: What's difference betw mood stab. and anti-psychot, posted by Shar on July 12, 2001, at 0:10:18
Thanks for explaining (you did GREAT!) the difference between mood stabilizers and anti-psychotics. You mentioned your A-P is working well on your depression, so I'm wondering which it is. I'm on Zyprexa for now, but it just makes me spacey.
Posted by Shar on July 13, 2001, at 0:15:50
In reply to SHAR: What anti-psyc. is helping your depression?, posted by Janelle on July 12, 2001, at 16:28:53
I take 1 mg. Risperdal daily. At first I had a lot of bottoming out with it, so we bumped it up to 1.5 mg. For some reason, I went back to 1 mg. --- oh yeah, I was getting very twitchy and jerky and felt really nervous about that.
The Risp helped with energy, kept my mood up better (to only slightly depressed in general), and I feel like I can tackle harder things than before.
My cocktail has definitely dumbed me down, and I can't spell for beans anymore. Used to be an excellent speller. Oh well, that's a trade off I can live with.
Shar
P.S. Good luck to you in finding the right combo of things.
> Thanks for explaining (you did GREAT!) the difference between mood stabilizers and anti-psychotics. You mentioned your A-P is working well on your depression, so I'm wondering which it is. I'm on Zyprexa for now, but it just makes me spacey.
Posted by Janelle on July 13, 2001, at 1:26:09
In reply to Re: SHAR: What anti-psyc. is helping your depression?, posted by Shar on July 13, 2001, at 0:15:50
I'll look into Risperdal if need be. I've been on Zyprexa just as a crisis intervention before I see the pdoc and she'll put me on a mood stabilizer. The Zyprexa zones me out big time, also short term memory problems.
I take 1 mg. Risperdal daily. At first I had a lot of bottoming out with it, so we bumped it up to 1.5 mg. For some reason, I went back to 1 mg. --- oh yeah, I was getting very twitchy and jerky and felt really nervous about that.
>
> The Risp helped with energy, kept my mood up better (to only slightly depressed in general), and I feel like I can tackle harder things than before.
>
> My cocktail has definitely dumbed me down, and I can't spell for beans anymore. Used to be an excellent speller. Oh well, that's a trade off I can live with.
>
> Shar
>
> P.S. Good luck to you in finding the right combo of things.
>
>
>
> > Thanks for explaining (you did GREAT!) the difference between mood stabilizers and anti-psychotics. You mentioned your A-P is working well on your depression, so I'm wondering which it is. I'm on Zyprexa for now, but it just makes me spacey.
This is the end of the thread.
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