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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 9 of 9. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by ajax1 on October 9, 2008, at 22:12:18
I'm interested in any Bipolar persons' experiences with antidepressants and mood stabilizers. Which combinations and what amounts best worked for you. I'm trying to figure out what will work for me. I'm BPII depressed and haven't used anything besides prozac and trileptal which wasn't very effective....made me hypomanic.
Thanks
Chris
Posted by azalea on October 9, 2008, at 23:14:18
In reply to Experinces with A/D and mood stabilizers, posted by ajax1 on October 9, 2008, at 22:12:18
Have you tried Lamictal (lamotrigine)? It is a mood stabilizer with anti-depressant properties. Therapeutic dose is considered to be 200mg, although you have to start low and go slow to avoid side effect known as Stevens-Johnson syndrome.
> I'm interested in any Bipolar persons' experiences with antidepressants and mood stabilizers. Which combinations and what amounts best worked for you. I'm trying to figure out what will work for me. I'm BPII depressed and haven't used anything besides prozac and trileptal which wasn't very effective....made me hypomanic.
> Thanks
> Chris
Posted by ajax1 on October 9, 2008, at 23:56:28
In reply to Re: Experinces with A/D and mood stabilizers » ajax1, posted by azalea on October 9, 2008, at 23:14:18
Yes, I tried Lamictal and it made me feel uncomfortable even at 12.5 mgs. I know it's the thing that's supposed to work best for BP depression.
Thanks for your response
Posted by Quintal on October 10, 2008, at 9:40:59
In reply to Experinces with A/D and mood stabilizers, posted by ajax1 on October 9, 2008, at 22:12:18
The ones I've tried were Lamictal and lithium. I took Lamictal for two years and it was very good at keeping depression at bay. I don't think I had any major depressive episodes in that time. I was given lithium in hospital starting off at 400mg. I only went as far as 600mg because it seemed to be giving me rage attacks and had an overall dulling effect. The side effects were increased urination, nausea and visual hallucinations.
Parnate and tianeptine have been the most effective antidepressants for me. I find tianeptine seems to have an antimanic effect. I took them both with Lamictal, and Lamictal has been the most effective and most tolerable mood stabilizer. My pdoc won't even consider valproate, carbamazepine etc. due to side effects. The main side effects I've had from Lamictal have been word-finding difficulties, a weird sort of dyslexia, saying things back to front, and poor/shallow sleep and insomnia. I tend to feel sort of dissociated most of the time.
Q
Posted by Quintal on October 10, 2008, at 9:47:37
In reply to Re: Experinces with A/D and mood stabilizers, posted by Quintal on October 10, 2008, at 9:40:59
I forgot to say, I did take Depakote years ago. It was the first mood stabilizer I was ever given. I didn't like it. It seemed to leave me feeling stoned and 'down', but I only took it for a week. My pdoc says there are reports of 'decreased functioning' with valproate.
Q
Posted by Phillipa on October 10, 2008, at 12:32:17
In reply to Re: Experinces with A/D and mood stabilizers, posted by Quintal on October 10, 2008, at 9:40:59
Q really lamictal helped depression? What about anxiety? Phillipa
Posted by Quintal on October 10, 2008, at 16:45:29
In reply to Re: Experinces with A/D and mood stabilizers » Quintal, posted by Phillipa on October 10, 2008, at 12:32:17
It didn'make any difference to my anxiety, but it helped more with depression than the other mood stablilizers.
Q
Posted by Phillipa on October 10, 2008, at 19:55:26
In reply to Re: Experinces with A/D and mood stabilizers » Phillipa, posted by Quintal on October 10, 2008, at 16:45:29
Q thanks Love Phillipa
Posted by elanor roosevelt on October 10, 2008, at 22:27:44
In reply to Re: Experinces with A/D and mood stabilizers, posted by ajax1 on October 9, 2008, at 23:56:28
Lamictal was a nightmare for me at first but got better once i reached 100mg and stopped the titration
now thinking of going to 150mg to see if i get an antidepressant effect
other mood stabilizers i have tried are depakote and neurontin and both were lousy
This is the end of the thread.
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