Thank you all for your information. Charlie - I think what my pdoc said was that it could, if I was given that particular brain chemical problem, trigger a bipolar response and he will watch for it. So far (only 2 days on it) I have had no side effects other than a very mild headache in the morning (I take it at night). He started me on 5 mg to start for the first week and will increase it to 10 the second week. He also increased my xanax from .25 6 times a day to .5 6 times a day. So far, so good. I have been in intensive therapy with a clinical psychologist for 9 months and he thought I was already on an antidepressant and when he found out I was not he sent me immediately to a pdoc for the prescription (my own selection of the doc - I chose one who I know is a friend of his and whom I have known professionally for 20 years and trust). The two will work together easily to get me over this - I am hopeful for a full recovery to a whole, complete person, at peace with myself and with the demons who have inhabitated my world for my enire life. Thank you so, so, much for your information.