'atypical' as monotherapy?

ahh...the Bipolar dream: 1 pill. Once a day. could I be...(wait for it, wait for) living the dream? whaaa?!?!?!

I don't do well on ssri drugs. wellbutrin was really only necessary back in the day because of Trileptal...of course, it wasn't until a new shrinky shrink ditched the Trileptal that I figured that out. neurontin/gabapentin...low dose, as needed...I need it less and less, and so...

that leaves my 'atypical,' Abilify. 15mgs most days, some days I make it 20. and...so far, so good, actually. it makes me wonder...a) is 'it' best described as Bipolar I, anyway? and b) could it be????

to be honest, though, I do take tons of antioxidants, b-vitamins, etc. at high doses. The idea is/was to reduce the TD risk, hopefully get more mileage out of Rx treatment, and...

I've been doing the vitamin thing for 9 years or so. Some updates, here and there (no more niacinamide...my stomach was killing me...), but basically Orthomolecular. I am now "in recovery from severe mental illness," and I'm even -doing things- in the community, and my family seems pleased with how I"m doing, and...

yeah. yeah. I kinda wish I could switch to seroquel, just to get some nite time help, but...my current psych said "You'd need 600-800mgs/Seroquel per day..." and I'm thinking...

whaaa? really? that seems...excessive, really.

anyone else find reasonable degrees of 'stability' on -just- an 'atypical' ? or...a 'mood-stabilizer' ? if so...what was/is it?

I also wonder if I might be able to eventually do well on a tad less Abilify, say...10mgs/daily. if i can get down to the Lowest Effective Dose, then...I'd be extra-happy.

as for the vitamins...they -do- seem to help with EPS, I don't have TD, even the soul crushing dysphoria I once got from the tranquilizers has diminished...

so, maybe they do help "it," over the long haul? -shrug- really know way to know, for sure.

ok. thanks. :-)

I have no idea what your history is, but if you have any type of variety to your symptoms, then I think monotherapy is likely to be inadequate. It would never work for me. I get psychosis all the time, mania regularly, and of course, some depression as well. I need meds that target different symptoms and I have never found a single med that could reliably do all that.

That said, if I had to pick just one--and I am on 25 of Abilify--it would without question be my lithium. It is the most effective bp med overall that I have ever been on, by far. Now, if it prevented psychosis, it would really be a miracle drug...

Monotherapy on abilify works for me....I’ve been stable like 8 years with bp1...lucky I know.

I’m working with my pdoc, towards Saphris being monotherapy

I'm on abilify for BP/SzA and lexapro for anxiety.