[lisadhum1]

I was informed today that Bipolar people should not be on anti-depressants specifically Cymbalta because it triggers hypomania and severe personality changes. When I heard that it dawned on me why possibly my husband has had this episode where he did a 180 and left home in a high and hostile state.

Does anyone have any info on this? Could the Cymbalta have made my husband worse?

[breezey55]

I am bipolar and was on paxil for 10 years. My pdoc recently switched me to cymbalta because I also have fibromyalgia. It works for the pain, but is not working for me as well as the paxil. Antidepressants can trigger hypomania. Right now I am on 60 mg and still depressed. Different meds work differently on everyone. You might want to call his dr and let them know about his symptoms. Good luck.

[lisadhum1]

Originally Posted by breezey55

I am bipolar and was on paxil for 10 years. My pdoc recently switched me to cymbalta because I also have fibromyalgia. It works for the pain, but is not working for me as well as the paxil. Antidepressants can trigger hypomania. Right now I am on 60 mg and still depressed. Different meds work differently on everyone. You might want to call his dr and let them know about his symptoms. Good luck.

He was given it while he was in a psych hospital for 6 days. When he came home he seemed better than I'd ever seen him and he always complained that meds never worked for him, now it makes sense. But exactly a week to the day he started the Cymbalta he flipped out. I have tried to call the hospital but am having no luck talking to an actual person and I don't know where T is. He's cut off all contact from his doctors.

I KNEW it was medication but I wasn't aware about the hypomania. He showed several symptoms of the allergic reaction 2 days prior to this episode which was the red flag for me. I even took him (although he fought me) to the ER and they said he was completely fine!

Personally, Cymbalta triggered a depressive episode and made me very suicidal. However, I think it can work both ways and trigger hypomania/mania. Best of luck to you and your husband.

[Amazonmom]

What I have read is that antidepressants without a mood stabilizer can trigger mania/hypomania, it's not a guarantee. Some do not believe in using anti Depressants in bipolar at all because of the belief it destabilizes the cycling over the long term.

I went from severe depression to hypomania in two weeks on Zoloft. To be fair it was the only time I had sought treatment for depression...nobody knew I was bipolar!

[blueoctober]

lisadhum, prior to being diagnosed I was put on an anti-depressant (not sure what it was or if it was an SSRI (Selective serotonin reuptake inhibiter)). Since I was diagnosed I wasn't on a mood stabilizer and I did become hypomanic in the hospital.

After being diagnosed I have always been on a mood stabilizer and initially was on 2 anti-depressants. One was a SSRI (celexa/citalopram) and the other was Welbutrin which has no effect on serontonin and is an inhibitor for noradrenaline and dopamine reuptake. I have had 2 hypomanic episodes since being diagnosed 3 years ago and both were triggered by extreme stress. I am now just on wellbutrin and a mood stabilizer.

It really depends on the person and their symptoms. I have bipolar II and suffer most often with major depression. Some people with bipolar I never experience major depression, but have full blown mania, so an anti-depressant wouldn't be needed.

I believe cymbalta is a SSRI and I have read that SSRI's tend to cause more of an issue with hypomania/mania than the newer anti-depressants like wellbutrin. However, each person is different and in my experience I haven't had an issue with either type, but I'm on a mood stabilizer. Hope this helps.

[Shakti]

You can absolutely be bipolar and on anti-deps, just generally not on anti-deps alone. They need to be paired with a mood stabilizer.