ADs without mood stablizer?

I haven't been on an AD alone in 12 yrs. When I was 14 I started taking Paxil, which threw me into a sever manic episode and I was diagnosed bipolar. After that I always had a mood stablizer with my AD whether it was lithium or depikote, ect. Anyway... Lately I have been having issues with mostly depression... I have very few hypomanic episodes. I haven't been on medication in 6 years, but I am really struggling. I have been concidering going back on a low dose of something, my gyno offered me Effexor or Prozac because she believes I have PMDD on top of everything else (she is aware of my diagnosis) I originally turned her down, but now I am thinking of changing my mind, I am older now and may react to meds differently.

Anyone else on an AD without a mood stablizer? Did you having bad manic/hypo reactions?

I've been on an AD alone, without a mood stabilizer, for a few months.

It has made me kind of nervous, especially since being on an AD (different one) by itself was what threw me into my last round of hypomania and caused all of my recent problems, including getting going on short-term disability from work for several weeks and then getting fired.

So far, it has not thrown me back into hypomania. Oh, what I would give to get that hypomania back for a while. I've been on the depressed side of the scale for several weeks now.

I'm watching myself for signs of hypomania because Pdoc told me to do so once we started this AD-only thing.

I tried several AD's, and I guess I liked Welbutrin too much. My pdoc won't allow me to be on anything without lithium now or some MS. I'm not taking it though.

You are older now, good point, you could have a different experience now. Just be careful to watch out for the mania - when you say severe manic episode it does not sound fun or safe. Maybe try it out, the AD, and have a MS ready just in case. I've heard of people on here having success with small dose of prozac, but I really don't know, everyone is so different.

ADs without mood stabilizers = my worst nightmare

it might work for you of course.... take care... and watch for signs..... it was worse sui ideation ever for me ....

I'm BP II too and was mistreated as unipolar depression for yrs, so I spent a while on AD's alone. My problem with an AD alone was much more that it didn't help my depression at all rather than resulting in (hypo)mania (except Wellbutrin=hypomania).

If you only want to take one thing to help depression, perhaps something like Lamictal could help. I'm on Lamictal alone now and it is helpful. I also wouldn't take meds from an OB/GYN, particularly if they are "risky" and may result in hypomania. She won't be able to properly monitor and assess or deal with it if something goes wrong. With your previous diagnosis, you need someone who specializes in the brain (i.e., pdoc) and not the uterus. I have had more than one friend who got messed up on psych meds rx'd by their OB after birth.

Best,
EJ

I wouldn't mind a bit of hypomania myself, maybe I'd be able to get out of bed and clean or something! My son (who is two) hugged me the other day when I was sitting on the couch like a lump ad said "it's okay mommy" then played with his toys. I couldn't stop crying... My 2 year old notices!

Wellbutrin caused terrible insomnia for me. I remember being on it with depikote and I would take like 2 power naps per day... It was awful!

I guess I am definitely most concerned with sui ideation like darthbane said. I have only had 2 manic episodes one in 2001 and one in 2004, so I guess it wouldn't be as much of a concern, but I don't know!

ADs caused hypomania, which caused an accidental overdose. (ativan + alcohol = bad) Pdoc upped my dosage which caused a happy apathy then depression. Raised it again, then rapid cycling (manic one day, suicidal the next.) Finally we dx'd me bipolar and I to a MS. Sometimes I took no meds, which always ended badly, but I never took just an AD again.

I couldn't imagine just going an AD alone. not again. i was on wellbutrin and it sent me into a hypomanic episode that lasted just over two months.

I wish this Welbutrin would give me a little hypomania.

hypomania scares me anymore... but I hope that it all works out for you the way that you want it too. we all deserve some good things.