[wachiki92]

Anyone here taking only antidepressants for their bipolar? For instance i was originally diagnised with major depression and was placed on wrllbutrin xl. after trying several other medications (zolaft, celexa) i was also placed on trazodone. this medication helped but im notorious for not taking my medication. i finally got back on my meds and my current psychiatridt connected the dots and im now diagnosed with bipolar II.

i am on wellbutrin xl 300mg and trazodone 100mg. i do not seem to need a mood stabilizer and spend most of the time depressed.

[TheatreKid]

Antidepressants are tricky with bipolar. Celexa made me manic, Wellbutrin made me psychotic, Trazadone made me hypersexual, Zoloft made me unable to urinate. My pdoc suggested trying Zoloft again recently and I basically said "nope".

Since ADs seem to be detrimental for me, the latest thing my pdoc has added to deal with depression is Abilify. So far, it's great.

[minus]

Have you questioned your dx? A lot (probably the majority) of people who are dx with bipolar disorder started out with major depression, ongoing or recurring for years in most cases. I was on only antidepressants (off and on, mostly on) for about 8 years before I was dx with bipolar 2. I lean toward the depressed side much more as well, and although my pdoc wanted me to go off antidepressants once I was stable on my mood stabilizer (Lamictal), I told him that I'm much more likely to get depressed than hypomanic and although the hypomania is very uncomfortable, the depression is much worse.

Trazadone has really helped with my sleep, which is super important--if my sleep schedule gets off even a little, I'm headed for trouble.

[Nammu]

I was originally Dx with MDD and PTSD, then they gave me ADs and I jumped into full blown mania w/ psychosis, and it got changed to BpI w/ PTSD. But I remained on ADs for years and was stuck in the revolving door or hospitals. I got wise said no more ADs but I also chucked out all the rest of the meds. Had some bad depressions but refused to see a Pdoc for any reason. Then a few year s ago things started get bad again and my T talked me into seeing a Pdoc, told them no ADs and they agreed, but gave me trazadone for sleep. Two weeks later I was in the hospital.
I've been struggling lately and finely saw a dr, said it was BP II and I'm on lamictal and latuda. So far it's great.

There is a site by a Dr Phelps, Psycheducation. Who explains really well about the BP spectrum continuum and everything that is between unipolar and BP I. It's well worth a read.

Originally Posted by minus

Have you questioned your dx? A lot (probably the majority) of people who are dx with bipolar disorder started out with major depression, ongoing or recurring for years in most cases.

Particularly true for bipolar II disorder. Hypomania usually does not interfere with the quality of life as much as depression does, so when people seek help, it is due to long stretches of debilitating depression. This was my case, and I was put on antidepressants that would make me manic or psychotic. My current psychiatrist saw the trend and correctly diagnosed me with BP. I think that it can be tricky, if not dangerous, to treat a BP diagnosis (even if it's BP2) with only antidepressants. Concurrent use of a mood stabilizer, e.g. lamotrigine, trileptal, etc. can make sure that the antidepressant doesn't cause chaos.

[wildflowerchild25]

I'm surprised a doctor would make a bipolar II dx and yet continue to prescribe only antidepressants. Why change the diagnosis if you're not going to change the treatment? Many bipolar II people started with a major depressive disorder diagnosis and then found no relief or worsening/change in symptoms from antidepressant treatment alone. Personally I can't take antidepressants at all, but certainly not alone. Last time I did that I had a psychotic mania. No good.

If you're interested you might think about giving a mood stabilizer a shot. Trileptal eliminated my depression for awhile on its own.

[BipolaRNurse]

Lamictal has helped me with the depressive side of my illness. I'm also on a sub-subtherapeutic dose of Celexa because I can't quite manage without an AD (tried and failed miserably twice). Unfortunately, I also need 2 APs and a benzo to deal with my manic symptoms because they get me into a lot more trouble than depression, even though the latter is much more distressing to me.

Like a PP said, I too have to question a doctor who prescribes an antidepressant alone to someone diagnosed with BP. That's just not done the vast majority of the time, because ADs that are unopposed by mood stabilizers tend to throw people into mania if they are truly bipolar. I'd get a second opinion if I were you.

[shortandcute]

I take trazadone, lamictal, and zoloft at night, then during the day I take an anti-anxiety medication.

[FLJ13]

I take 450mg generic wellbutrin 40mg generic prozac. They seem to take care of the depression in a weird way. I've noticed my depression tends to be seasonal, like SAD, but reverse SAD. And it's starting to come on now, and it's going to get ugly. I'm truly frightened.

[Marshellette]

Antidepressants alone don't work for bipolar disorder. An antidepressant in conjunction with a mood stabilizer may.

[wachiki92]

It could be wrong but the fact that my therapist agrees and bipolar disorder runs in my family makes me doubt it. If its wrong then I have rapid recurrent major depressive disorder that reoccurs every few weeks then lasts a week to a few months. which makes me a naturally moody horrid person the rest of the time. I've been on antidepressants since I was 15 and they help but I have to get one or the other increased every 6 mo or so. Right before I stopped taking them the first time my past psychiatrist tried to put me on a mood stabilizer or anti psychotic which wasnt going to happen. I actually stopped because I was drinking so much. When I'm not depressed I feel more restless and my thoughts seem faster and louder like theres pressure in my head and Im far more restless when on my medication then when Im not. But Ill take that over not being able to control myself and becoming abusive physically, verbally, and emotionally towards people telling them how stupid they are and how im so much better than them. As well as destroying peoples houses and breaking car windshields. antidepressants are good enough for me. not to mention that I can barely afford the medication im on now

[wildflowerchild25]

Well because you said your thoughts are faster and all that the antidepressants may be causing dysphoric hypomania. Why are you so against a mood stabilizer? I can understand an antipsychotic but if you choose something other than lithium you probably won't have too many side effects from a stabilizer. I take trileptal only and I have minimal side effects. Lamictal is great for depression and also has minimal side effects. Also minimal long term effects. And some are pretty cheap. My trilepTal is $40 a month for 75 600mg pills. You may not need 1500mg a day so it may be even cheaper.

A mood stabilizer might be able to help you control your anger even more than just ADs.

[x_BabyG_x]

Prozac gave me religious delusions and set off a 9 month hypo in me (probably the best 9 months of my life though!!) even though I only took them for 3 months. Celexa sent me mental (never again) and now Sertraline had had me rapid cycle like crazy for the past few months (with 2 hosp admissions this year). Off to consultant for a med review and hopefully a switch to mood stablisers. X

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[r010159]

Originally Posted by wildflowerchild25

I'm surprised a doctor would make a bipolar II dx and yet continue to prescribe only antidepressants. Why change the diagnosis if you're not going to change the treatment? Many bipolar II people started with a major depressive disorder diagnosis and then found no relief or worsening/change in symptoms from antidepressant treatment alone. Personally I can't take antidepressants at all, but certainly not alone. Last time I did that I had a psychotic mania. No good.

If you're interested you might think about giving a mood stabilizer a shot. Trileptal eliminated my depression for awhile on its own.

This makes sense. But in my own case my doctor only treats the symptoms. When I first began seeing him, I was depressed, even though he did diagnose me as Bipolar I and then Bipolar II. Now that I look back, I have had many mixed episodes to varying degrees. I was not aware of what a mixed episode was, particularly when my doctor told me this was rare. Only very recently has he placed me on a mood stabilizer which has produced very good results, the best in the ten years I have been seeing him.

Go figure!

[wachiki92]

I guess its because ive heard about so many side effects with them. like they affect the kidneys and you have to get regular blood tests and one can cause some bad rash or something. i want to be mrntally healthy but i also want to be physically healthy too. i guess uicould ask my psychiatrist nrxt time i see her and see if theres one with minimal less severe side effects that doesnt kill my pockets

[wildflowerchild25]

Originally Posted by wachiki92

I guess its because ive heard about so many side effects with them. like they affect the kidneys and you have to get regular blood tests and one can cause some bad rash or something. i want to be mrntally healthy but i also want to be physically healthy too. i guess uicould ask my psychiatrist nrxt time i see her and see if theres one with minimal less severe side effects that doesnt kill my pockets

Only lithium, depakote, and tegretol require bloodwork. Trileptal and lamictal don't, but lamictal might be too expensive, you'll have to check with your pharmacy. It takes a long time to titrate up on lamictal too but when you do I've heard it has the least amount of side effects. I get dizzy and nauseous for trileptal but only if I take it I the morning, so I take it at night and sleep through the side effects lol. Otherwise I have no problem.

[nowIgetit]

I was misdiagnosed as PMDD for several years and only on antidepressants during that time. I've been on paxil, prozac, and wellbutrin. The wellbutrin made me speedy as %$@# so I stopped taking it after a few weeks (seriously felt like I was on cocaine, I could barely sleep), prozac worked well but did exacerbate my anxiety some. I ignored it because it helped with my depression so much. Paxil made me sleepy at first and then worked pretty well after that but that was during a time I was having a lot of panic attacks so once those were under control I stopped taking it.

Prozac eventually stopped working so my doc upped my dose and that's when stuff hit the fan...I went into what I know now was a bad mixed state and that's when I got referred to my pdoc who diagnosed bpII. Lamictal has helped me a lot. My diagnosis is BPII primarily mixed but I "feel" like I spend most of my time depressed and lamictal is great for mood stabilization and depression both. It changed my life. Might be worth a shot for you to try a stabilizer especially if you are still feeling depressed on AD's.