[stainedglasstears]

I have bipolar 1 and its been over a year of trying to find the right combination of drugs to treat it. I was just curious what other bipolars take and if it works for you? Thanks in advance for any input on this matter.

[Healing the Damage]

I haven't been on meds for my bipolar yet, but my psychiatrist wants to start me on an atypical antipsychotic. He gave me a few to research that are possible ones, and those ones are Abilify, Seroquel, and Latuda.

Just a suggestion, you might want to ask the mods to move this to the Bipolar forum, or post this question there, as you'd probably get more relevant and faster replies there.

[newtothis31]

It took me about 8 months to find the right med combo. Depakote has been the one constant at various doses- but I've been on Effexor, Olanzapine, Klonopin, and Lamactical. The hardest symptom for me to handle from medicine was the fatigue and handling depression. Right now- my Latuda/Depakote combo seems to work well enough for me to function at an optimal level but I still get symptoms.
Since everyone's reactions to meds are different- I'd recommend describing your symptoms to your p-doc and be as detailed as possible.

[Crazy Hitch]

Originally Posted by stainedglasstears

I have bipolar 1 and its been over a year of trying to find the right combination of drugs to treat it. I was just curious what other bipolars take and if it works for you? Thanks in advance for any input on this matter.

Read my signature at the bottom of this lol.

[Resident Bipolar]

I've been on over 40 different combinations and dosages of various psychiatric medication for Bipolar. However, I found out that the best for me was just three medications on much lower dosages than I was originally on.

Quetiapine (Seroquel) + Sertraline (Zoloft) + Propanalol = Success!

At one point I was on 700mg of Quetiapine (the upper limit for a legal dosage in the UK) which just made me extremely drowsy all day and basically turned me into something of a vegetable. My sweet spot for Quetiapine was 200mg but after going off all my meds recently, I'm back on 50mg of Quetiapine and that's fine for me at the moment.

Sertraline 150mg was the best dosage for me. Any higher than that and it reduced certain functions that I'd rather have.

During the very severe episodes, I also found Lorazepam very useful. It was a little bit too enjoyable, though - VERY addictive.

RB

[cool09]

It really depends on what symptoms are predominant (mania, agitation, depression, etc.) I'm agitated depression (mixed) and have found very little for relief after at least 40 meds, ECT. Had a brief breakthrough w/Paxil ('96) but wore off by 2000. I've tried several things that gave lots of relief for only 7-10 days (zyprexa, ritalin). Tegretol evened my moods and racing thoughts well but side effects were intolerable. Lamictal, lithium, depakote, nardil, zoloft, navane, trilafon, mellaril, haldol, stelazine, wellbutrin nothing.

[~Christina]

I tried so many meds and combos galore, Horrible side effects with most all of them.

Recently I dropped my Lithium and only take Lamictal and will soon be tapering off that.

So I am currently just on lamictal . I have Bp 1

[BNLsMOM]

Honestly, nothing worked for me. Every med I tried, I either had a physical allergic reaction or a mental side effect that was far worse than the bipolar symptoms. I finally went for a year's worth of ECT and that made the most difference for me. I have been well for a year. Even though I am having some issues surrounding symptoms at work, I still feel way better than I did on meds of any kind. I had tried, depakote, litium,topamax, trileptal, saphris, respiradol, prozac, all the benzos, seroquel, lamictal (allergic) and many others that I don't remember.

[Laini]

Originally Posted by stainedglasstears

I have bipolar 1 and its been over a year of trying to find the right combination of drugs to treat it. I was just curious what other bipolars take and if it works for you? Thanks in advance for any input on this matter.

Hi stainedglasstears. I have cyclothymia, not quite bipolar yet. I tried ssri's, but had too many side effects. Decided to go it alone, maybe not a good idea,

[HALLIEBETH87]

Bipolar 1, Rapid cycling...

Im taking lithium citrate and gabapentin (for anxiety) and Lamictal.

Its working! I will be stopping lamictal SOON!!!

[hamster-bamster]

I take Lithium currently and plan to go off it and try Trileptal instead when the level of stress in my life tapers down a bit. Right now I cannot afford experimenting - I need stability.

I take Prozac currently due to extreme situational stress - just 10 mg - but this is a temporary solution. It is my second round of Prozac and when I do not have extreme circumstances, I do not take it. But when I do, it helps.

I also take Elavil for sleep, 50 mg.

[Victoria'smom]

I'm currently taking lamictal 100mg, viibryd 20mg, and 25 mg of seroquel. It kicked out of mixed, just leaving me depressed, numb, and to slow to think.

My husband takes 200mg lamictal, 5mg abilify, and 40mg celexa. He's become depressed.

My son was on 150mg lamictal, and 10mg abilify (daytrana for ADHD) it worked well.

[lifetimemeds]

I have been on many different combinations over the years. I have been on 2 mg clonazepam and lithium for 10 years. Other meds tried with these two are celexa, Wellbutrin, effexor. Effexor has horrible withdrawal symptoms and must be tapered off gradually over several months. I will never take effexor again. The withdrawals are from serotonin syndrome and sent me to the ER. Celexa and Wellbutrin together caused uncontrollable urinary incontinence. Last month my doc was trying to transition me from lithium to Lamictal. After 3 weeks I had to stop Lamictal due to awful metallic taste in my mouth. I went through 3 bags of hard candy and 3 packs of gum in one day but didn't help. So this week my doc restored my lithium and started me on DEPLIN 15 mg. So my current cocktail is clonazepam, Wellbutrin XL, lithium, and Deplin. Hoping the Deplin works for me.

[GALAXYGAL]

Lamotrigine 200-250 mg, Latuda 80 mg, Levothyroxine .137 mg - My med combination works wonders. I am stable.

[Wander]

Lithium is the best med I have ever been on for bipolar. Before Lithium I was incredibly unstable, wild and often had a very intense gaze as I was in a constant mixed state and VERY suicidal. Lithium has brought me stability like no other drug has. I still have episodes but I am not so out of control during them. Due to side effects (weight gain, shakes etc) I tried going off it and BAM I was in another wild mixed episode and very suicidal so I went back on Lithium ASAP. I also find Olanzapine (Zyprexa) really helpful for racing thoughts and agitation. I have just started Lamotrigine but I think it has helped my depression. Not sure about the Pristiq though, maybe it has helped the depression or maybe it has made me hypomanic. I will have to wait and see.

[BlackSheep79]

Lamictal and Seroquel always seem to be in the mix. I tried to come off of Seroquel and went into a mixed state instantly. I tried other APs and was either allergic and the Latuda didn't metabolize right in my body. In the past few months we added topamax, Xanax ER, and propranolol. The Lamictal and Seroquel are the main meds that I for sure could not survive without.

[hellboy]

Don't be discouraged by some of the stories. There are plenty of treatment options and a lot of them work well. I like lithium as the gold standard against mania. I take an antidepressant and have been on many of the antipsychotics which work well if you can tolerate the side effects. I have begun to add lamictal for residual depression and mixed state. Give yourself a good six months to a year of working with your doctor regarding meds and adjustments in getting the right balance. This is not an easy illness to treat. Also, I avoid the benzos or anything that could be habit-forming.

[hellboy]

Originally Posted by Wander

Lithium is the best med I have ever been on for bipolar. Before Lithium I was incredibly unstable, wild and often had a very intense gaze as I was in a constant mixed state and VERY suicidal. Lithium has brought me stability like no other drug has. I still have episodes but I am not so out of control during them. Due to side effects (weight gain, shakes etc) I tried going off it and BAM I was in another wild mixed episode and very suicidal so I went back on Lithium ASAP. I also find Olanzapine (Zyprexa) really helpful for racing thoughts and agitation. I have just started Lamotrigine but I think it has helped my depression. Not sure about the Pristiq though, maybe it has helped the depression or maybe it has made me hypomanic. I will have to wait and see.

Glad you are doing well. The lithium doesn't cause weight gain in me but zyprexa put 15 pounds on me in about two weeks. The APs work well but I am already too overweight to afford any extra weight gain.

[hellboy]

Originally Posted by lifetimemeds

I have been on many different combinations over the years. I have been on 2 mg clonazepam and lithium for 10 years. Other meds tried with these two are celexa, Wellbutrin, effexor. Effexor has horrible withdrawal symptoms and must be tapered off gradually over several months. I will never take effexor again. The withdrawals are from serotonin syndrome and sent me to the ER. Celexa and Wellbutrin together caused uncontrollable urinary incontinence. Last month my doc was trying to transition me from lithium to Lamictal. After 3 weeks I had to stop Lamictal due to awful metallic taste in my mouth. I went through 3 bags of hard candy and 3 packs of gum in one day but didn't help. So this week my doc restored my lithium and started me on DEPLIN 15 mg. So my current cocktail is clonazepam, Wellbutrin XL, lithium, and Deplin. Hoping the Deplin works for me.

EffexorXR worked well for me for about a year in a half then pooped out. It also drove my blood pressure up. The withdrawal symptoms start if you miss one dose.

[Tucson]

Fluoxetine and Olanzapine. I have been on this,combination for years along with other meds that have been changed over time. I am currently on this along with Lamotragine. My doctor recently increased my Fluoxetine.

[EJB5565]

Originally Posted by BNLsMOM

Honestly, nothing worked for me. Every med I tried, I either had a physical allergic reaction or a mental side effect that was far worse than the bipolar symptoms. I finally went for a year's worth of ECT and that made the most difference for me. I have been well for a year. Even though I am having some issues surrounding symptoms at work, I still feel way better than I did on meds of any kind. I had tried, depakote, litium,topamax, trileptal, saphris, respiradol, prozac, all the benzos, seroquel, lamictal (allergic) and many others that I don't remember.

Can you tell me more about your experience with ECT. I was so deri g about cognitiveoss and memory. Tha ks