[mattd9931]

Hi there,

I'm new to the Forums, but have been a ravenous reader of them for years.
I'm a 32 year old male. Have been on ADs since I started college - been on most every one. Also, in recovery from alcohol and drugs and have been for 6 years.

Long story short, I've never responded well to the ADs. They always make me too energetic, excitable, or have muscle tension or something else weird while elevating my mood. Recently, my doctor and I did a 3 month "wash out" period", and I was doing pretty fine without them, UNTIL I hit a really bad depressive episode while dealing some sinus infections and chronic migraine. Dr. called in Pristiq, and it made me so insomnia-ridden, I had to be leveled out with Seroquel. Basically, Seroquel didn't work, so now I'm on a steady dose of Prozac 20-30mg and using Zyprexa 2.5-5mg at night. The zyprexa WORKS, but I have high cholesterol and a history of yo-yo'ing with weight.

My doctor thinks I may be able to go without a mood stabilizer since I've gone my entire life thus far without one. However, it's been such a battle. Our plan is to take less of the Zyprexa and see. In my gut, though, I know I probably need a mood stabilizer, and the doctor has mentioned a low dose of Lamictal, Depakote or Lithium as what we'd try if I still needed a mood stabilizer after really getting stable.

So, is anyone else out there sliding somewhere on the scale between Bipolar II-VI? How did you eventually get your meds right? How were the transitions between mood stabilizers? What would you tell someone new to the world of mood stabilizers, who's scared of losing his brain and all the S/E's?

Of course you know I want a quick fix and know that isn't how this works, so I'm reaching out for support.

Any thoughts or positive experiences shared are really appreciated!

Thanks
M

[Skeezyks]

Hello mattd9931: I cannot comment with regard to your concerns. However, this appears to be your first post here on PC. So... welcome to PsychCentral… from the Skeezyks! I hope you find the time you spend here to be of benefit.

PsychCentral is a great place to get information as well as support for mental health issues. There are many knowledgeable & caring members here. The more you post, & reply to other members’ posts, the more a part of the community you will become. Plus there are social groups you can join & chat rooms where you’ll be able to connect with other PC members in real time (once your first 5 posts have been reviewed & approved.) Lots of great stuff! So please keep posting!

[ComfortablyNumb5]

A mood stabilizer is a must for me and I am able to take some ADs if I take a stabilizer too. Right now I'm on gabapentin which is very mild but it really works good for me. Lamictal and lithium gave me some bad experiences though. I also take seroquel at night and geodon during the day. I'm currently stable for once and also sober for the first time in four years. I have to say my current meds are really helping me with sobriety too. Good luck to you and I suggest you be screened for BP by an experienced pdoc!

[Wild Coyote]

It's not unusual to use low-dose mood stabilizers if low-doses work for people. We should all only take as much medication as we need.

That said, I am usually on low-dose Depakote and I am a fan of it. Nothing else works as well for me. I increase it if/when I become hypomanic and happen to need more. For the most part, the lower dose keeps me stable.

My history is similar to yours. Earlier years were full of antidepressant trials.
Antidepressants either flipped me into hypomania or did not work for me.

A random assault gave me a traumatic brain injury. I'd needed an anti-epileptic drug to stabilize mood since. I became hypomanic/mixed/agitated -- chronically. Depakote is the one for me. I've been on it for three years straight now. I am a mess without it. I am calm with it.

Welcome to PC!
Hope to see you around the forums.


WC

[chailatte16]

[QUOTE=RxQueen875;5287949 I'm currently stable for once and also sober for the first time in four years. I have to say my current meds are really helping me with sobriety too.[/QUOTE]

Good to hear

[Unrigged64072835]

I kind of ended up the same way...my pdoc would give me ADs and they didn't work. She finally tried Lamictal and it worked well for a while. I'm now on Latuda as a mood stabilizer and a AP, and it has been working very well. I'm not depressed like I had been.