[crazykarmatalk]

My new Dr. said no. I was on Zoloft for years without becoming Manic. He makes it sound like, even with mood stabilizers, that I absolutely should not be on any. Any thoughts or experience???

[Sad Mermaid]

Your Latuda has no pronounced antimanic activity and your Li dose is low, so with your mix, the pdoc is probably correct - you are no taking agents that would control the activating potential of ADs.

[mindwrench]

My pdoc says the same. They will not take a chance on giving me any because I have previous Bipolar 1 DX on my records.

[Miss Laura]

I can't take anti depressants as I go manic the last 3 I have had I have been manic. Now I just ride out the depression as best as I can :-)

[wildflowerchild25]

They affect everyone differently. I can't take them alone but with the right ap I have no problems with antidepressants. If you took them before with no problem then you should be able to take it but it's possible your pdoc doesn't want to risk it. You do have to be careful with them.

[Moose72]

Celexa and zoloft have both made me go manic. I just started Wellbutrin about a month ago and its been a wonder drug. Its in a different class of anti-depressants, though, than zyprexa or celexa.

[HALLIEBETH87]

I'm on a mood stabilizer, anxiety meds and both Latuda and haldol with my antidepressant (pristiq.)

It made me sort of manic so he just decreased it

Originally Posted by Moose72

Celexa and zyprexa have both made me go manic. I just started Wellbutrin about a month ago and its been a wonder drug. Its in a different class of anti-depressants, though, than zyprexa or celexa.

Zyprexa isn't an antidepressant; it's an atypical antipsychotic, a very different animal.

[still_crazy]

I think it depends as much on the psychiatrist as on your symptoms. I had one doctor who would prescribe an amphetamine, but not an antidepressant. My current doctor is all about high dose Wellbutrin.

I don't think there is a definite yes or no. There's some data that would indicate that antidepressants cause more cycling, (hypo)mania, psychosis, etc. in some people with Bipolar Disorder. Other people with the same diagnosis do well on long term antidepressants.

[gayleggg]

My pdoc has had me on antidepressants of one brand or another since I was diagnosed with MDD in 1984. I saw a different pdoc when I was diagnosed with bipolar 2 and she kept me on them when I moved back to the area I began to see my old pdoc and he still prescribes antidepressants. I don't think I could function without them.

[crazykarmatalk]

Originally Posted by Sad Mermaid

Your Latuda has no pronounced antimanic activity and your Li dose is low, so with your mix, the pdoc is probably correct - you are no taking agents that would control the activating potential of ADs.

But my main symptom is depression???

[crazykarmatalk]

Originally Posted by Moose72

Celexa and zoloft have both made me go manic. I just started Wellbutrin about a month ago and its been a wonder drug. Its in a different class of anti-depressants, though, than zyprexa or celexa.

That is actually something he mentioned trying. I just don't know why he didn't add it. I've been depressed, major, for months

[crazykarmatalk]

Originally Posted by gayleggg

My pdoc has had me on antidepressants of one brand or another since I was diagnosed with MDD in 1984. I saw a different pdoc when I was diagnosed with bipolar 2 and she kept me on them when I moved back to the area I began to see my old pdoc and he still prescribes antidepressants. I don't think I could function without them.

I' not functioning without it. Maybe he'll try the wellbutrin....

[Wander]

Cymbalta brought me out of deep depression but two months later i went mixed then now a little manic so the cymbals has been stopped. I'm worried about what i will do if i get depressed again as Latuda and Lamotrogine don't work for me. Stupid AD's work for me initially but then make me rapid cycle.

I will be adding Welbutrin back to my cocktail starting tonight. I don't know if I can take AD's....the jury is still out. I cannot take Paxil or Prozac, that much I know. Welbutrin might save my life and I sure hope it all goes well once I start taking it again.

[annielovesbacon]

Taking zoloft was hell for me, but I'm taking cymbalta now and so far I think I'm doing better than I was before it.

Zoloft was hell for me too. The stomach problems had me thinking I was being poisoned....but most meds do that.

[Nammu]

I can't take em with or without mood stabilizers. But the latuda works wonders. We're all different and some pdoc just don't want to trigger mania so they play it safe. Better to have a safe pdoc than one that doesn't care

[BeyondtheRainbow]

I was taken off ADs when I was diagnosed and kept off them for a few years until I was a little more stable but still depressed. Then we tried them with mood stabilizers, sticking to low doses and avoiding SSRIs which had always made me manic in the past. After trial and error we found that I can be on them with appropriate adjustments to my mood stabilizers and adjustments to the AD doses when my mood goes up. So it's a balancing act but necessary and it works for me.

[xRavenx]

There are a lot of pdocs who do not feel comfortable prescribing antidepressants for those with BP, although there are some pdocs that are willing to give it a try for people already on a mood stabilizer to "shield" someone from breakthrough manic symptoms or even an episode.

Antidepressants are definitely a "no" for me. I became severely manic and paranoid on Zoloft and manic on Wellbutrin. I've been told those with BP1 might be more at risk for being on SSRI/antidepressants since those with BP2 are not known to have full-blown mania, but more hypomania (not to take away from the negative effects of hypomania though!)

I find that a lot of pdocs are prescribing meds with antidepressant properties that are technically antipsychotics since they generally protect someone from becoming manic on them.

[Sad Mermaid]

Originally Posted by crazykarmatalk

But my main symptom is depression???

That is why you are on Lamictal and Latuda - both are purely for bipolar depression. You are saying that this is not enough, though, right?

[crazykarmatalk]

Originally Posted by Sad Mermaid

That is why you are on Lamictal and Latuda - both are purely for bipolar depression. You are saying that this is not enough, though, right?

Correct. I am still depressed and get angry very easily. I hate being angry but the depression is wearing me down. The latuda made me suicidal when I first started it so the Lithium was then added. I am still on Lamictal but that dosage was lowered because the Dr. I went to before this one said it was too high. How or why that was a concern I don't know. I've been on it a long time and it always helped. Or I guess I should say I never had a problem with it.

[crazykarmatalk]

Originally Posted by ElsaMars

Zoloft was hell for me too. The stomach problems had me thinking I was being poisoned....but most meds do that.

Now that you say that, my stomach has been better. I wasn't sure if it was one of the new drugs helping. Maybe it was the Zoloft. I have IBD too so I never know. Plus anxiety makes my stomach a mess. So confusing!!!

[crazykarmatalk]

Originally Posted by Wander

Cymbalta brought me out of deep depression but two months later i went mixed then now a little manic so the cymbals has been stopped. I'm worried about what i will do if i get depressed again as Latuda and Lamotrogine don't work for me. Stupid AD's work for me initially but then make me rapid cycle.

I'm in a mixed state now and maybe that's because I was on the Zoloft?

No ad's while manic my doctor said. I thought I was heading into depression but they disagreed so I concede to their judgement. I will try Wellbutrin again if depression takes hold. It's all very confusing but not at the same time. Why can't I just take an antidepressant like the rest of America. Not being able to treat clinical depression is a disaster.