[cafegrrrl]

I was diagnosed with depression about 5 + years ago. 2 weeks ago, I saw my new doc (old one left the practice) to see if he'd fill out an application for me so I could get my meds for free from the pharmaceutical company. It was my first time meeting this doc and we talked for an hour. It was good, for the most part, and I really feel he was actually paying attention and listening.

However, he did say that he thinks I may be bipolar. He added he couldn't be sure without an eval. I also think he may be right.

Here's what I don't get:

I thought that if one has bipolar disorder, that taking anti depressants was a bad idea. Turns out I was approved for the pharmaceutical company's program and I got my Effexor today.

I tried doing some research but couldn't find the exact answers i was looking for. Hopefully, someone here can help enlighten me.

Is it really bad for one to take anti depressants (Effexor, 150-300 mg a day) if they have bipolar disorder? If it is a bad idea, what could happen? The only thing i can think of is possibly a break with reality...And the information for the meds don't explain this.

Just for the record, I've taken Effexor before. Shortly before i had to quit taking it (lost insurance, not a physical/mental reason), my dosage was upped from 150 to 300 mg a day and I didn't notice anything bad.

Also, I didn't think I could take the way I was feeling anymore, didn't think i'd make it before the meds or denial letter arrived, and scheduled an appointment with my doc, before I got the meds. I was going to cancel the appointment since the meds arrived but now i'm wondering if maybe it would be a good idea to keep the appointment to ask the doc these questions. If i keep the appointment, I'd only be on the meds for 2 days, not really long enough to see if they're working or not.

I'm kind of scared to even start taking the meds because I don't know what kind of adverse effect they may have if I truly do have bipolar disorder...

Thanks in advance to all those who read this as well as to those who respond ....

[lenjan]

It varies with the person...I was dx'd recurrent major depression for 9 years, on a-d's all that time, before I got the bipolar dx. At this point, they will pry my Effexor out of my cold dead hands, but I'm also on Seroquel (when I can afford it ) and doing well on that.

You can mix a-d's and mood stabilizers with no unreasonable side effects for bipolar, as far as I know, but I'm not a doc or a pharmacist. It hasn't really been a problem for me, is all I can tell you. Some bipolar people find that a-d's make the mania worse, but if it hasn't happened to you at this point, I think you're probably safe there.

Good luck.

Candy

[beautifulconfusion]

Glad you brought this up... I've been wondering a lot about this lately, too. I've read conflicting theories about taking antidepressants for bipolar disorder. Like Candy said, I think the major concern is that for some folks with bipolar disorder, taking a-d's can throw them into a manic episode.

I've been taking Effexor for a little over a year now, and I'm up to 225mg/day. It helps to reduce my depressive symptoms, but I've never experienced anything even close to relief from depression. I was dx'ed with chronic, treatment-resistant Major Depression until about a month ago, when, thanks to some intense work with my excellent T, my dx was changed to Bipolar II (might be type I, actually... I don't get manic too often, but when I do, I tend to get pretty delusional & out of it!)

Anyway, Effexor has never seemed to activate any manic episodes for me. I will probably need to start on mood stablizers as well. But for now, according to my T, the Effexor seems to be keeping me safe. It's the strangest thing -- I clearly still experience intense periods of depression, and I can feel them physically (sleeping 16-18 hrs per day, binge eating carbs, feeling slow & heavy) and cognitively (in a deep mental fog, difficult to think, remember things, make decisions, etc)... but ever since the last time I up'ed my dosage of Effexor, I haven't been able to feel my depressions emotionally! I'll be fully aware that I'm sick, but I don't feel the intense despair, urges to self-harm, etc. At most, I'll feel upset or angry for a brief period, or frustrated that I can't do anything. But I'm completely detached from the actual emotional experience of being depressed! It's bizarre, but I spose it's helping me take better care of myself during depressive episodes. Doesn't seem to have much effect on me at all when I'm hypo...

Anyway, sorry for rambling on & on like that. This is just my personal experience... of course I'm hardly an expert, lol. Hopefully your pdoc can shed some more light on the issue for you....

[MyBestKids2]

I'm taking anti depressants and a mood stabilizer. Seems to work well for me

[cafegrrrl]

Ok, apparently it's not a good idea to take Effexor for me...at least not such a high dose. I just spent 3 hrs in the ER due to racing heart, thoughts, feeling jittery (sometimes visibly, other times not), and I simply CANNOT sit still. I'm super fidgety. And it feels to me like my eyes are darting back and forth when they don't appear to be.

They gave me an Ativan in the ER almost an hour ago and it's not doing a thing! I really feel as if i'm about to jump out of my skin!!!!!

Guess I will be keeping my appointment with my doc this Tuesday and see what he thinks/says.

It's been 7 almost 8 hrs since i took one capsule (150 mg) and i'm STILL going....feel like a hyped up version of the freaking Energizer Bunny....

This is exactly the reason why i didn't mess with hard drugs in college...the lack of control and speedy feeling....I can't take this...it's like a horrible amusement park ride that won't stop! ANd I want off!!!!!

[I_WMD]

split dose to 1/3 'and maintain...wtf....,,,,i was put on same rx and i drink coffee puts sleep and downers pick me up....you are not a opposite,,,,,,

[dreamrunner]

Was depressed on and off for over a year,during that time my doc kept trying different antidepressants,celexa,amitriptiline,risperadol,trazadone,.......I honestly cant remember them all....anyways my depression would get better for a time,I'd think I was getting better then BAM I'd fall into the deepest pit again...I'm pretty sure that the AD's were also contributing to some rapid cycling.
My P doc told me that AD's are not normally used with bpd unless its used for only a Short period because it often makes bpd symptoms worse.

Hope your feeling better soon,good luck.

[Etheria]

Hi cafegrrrl,

I'm really hypersensitive to meds too. It might be the right drug but wrong dose for you. That happened to me once with Prozac - once they reduced the dosage, I was fine. As far as antidepressants being bad for people with bp - I take Prozac and Seroquel and that combo works pretty well for me. Hang in there. Blessings, Etheria

[Etheria]

Hey Dreamrunner, What meds do you take now? Do they "hold" you? Blessings, Etheria

[cafegrrrl]

Thanks guys....i still have yet another question...if this ativan stuff they gave me doesnt work in the next few hour and if i[m still super speedy, should i go back to the ER again? My dad said i should as did someone else in chat.

If i went back, what would they do?

i also found the info about bipolar and meds...said it could increase a manic state or attribute to one...so...im definitely going ot have to go over this with my doc Tues.

I don't know if i already mentioned this, but the ER sent me home stating i was having an anxiety attack due to stress. Seems to me the stress thing would be the freaking pill's high dosage...not some other outside factor. Especially since it all started an hour or so after i took the dumb pill...ordinarily i wouidn't mind..but i have paperwork to turn in the morning. It has to be handwritten...theres no way i can do that right now

[beautifulconfusion]

Oh, you poor thing! I'm sorry you're having such a bad experience!

Yeah, if you're still experiencing a lot of distress, going back to the ER might be your best bet. I do hope you get some relief soon!

So frustrating that they won't acknowledge that you're having a bad reaction to the Effexor! I had a very similar experience when I started on Cymbalta. Within a few hours of taking the first dose, I started feeling extreme anxiety, agitation, jitters, etc -- very similar to what you're describing. I called my dr's office sobbing & hysterical, and they said it couldn't be the Cymbalta... I just kept calling back until they got so tired of dealing with me that they gave me a script for Xanax. Next time I went to see the doc, she said my increased anxiety was because the dosage was too LOW! Over the next couple of months she increased my dose 2 or 3 times, and my symptoms got increasingly worse, until I basically went nuts. Needless to say, I now have a different doctor!

But I digress... Good luck, I really hope you feel better very soon. Please keep us posted! xoxo

[dreamrunner]

cafegrrrl
probably returning to the er wouldnt help unless you get full blown manic.Chances are they would either give you something else to try or admit you.
Dont take anymore of the script if your really reacting.
Ativan is what i take when I think im getting hypo/stressed.Ive talked to my pdoc about dosage because his first script,dosage didnt do a thing for me.He told me to take another if im freaking cause i tend to self medicate other unhealthy ways.Thats not to say that you should take more.Just see your pdoc right away or if you cant see your gp.
Good luck keep us posted
Perscriptions are not anything to gamble on.

[cafegrrrl]

Dreamrunner,
Yeah I think you're right about returning to the ER. I'm not going back seeing as most of this stuff has slowed down some. It's not as intense. And, I'm not liking the way this Ativan stuff is making me feel either.

I still feel a little speedy but with the Ativan, I feel speedy but like my arms and legs are made of concrete, yet light, if that makes any sense. I also feel kind of stoned. I DO NOT like this.

And, I canceled my appointment for tomorrow morning with my client. Now I'll have to go into the office in the morning and tell them why my paperwork's not donem and see if I can turn it in late or the next day, depending on how i feel next. GRrr

I also decided to keep the appointment I scheduled with my doc last week. He's going to have to give me samples in a lower dosage or something. And if that doesn't work, I guess he'll have to find something else for me. I'm definitely NOT taking anything else til i see my doc Tuesday. This is not fun at all. And, I'm supposed to be sleeping right now.

This somewhat subdued speediness and kind of stoned sensation are not a good combination at all. Arghhh ..Sucks that all i can do is wait it out