[Jedi67]

I was recently told that Geodon isn't really classified as a MS. My pdoc is considering taking me off of it since my mood swings have been getting really out of control especially when I'm hypomanic. Anyone care to share which MS are currently working for them? Any feedback would be appreciated. Thanks everyone!

[Travelinglady]

I took Lamictal for a long time. It's a decent popular mood stabilizer. I now take Tegretol, since it also helps me with my facial pain.

[Jedi67]

Originally Posted by Travelinglady

I took Lamictal for a long time. It's a decent popular mood stabilizer. I now take Tegretol, since it also helps me with my facial pain.

I am currently on lamictal now, but I will ask my pdoc if he is willing to increase it. Perhaps that will help stabilize me. Thanks!

[HALLIEBETH87]

You take a low dose of lamictal

[Jedi67]

Originally Posted by HALLIEBETH87

You take a low dose of lamictal

yeah, 150 mg total. I've seen others taking mucb higher doses. I guess my pdoc wanted to start me off low, but I will discuss an increase. hope it helps...

[Nammu]

Lithium is the gold standard of mood stabilizers

[Pookyl]

I take Lithium, Seroquel (ap/ms) and Saphris (ap/ms). I feel very well on that combo.

[Blue_Bird]

Depakote worked well for me, changed to Trileptal though due to the weight gain and it works great too but without the weight problem, on 1200mg

[seoultous]

I have tried Lithium, Depakote and am currently on Lamictal. I have had good luck with Lamictal and few side effects (if any). It all depends on your tolerance to certain meds and their efficacy. You do seem to be on a low dose of Lamictal at the moment. I take 300mg at night.

[Jedi67]

Originally Posted by seoultous

I have tried Lithium, Depakote and am currently on Lamictal. I have had good luck with Lamictal and few side effects (if any). It all depends on your tolerance to certain meds and their efficacy. You do seem to be on a low dose of Lamictal at the moment. I take 300mg at night.

I am definitely going to ask my pdoc about an increase in lamictal. You are the second person to tell me my dosage was pretty low. Perhaps my pdoc wanted to see if I had any adverse side effects like the SJ rash, which I don't. I have seen that many people have had great success being on it at higher doses. I just want to get off of Geodon because I feel strongly that it is not helping me at all. Thanks!

I realize that antipsychotics are not "officially" called moodstabilizers, but they can act as moodstabilizers, so I wouldn't exclude them for that purpose. For example, some antipsychotics, like Seroquel or Latuda, are quite helpful for both quelling and preventing both depression and hypo/mania. Seroquel can also be helpful for quelling and preventing anxiety.

If you're interested in "official" moodstabilizers, generally meaning Lithium or an anticonvulsant, there are many options. From what I've read and experienced, some are better for hypo/manic or depressed symptoms than both, though all are supposedly good for many people as prophylactic medications. Lamictal tends to be known for its antidepressant uses. Lithium is known for both, but not as much mixed episodes. Depakote and Tegretol tend to be mostly antimanics. Tegretol, in my view is also good for mixed manias. There are other anticonvulsants that are not as first-line as the ones I mentioned, but for some they are helpful, but not all.

In my case, all of the "official" moodstabilizers were weight friendly for me, except Depakote. The only bipolar medications that were weight unfriendly were some (not all) of the antipsychotics.

You know that we are all different and react differently to meds. Your doc should hopefully suggest the best possible fits for you. What to one person is a very high dose or low dose is not to another. For example, I cannot take more than 100 mg of Lamictal without getting hypomanic/manic. So for me, 100 mg of Lamictal is the highest dose I can take. Lamictal is great for curbing my depression, but useless at preventing or quelling my hypomania, and definitely not mania. Others, find it great for everything. Actually, Lamictal is activating for me, meaning that I think it actually causes me to have hypomania/mania. I have to take antipsychotics with it. Though my Tegretol XR has some significant place in my cocktail, I have always taken an antipsychotic. Whenever my moods fluctuate (up or down), it is my antipsychotic that is manipulated, not either of my "official" moodstabilizers.

[Jedi67]

Wow. Thank you so very much for all the info, BirdDancer! It is quite a lot to take in lol, but I will definitely be sure to be on the same page as my pdoc regarding my meds. I did take Seroquel for some time and gained a LOT of weight. Much of it I still have yet to lose. I suppose I'm not totally opposed to lithium but want to look more into the side effects. Latuda also came up in our conversation last visit. I will bring it up again when I go in soon to see my pdoc. Thank you again for all of the clarification. It's much appreciated. I learned a few things!

You're welcome, Jedi67! I'm sorry if I overdid my response. I'm notorious for that.

I'm sorry you gained a lot from Seroquel. It's definitely not weight "friendly" for me, but has been very helpful for me, and not THAT weight unfriendly, especially XR version.

I never personally took Latuda. I just learned a lot about it over the years. I know some people adore Latuda, and some don't. It's always good to approach a medication with an open mind. Its a pity when people refuse new medications their psychiatrists recommend. They could be stars for them. I know people who said Zyprexa was weight friendly. And yet others demonize it. I try not to demonize meds I've disliked, but I completely understand people's frustrations/anger.

[MickeyCheeky]

I have never experienced this, Jedi67, so unfortunately I don't have a lot of advice to give to you! I agree with what all the other wise, wonderful posters have already wisely said better than I ever could! You've been given LOTS of great, kind, wise and wonderful advice! I'd suggest to follow it as much as you can! I completely agree with what all the other wise, wonderful posters have already wisely said about talking to your Pdoc about ALL of this and see how how it goes from there! Hopefully he/she will be able to help you! He/she's there for you to help you after all! I'd suggest to just mention to him/her a list of meds that you'd like to try out, like the ones that have already been mentioned by all the other wise, wonderful posters, and see how it goes from there! Hopefully he/she will be able to suggest what are the BEST meds for you! Hopefully you'll be able to find the right meds combination for yourself! Just keep us updated as much as you can and let us know how things are going for you, ok? We DO care about you here! We ALL love you here! YOU ARE LOVED! PLEASE REMEMBER ALL OF THAT BECASE IT IS TRUE!!!!! Remember that we're here for you if you need it! Feel free to PM me anytime! Let us know if there's ANYTHING, ANYTHING AT ALL that we can do to HELP YOU OUT! Just LET US KNOW and MENTION IT and we'll DO EVERYTHING WE POSSIBLY CAN and we'll ALL TRY TO DO OUR BEST to HELP YOU OUT! I PROMISE YOU THAT! PLEASE REMEMBER ALL OF THAT BECAUSE IT IS TRUE!!!!! WISH YOU GOOD LUCK!!!!! Let us know how it goes!!!!! Sending many hugs to you, Jedi67!!!!!

[Jedi67]

I promise, BirdDancer, that I will definitely have an open mind
Thank you SO much! You've been great and very patient with my questions!

[Jedi67]

Oh wow! You are so very kind, MickeyCheeky! Your kind words are beautiful and uplifting. I promise to reach out if ever I am struggling or to just update everyone
Like BirdDancer said, I will keep an open mind and discuss what I feel I need for my mood swings and manic depression. I think my current regimen needs an overhaul.
I will keep you posted! Thanks again! (and thanks for the hugs!)

[xRavenx]

Originally Posted by Jedi67

yeah, 150 mg total. I've seen others taking mucb higher doses. I guess my pdoc wanted to start me off low, but I will discuss an increase. hope it helps...

I am on 400 mg of Lamictal daily (200 mg in AM and 200 PM) and have been for a few years. Even though I still have flare ups and cycling (in other words, that's what I'm going through now), I would be so much worse without it. 200 mg was not enough for me. Prior to that, I was having bad, racing thoughts and debilitating mixed episodes. I have no side effects... even on 400 mg. So it's definitely an option worth exploring from my experience. I hope you find relief soon.

[gina_re]

I'm on trileptal and it's been working well for me, and it's weight neutral. I've been on it for almost 10 years at this point.

I like depakote a lot. It's the only mood stabilizer that's actually done something for me. Everything else was like a placebo (although I haven't tried Tegretol)