NEED HELP PLEASE: Lithium, Depakote, etc, etc

I have BP2 and my meds don't work for me. My moods are anything but stabilized. I take Tegretol. I've pretty much tried everything before and they're all on the tried and didn't work list or side effects were too bad.

I'm thinking of asking my pdoc to retry either Depakote or Lithium. Would like opinions of others who have taken or are taking either of them, or something else that keeps your moods stabilized. Oh, I should also mention that I ultra-rapid-cycle and it's taking it's toll on me and everybody else around me.

Suggestions please?

BTW, my depression is the worst, it gets very bad and downright scary. My hypomania, well, let's just say, I wouldn't mind seeing more of that. At least then I'm 'happy'. Of course, my pdoc doesn't agree with my attitude on that.

Lithium has been great for my BP, it seems to balance things out to a happy medium. I still get a bit hypo-manic, but I'm still on my base dose (getting titrated next week). Right now I'm battling against going into a major depressive state (well, you know why LOL). And I am actually losing weight with the Lithium (yay!) even though I am on Seroquel as well.

Depakote didn't work for me, but it may work for you.

Both meds are very effective on BP and cycling, but Lithium is the most proven (as far as my research has told me) in treating rapid-cycling. But, I'm no doctor, I just play one at teatime with my stuffed animals.

Jenn

I am a rapid cycler as well and it is very hard to cope with the mania and the depression coming so quickly. I love the mania, don't get me wrong. But the depression really kicks my behind. I take Lithium and felt better almost instantly upon recievingt it. I got turned on in the psyche ward resulting from a suicide attempt. I also take Trazadone and Seroquel. I find the Seroquel made me too much out of it so I cut back on the dosage. Then I talked to the pdoc about my horrible depression and he gave me Lexapro. It has been my wonder drug. I still get down but I don't stay down near as long and I stay manic more than anything which is great. But until I got the Lexapro and cut back on the Seroquel, I was constantly down. I highly recommend anyone who is B/P to try the Lithium. My worst side effect is swelling and wieght gain. I also have fine hand tremors at times but other than that you wouldn't even know I was B/P. Talk to your doc and give it try. You may not do as well but then again you may do way better.

Jenn, thanks for your reply. I've tried Depakote before and it actually worked fantastic at keeping my moods stabilized and I had no rapid cycling at all anymore. The problem with that med was the side effects. After being on it for about 3 years, I finally convinced my pdoc to wean me off of it. Actually, I didn't give her much choice, I told her I was coming off of it, much to her dismay and pleading.

I also tried Lithium before but only managed to stay on that one for 2 weeks. The tremors were so bad that I was completely unable to function normally. It also made me nauseous. When I went back for my first follow-up visit to my pdoc and he saw how bad the tremors were he immediately took me off of it. So, I wasn't on it long enough to know if it would do anything for me or not. I'm thinking of retrying it and seeing if I react differently because I'm on Effexor XR for the 2nd time around and this time I haven't had the brain zaps and crazy dreams/nightmares that I had the first time, so I guess we can react differently when a med is retried. I like the idea that you are losing weight on it but I thought weight gain was more common.

Anyway, thanks for your input. Still putting thought to this and haven't even approached my pdoc about it yet.

Good luck warding off that depressive cycle and hope that you get that situation under control very quickly. I know how very hard it is for you.

((((((((((((((( Jenn ))))))))))))))))

Hi Shay, first welcome to PC. I hope you find lots of advice, comfort and support here. Thanks for replying. I'm sorry to hear about your suicide attempt.

As I just replied to Jenn, immediately above, I've been on Lithium before but only for 2 weeks. You mention weight gain. May I ask you if it was significant? That's the thing that I don't like about all these psych meds, is the weight gain side effect to most of them. I'm also taking Wellbutrin and it has given me the opposite side effect, that of loss of appetite, which is awesome. I probably actually don't even near as much as I should and I'm **** about what I will eat, although I did slip up in the last week due to stress/depression. Trying to now get that back in control again. So anyway, I am concerned about the weight gain. You also mentioned fine tremors. When I took it before, I also had tremors but mine were MAJOR, so major that I was not functional at all. In fact, that was the very reason that I was taken off of Lithium after a 2 week trial. So, I don't even know if it would've worked. I was thinking that I may not get the same side effects as I did the last time if I was retry it again, or at least I'm hoping not.

Is there not also continual bloodwork to be done? I have a major phobia to having blood tests, so this is something definitely to be considered for me to try Lithium again.

Anyway, thanks again for your reply. Very much appreciated and again, welcome to PC.

I personally preferred Lithium over Depakote, the Lithium didn't put me in "zombie" state, Lithium was great, I could drive without falling asleep at the wheel, I could function, Depakote caused me a lot more weight gain than Lithium, made me fatigued always.
I know not all meds work the same for everyone, but Lithium has a longer track record than Depakote and with huge success for thousands. The form of Lithium I was on was, Lithobid 300mg 3x a day. Was switched to Lamictal only because it adressed my deep depressive states better, AD's no longer were working, sooo that is the only reason the pdoc and I went for the change of meds.
But I must say Lithium is and still is great for my brother, his BP is BP-I, mine is BP-II, he has been taking it for 33 years and will do so for life, cause he likes living a "stable life" and doesn't care if the med is for life, after all diabetics need insulin, for life.
Just my 2 cents .
I wish all luck and progress with their meds.



DE

Many of the side effects go away, if the pdoc is titrating properly, many do not get side effects, if so so very mild.
Did the pdoc start you with Lithobid or Eskalith? My pdoc told me Lithobid has less side effects, due to the way it is released in the body. Now my bro takes Eskalith, and use to get slight tremors, that went away.
He only gained weight in the begining, then after being on it, lost it.
I didn't gain any weight from it, but Depakote, man, 10lbs, in a week and a half.

Lots of luck with whatever has been decided.

DE

VA,

I've had excellent results with both Zyprexa and Abilify for BP II. I also use Topamax as a mood stabilizer. Have you tried any of these yet?

Greg

don't stop asking till you get the answer that works....meds are so individual and you deserve what works for YOU.....HANG IN THERE! LOVE GRACE

Lamictal is a relatively new choice. It is touted as being the first true 'mood stabilizer' since it helps depressive episodes and mania. It is pretty well tolerated, however takes about 2 months to slowly get to the right dose. Faster than that and there is an increased risk of serious rash.