[Bark]

My psychiatrist is suggesting I try other medications. I'm on Zoloft, lamotrigine (Lamictal), and restarting Abilify. He mentioned lithium and Seroquel. I have to admit I'm not keen on either lithium or antipsychotics. Are there any other choices?

And I can't up the lamotrigine dose or I'll screw with my working memory.

As an aside, I haven't been formally diagnosed with bipolar, but I have significant ups and downs.

[Travelinglady]

Alas, there aren't many other than what you mentioned. I take Tegretol as a stabilizer, but I also take it for facial pain. Otherwise, you have to get into anti-psychotics for their calming effects. Docs are trying to avoid anti-depressants for bipolars because some evidence shows that they can kick the patient into mania. That said, I do take a low dose of Wellbutrin, and I take Trazodone, but that's to help me sleep.

[Bark]

He ended up putting me on Effexor and Seroquel. So far I haven't had any crazy rashes or anything from stopping the other meds suddenly, which is good.

[Confusedinomicon]

Isn't abilify an anti-psychotic?

I take lithium and a small dosage of seroquel.

I would be up to trying it, but monitor weight really closely. You should record it every 3-4 days for the first month to see if there has been weight gain and talk to your doctor about it. Also drink a LOT of water and tea on lithium. (If you switch) Do not drink a lot of sugary drinks or drinks that are high in frutose corn syrup. Lithium makes you thirsty so its important to hydrate on liquids that don't have empty calories. (Diet anything is bad for you too)

[Confusedinomicon]

I didn't see you post, but its still important to keep hydrated!

[clash]

here are most if not all the medicines for bipolar that you can try:

A Abilify Adapin Alprazolam Amitril Amitriptyline Amlodipine Amoxapine Anafranil Apo-Alpzar Apo-Amitriptyline Aripiprazole Asendin Ativan Atretol Aventyl Benzodiazepines Bupropion Calan Carbamazepine Carbolith Celexa Chlordiazepoxide Chlorpromazine Cibalith-S Cipralex Citalopram Clomipramine Clonazepam Clopixol Clozapine Clozaril Dalmane Depakene Depakote Desipramine Desyrel Diazepam Divalproex Sodium Doxepin Duralith Effexor Elavil Elavil Plus Endep Enovil Epitol Epival Escitalopram Etrafon Etrafon-A Etrafon-Forte Fluanxol Fluoxetine Flupenthixol Fluphenazine Flurazepam Fluvoxamine Gabapentin Geodon Halcion Haldol Haloperidol Imipramine Isoptin Klonopin Lamictal Lamotrigine Levate Lexapro Libritabs Librium Limbitrol Limbitrol DS Lithane Lithium Lithobid Lithonate Lithotabs Lorazepam Luvox Manerix Moclobemide Nardil Nefazodone Neurontin Norpramin Nortriptyline Norvasc Novo-Alprazol Nu-Alpraz Oxcarbazepine Olanzapine Oxazepam Pamelor Parnate Paroxetine Paxil Permitil Pertofrane Phenelzine Prolixin Prozac R Rivotril Serax Serzone Sinequan Symbyax Thorazine Tofranil Tranylcypromine Tegretol Topamax (Topiramate) Trazodone Triavil Triazolam Trileptal Valium Valproate Valproic Acid Venlafaxine Verapamil W Wellbutrin Xanax Ziprasidone Zoloft Zuclopenthixol Zyban Zyprexa

[Bark]

I sure hope I don't have to go through that list. Dang.

[anneo59]

Originally Posted by PAYNE1

Alas, there aren't many other than what you mentioned. I take Tegretol as a stabilizer, but I also take it for facial pain. Otherwise, you have to get into anti-psychotics for their calming effects. Docs are trying to avoid anti-depressants for bipolars because some evidence shows that they can kick the patient into mania. That said, I do take a low dose of Wellbutrin, and I take Trazodone, but that's to help me sleep.

I take Celexa as an antidepressant, and have been on various antipsychotics from Haldol to Seroquel. Have also taken benztropine, generic for Cogentin, to counteract extrapyramidal effects from antipsychotics, which it worked well for. However, did cause a lot of nausea. This is just my two cents. I know that everyone reacts differently to various meds. Also take clonazepam for anxiety and ambien for sleep as needed, at this time. Am also on langotrine and know what you mean about memory issues, though I do like this med. Best wishes with your own meds and take care!

[anneo59]

good luck with your meds cocktail! Just a quick note. When I was on various antipsychotics, I was prescribed benztropine, generic for cogentin, to counteract the antipsychotic extrapyrimadial effects. That did help, but I couldn't continue, when nausea from this drug got too bad. It is admittedly often difficult to find an effective meds cocktail. The best to you in your efforts here!

[THE16THDOCTOR]

I'm on lexapro and lamactil (klonipin as needed). What's you dose for lamactil? I've tried seroquil to combine and I hated it. I was a zombie. I had no emotion and just slept abt 18 hours a day. Now that's not to say it wouldn't work for you different meds work for ppl that don't for others. That's why it takes so long to find the right cocktail and no one takes the same combo really. I know someone on lithium and it works for him. Levels him better but still has anger mania. It may work for you and you don't know it. It always sucks trying new meds the time period before it works seems like torture I find

I like lithium. Having said that, if your dose is too high, you will feel sick to your stomach, have problems with word retrieval and feel fuzzy. You will be super thirsty. When I finally felt good on it, the dose was right and this was confirmed by a blood test. Excessive thirst was gone, stomach upset was gone.

The therapeutic range is small, so if you get blood tests regularl and you find it is too low or too high, not a big deal, that can be remedied quickly.

Lamictal at times can make me feel dizzy and I have coordination problems until my body adjusts when titrating up. It is great for my depression.

I do seroquel at night. It helps with sleep, the depression and when I spin into another mixed state and have strong sui urges. I can't imagine taking it during the day, I wouldn't be able to stay awake.

I feel very fortunate as I respond well to meds and have very little side effects.

[Bark]

Thanks everyone.

The Seroquel is knocking me out during the day. However, starting tomorrow I'll only be taking it at night. Mood-wise, I don't feel very different; maybe a little better.

As for lamotrigine, I hit the memory issues at 150 mg.

I might be irrationally picky, but I know someone on lithium, and I've seen the incessant thirstyness and other assorted problems. No thank you.

[noodles89]

I just started plain old Lithium a few days ago. It's nothing to be scared of. A little nausea, but I should get through it.

The mood stabilizers for me have been worse than the anti-psychotics, in my case. I've been on Lamictal and Tegretol (mood stabilizers) and Abilify and Geodon (anti-psychotics). I might go on a low dose of Seroquel to help me sleep.

All I'm saying is, anti-psychotics aren't anything to be afraid of, especially Lithium, since it's been studied so much. Don't be afraid to try what your doctor puts you on. It's worth a shot. You might feel better

[Tweetcher]

Just got back from the doc and have been prescribed 150 mg of Wellbutrin and 25 mg of Lamictal. I am paranoid as a general rule, so the possible FATAL side effects of Lamictal are really freaking me out. I'm scared to start it tomorrow morning. How many of you who have taken Lamictal experienced "the rash?" As for my diagnosis, I am not really sure on that either. After 45 minutes with the doc, she was able to diagnose me with a "to be diagnosed" personality disorder, depression, and some syndrome that I don't remember. My symptoms: high levels of anger, periods of rage, paranoia, periods of low, impulsivity that borders on extreme, high sensitivity to noise/external stimuli.

[Bark]

Originally Posted by Tweetcher

Just got back from the doc and have been prescribed 150 mg of Wellbutrin and 25 mg of Lamictal. I am paranoid as a general rule, so the possible FATAL side effects of Lamictal are really freaking me out. I'm scared to start it tomorrow morning. How many of you who have taken Lamictal experienced "the rash?" As for my diagnosis, I am not really sure on that either. After 45 minutes with the doc, she was able to diagnose me with a "to be diagnosed" personality disorder, depression, and some syndrome that I don't remember. My symptoms: high levels of anger, periods of rage, paranoia, periods of low, impulsivity that borders on extreme, high sensitivity to noise/external stimuli.

I can't comment on the diagnoses, but I was on up to 150 mg of Lamictal (although about 100 mg my working memory was messed up). I had a rash of some sort on my arm, nothing significant, possibly unrelated to the medication. I would mention rashes to the doctor if you got them, but the odds are they wouldn't be "The Rash". I wouldn't worry about it. And don't quote me on this, but if you got "The Rash" and didn't try to suck it up at home, the odds are you wouldn't die from it.

Basically, don't worry about it too much. You can always choose to get a second opinion.

[THE16THDOCTOR]

Originally Posted by Bark

I can't comment on the diagnoses, but I was on up to 150 mg of Lamictal (although about 100 mg my working memory was messed up). I had a rash of some sort on my arm, nothing significant, possibly unrelated to the medication. I would mention rashes to the doctor if you got them, but the odds are they wouldn't be "The Rash". I wouldn't worry about it. And don't quote me on this, but if you got "The Rash" and didn't try to suck it up at home, the odds are you wouldn't die from it.

Basically, don't worry about it too much. You can always choose to get a second opinion.

I take 200mg of lamactil and I've never had any memory issues. It helps my bipolar greatly but not for everyone.

[cool09]

You have to immediately tell you Dr. if you develop a rash on lamictal then he will get you to a dermatologist asap. The rash can kill you.

on Effexor and Seroquel.

Did he start these around the same time?

Do you have severe problems with agitation? That's what the anti-psychotics are used for. (Either that or hallucinations, psychosis.)

And the therapeutic and toxic levels for lithium are very close together so it's hard to find the exact dose to get relief and not experience severe side effects. I hit the therapeutic dose once over 10 yrs and my muscles became like rubber and I couldn't walk so I had to decrease the dose. Otherwise it's done nothing for me.

Be careful of ADs. Check studies - around 20% of BPs experience mania episodes when an AD is added. That's why some PDOCs avoid most (or all) ADs with BP.

[clash]

yep you NEED to tell your doc.ASAP if you get a trash because it's very important that you do it

[Bark]

Originally Posted by cool09

You have to immediately tell you Dr. if you develop a rash on lamictal then he will get you to a dermatologist asap. The rash can kill you.

Did he start these around the same time?

Do you have severe problems with agitation? That's what the anti-psychotics are used for. (Either that or hallucinations, psychosis.)

And the therapeutic and toxic levels for lithium are very close together so it's hard to find the exact dose to get relief and not experience severe side effects. I hit the therapeutic dose once over 10 yrs and my muscles became like rubber and I couldn't walk so I had to decrease the dose. Otherwise it's done nothing for me.

Be careful of ADs. Check studies - around 20% of BPs experience mania episodes when an AD is added. That's why some PDOCs avoid most (or all) ADs with BP.

Just want to say that I did tell my doctor about the rash (everyone should), and although I had memory problems above (I said about before by mistake) 100 mg, that's just my personal case.

Anyway. I was in hospital, so he took me right off my old meds and threw me on these. So at the same time.

I need a mood stabilizer, and Lamictal didn't work that great, Abilify kept me in a mixed mood. I do get anxious and agitated sometimes (especially when I was withdrawing from Abilify).

I'm not too keen on lithium for that reason.

As for ADs, the first one I went on got me hypomanic and cycling every day. So I was put on another one and Lamictal, and that worked okay. I don't know if I have bipolar or if I'm just sensitive to ADs. In any case, I'm being treated as if I have bipolar.

[hberm]

This is my first post, I just found this site tonight and I am so relieved to find people to chat with that know how it feels to be bipolor and depressed etc. I have q's about my meds...I am on 300 mg of Lamictal, 250 mg Depakote, 350 mg Seroquel, 1.25 mg of Klonopin. The doctor I saw previously prescribed even higher doses and I couldn't think straight...I too was a zombie. I asked to go through psyc testing to find out where I was affected most, I was so out of it I needed someone to tell me what was wrong. it was scary. When we got the results back I asked the dr. how a person like that could walk and talk. This was 2yrs ago. Things are beginning to be getting just a little worse again. I take Synthroid which needs to be adjusted so that should help pull me out of some of this. Has anyone been on a 'cocktail' like this?