Bipolar Support Group

Noooooo! I have been mood stabilizer free for over 6 months and I have an appointment with my pdoc on tuesday, and I think i'm going to have to go back on some sort of mood stabilizer. Depression has been kind of creeping back up on me, and today and yesterday it just kinda hit me like a brick wall. I feel physically different. No appetite, chest cramps, fuzzy head, perma-frown. Mentally i just feel pathetic and sensitive and worthless and very ADD and I cant stop thinking about it. I called into work sick this morning. I have a strong feeling it will stick around because I'm anticipating facing relationship problems with my boyfriend when he starts Law school, and I know it will be a huge and continuous trigger for me. For this reason, I'm gonna suggest to my doc that I got back on a stabilizer.

But I have NO idea what I would go on besides lamictal, which my body won't tolerate at any dose anymore. I almost feel like nothing else would work, but I know thats not the case. What kind of other mood stabilizers have you guys had success with for more the depression side of BP? I have a feeling it will be like last fall, in which i was just very depressed and had a lot of mixed episodes. Advice?

Hope everyones doin okayyy )

I was on an extremely low dose of Lamictal after I got off of Lithium. I was still severely depressed so my prescriber put me on a low dose of abilify. It worked wonders for me and slowly helped me come out of the depression that I had been in for at least 12 months. After I came out of the depression I taken off the Abilify because it was such a low dose. Now I am only on Lamictal and Celexa.

I hope this helps and good luck with your appointment.

I think going back on a mood stabilizer is a very good idea considering how you are feeling. I've heard good result about Lithium. I don't know if you've ever tried that one. I took it years ago, but it didn't do anything for me. I'm sure others are on other mood stabilizers and will give you the names. There are so many out there nowadays that you are bound to find the right one. I wish you luck. Stay strong. Hugs

There are a lot, don't worry! I see you are on seroquel - does this help? I just recently started taking it, I started with 50 and I am working my way up - I'm at 100 now and still rising. But thats with the Lamitcal as well. Have you ever thought about raising the dose for Seroquel? I don't know much about it because it's a recent thing for me.

hi Merry, nice to see you again Sorry you're feeling like this, I really hope things pick up for you soon.

I've found Depakote to be an excellent mood stabiliser, works on the hypomania as well as depression. I was on Lamictal but couldn't get the proper balance, was still depressed. So went off my anti-dep, onto Depakote and things got much better. (I've now added an anti-dep into my mix again, but that's because I have a major depressive disorder.) There are many others I know of that have had good success with Depakote. Good luck!

Hey Merryati,

When I had to stop taking lamictal due to rash (like you after years) my pdoc raised my dose of seroquel up to 900 for awhile and then we backed down to 750.....I've been taking 150 for the last month or so and feel fine....

Anyway, I guess what I'm trying to say is that at the time I didn't want to take another med, so we've been using seroquel as the only one, and I haven't encountered any problems with depression or mania yet (although I'm not usually prone to depression in the summer)....It's been about a year it seems where I've been taking just seroquel....

I understand there was a clinical trial showing seroquel was able to alleviate depression at 300 mg in bp I/II compared to placebo, so perhaps raising the dose will help you. Maybe you won't have to add another one after all....

But then again, maybe you will....I'm sure you've run across the website I'm linking to, but in case you haven't, there's alot of detailed information there about the pros/cons of various mood stabilizers.

http://www.psycheducation.org/depression/meds/ moodstabilizers.htm

Hey guys. I only take the seroquel for sleep. I dont take any more than i know i need to take to fall asleep (25 mg at the moment, sometimes 50). I dont think i could use seroquel as a stabilizer for day time because its makes me so groggy and i have a hard enough time staying awak during the day (hence the adderall). I am feeling better now I think i had a few anxiety attacks over friday/saturday not sure why but i go see the doc day after tomorrow ill let u guys know how it turns out!