Bipolar Type II Support Group

When I was diagnosed with bipolar-II my doctor put me straight on Lamictal. Apparantly it's suppose to be "the it" drug for bipolar-II while Lithium is suppose to be "the it" drug for for bipolar-I.

But I've noticed now that some people with bipolar-II are on lithium. I thought it was mainly given to people because of mania. So my question is, does it also work well on depression?

Lamictal has worked good for me (it was such a difference going from normal anti-depressants to a bipolar medicine) but unfortunately I'm having strong side effects and want to look into other options.

Also... are there any other medications which work on bipolar-II? Like specially target it not anti-depressants like Zoloft.

Geiri,

The only rule of thumb that I know is that as a BP2 you're not supposed to take anitdepressants w/o a mood stabilizer bc it can send you spiraling into depression or into a hypomanic state. What you'll find here on the board, is that everybody is dif. in regards to meds. There are a few people that take only Lithium, but I think most people are on some kind of med cocktail, depending on whether you have more problems w/depression or if you're more troubled by mania. There really is no one super med or one size fits all med. Sorry.

I take Prestiq, Lamictal, Klonopin, Abilify and Aplenzin for treatment resistant depression and/or major depressive episode. I am relatively new dx'd, so I haven't been on the cocktails until the last few months. Before that I was dx'd w/ depression and only took anti-d's.

There are lots of people who have had many med trials on this board and are really knowledgable about meds, so if you have specific questions about any, just post and I'm sure they will give you some advice or tell you how that med affected them, whether it worked etc.

Hope to hear from you again, heather

Lamictal and Lithium are used for both types of bipolar. It's all about the person. Everyone is different when it comes to medications. If you are going to take an antidepressant you have to take a mood stabilizer like Heather says or it could put you in mania. There are numerous drugs available out there to use. I use six medications and I am stable. You will find the right medication mix in time. It just takes time and patience. Don't give up, keep trucking along. You will get there. Good luck. We are here for you and we care very much for you and your outcome.

Many people are on many different drugs depending on their situation. I have been stable for 40 years but before that I was hospitalized many times being both manic and depressed. Lithium and antidepressants saved my life. Without Lithium I would be dead. Since thenI have been on many drugs and changed from Lithium to Lamictal as a mood stabilizer which is working well. Currently I am on Lamictal,Pristiq, and tarazadone. I have been on as many as 6 or 7 drugs at a time. You will find the right combination of drugs. It takes time and a lot of different trying of combinations so don't give up just keep doing as your psychiatrist says and you will find the right ones. And no matter what, DO NOT STOP YOUR MEDS especially if you think you are cured, it's your meds that make you better

Lithium also has components of mania, anti-depressant and anti-psychotic in it. It's a sort of "wonder-pill" in that respect, though still it doesn't work for everyone.

I take the following combination of meds

Lamictal 300mg

Lithium 450mg

Prozac 10mg.

So far this is only the second time in six years I have been totally free of depression. For me both time I was taking Lamictal & some sort of SSRI, last time it was Zoloft this time its Prozac. For some reason I am now allergic to Zoloft.

I think adding the Lithium to the mix has been a great help. I feel more relaxed and usually sleep better.

Thanx everybody for replying.

Although Lamictal is a strong drug also I worry about Lithium being even stronger. I've heard horror stories of weight gain and kidney failure.

Post edited by: Geiri, at: 09/18/2010 09:29 AM

They do lith panels every few months to check for that. Yeah, there is a risk, but as long as you're going to the pdoc and taking your meds the way you should and getting your blood checked, then you shouldn't have to worry too much. I take lithium, and I would rather take that and deal with needles every few months than to feel worse than I already do (which is pretty crappy atm).

That said, it's whatever works for you. You'll find they all have side effects and there are a few that need to be checked for liver and kidney functions, but there's risk with anything in life.

I had a lot of side effects from Lithium at 600mg, we dropped down to 450mg and I'm doing great on it. I think its just getting the right dose as with any medication.

I never took lithium but I will say that paxil was horrifying to get off of and I would never take it again because of that. You have no idea when you go on something like that how hard it can be to get off!

I take lamictal and it was a miracle worker for me. I like my doc's take on it. He says there are no "bipolar drugs," you treat the patient, not the label. You see what symptoms they are having and try drugs that might help alleviate those specific symptoms.. if lamictal isnt working for you, im sure you'll find something that will

Post edited by: MissGreen, at: 09/18/2010 10:02 PM