After searching on the internet, the list of Mood Disorders are are Major Depressive Disorder, BiPolar Disorder, Cyclothymic, and Dysthymia. He says I'm not BiPolar though, so maybe one of the other two.
I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and have been on Seroquel 200 mg for approx one year. Since being on the med I have experienced extreme forgetfulness. My short term memory is especially affected and it's getting progressively worse. I don't think forgetfulness is listed as a side effect of Seroquel. I was wondering if anyone else on this med has experienced the same.
Lamictal/Lamotrigine is approved for management of bipolar disorder but not as a front line treatment because you have to titrate up to avoid the rash. It is what I take. It is good for bipolar depression, and is weight neutral. I was on Wellbutrin and it screwed me up royally. I started to rapid cycle something fierce.
I am surprised that you would have a bipolar diagnosis and be put on antidepressants without a mood stabilizer.
It is approved for treatment of acute manic episodes, as monotherapy for bipolar depression, and as an add-on maintenance treatment for BP I with lithium or divalproex. Many people use it for maintenance alone, although that's technically an off-label use. The problems people have with it are weight gain and a small but statistically significant risk of metabolic problems, including diabetes.
I finally reached the 200 mg dose of Lamictal and was on that dose for 2 1/2 weeks. Maybe I should have given it longer. I wanted relief from my anxiety and I wasn't as social. I went on a girls trip and just wanted to go to bed early for some reason. I was more quiet and had fears of death and had crying spells on it. I didn't want to waste any more time. Celexa did well for me so I decided I gave Lamictal long enough and should feel better by then.
There are a variety of kinds of bipolar and with some the depressive aspects are more evident. Lamictal and Abilify are generally a good combination of medications so they should be working. I'm not sure whether the anxiety is anxiety disorder or caused by the medication. I know some medications can cause nervousness or phobia on occassion. Abilify and Zyprexa did that to me but that's not that common but within the realm of possibilities.
was diagnosed as being bipolar. The prescription that he got was a generic form of Lamictal. I visited him today & saw the pill bottle, it says "41" but there were only 9 pills left in the container. The date was Dec. 19 - that's only been 7 days ago & it says to take "1 for the lst 7 days & then take 2 a day". I asked him why there were so few in the bottle & he said the pharmacy didn't have enough to fill the entire prescription.
Since the medications for depression are anti-depressents (Prozac, Luvox, Celexa for example) and those for bipolar mood stabilizers the treatment is vastly different and anti-depressents if wrongly prescribed to someone with bipolar can actually enduce mania. The three most commonly used mood stabilizers are Lithium, Depakoate and Lamictal and out of the three many people find Lamictal to be the most tolerable but its a decision between consumer and provider.
I was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder since '95, but through a lot of research and getting completely sober I really feel that I actually have Borderline Personality Disorder with Severe Depression and Anxiety. I just got prescribed Lamictal because I've tried everything over the years and nothing works for long. I'm still on Topomax, Geodon, Prozac and Desyrel.
What you should do is review Scientific American, which suggests that bi-polar disorder is the result of a specific infectious agent, and is in actuality an auto-immune disorder, rather than something caused by poor toilet training.
And the good news is they have identified an organism.
And there are clinical trials overseas on a drug that will counteract the affects.
My physch. diagnosed me with bipolar. I'm having a hard time believing her, because I never have the ups, only the downs. I've only had ups after I gave birth.
Now I've tried all the atypicals, and couldn't tolerate them. I'm working my up to 400 mg of lamictal, she wants me on Lithium for depression, I'm on 100 mg of Topamax, 3 grm or klonopin, and I can't remember what else.
I feel so depressed. Not "I want to die" depressed.
Namaste,
Wellbutrin is an SSRI usually used to treat depression. Both Lamictal and Topomax are mood stablizers, usually used in the treatment of bipolar disorder and finally, Klonopin is a benzodiazepine, usually used to treat anxiety and panic attacks.
After six years of being diagnoised with bipolar I disorder, SAD, GAD, panic attacks and PTSD, I realized that it was a long and tedious process to find the right combination of medications to stabilize my conditions.
The second doctor actually started a broad spectrum treatment. Mood disorder includes depression, mania, bipolar, and substance abuse. Abilify is indicated for depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia and could have worked if you had taken it for some time. Please discuss in detail with each of your doctor. You need to make a change in the treatment because SSRI including celexa are not working. Take care!
What is your actual diagnosis? Lamictal is an odd choice of med if you're treating just depression and an anxiety disorder. Lamictal is typically prescribed for people with bi-polar disorder, which is a COMPLETELY different animal.
Besides the Celexa and Lamictal, what other meds have you tried? Are you in therapy?
It's hard to say if the itching is just a side effect or if it's related to an adverse reaction. Most allergic reactions would present with a rash.
seroquel is an antipsychotic used for bipolar disorder depression, mania and schizophrenia
nortriptyline is a trycyclic antidpressant
Lamictal is an anticonvulsant often used as an adjunct med in the treatment of bipolar disorder
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Run, don't walk, and get that second opinion. Your current doctor is frightening!
Please let us know what happens!
I take lamictal for a mood disorder. Is this med toxic to the kidneys? I'm at stage 3 and my gfr is 39.
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