Antidepressant induced mania!..... or not?

[Habakkuk3]

Anybody know anything about antidepressants (such as Celexa and Welbutrin) causing mania? Or Bipolar Disorder being revealed by antidepressants causing a switch to mania?

My psychiatrist thinks I might be bipolar. She told me to read more about it. I've had severe depression on and off for years. Then, when I finally got on some antidepressants (October), I had splatterings of manic-like and psychotic symptoms (October-January)... for a couple days in November I felt all wound up and crazy and I wanted to drive fast and buy stuff and write music... plus I was hearing voices.

(Note: Some very mild psychosis and mild possible hypomania-like stuff prior to any medication... I think maybe...hard to say)

Psychiatrist took me off my low dose of Welbutrin a few weeks ago because it possibly was causing or worsening the voices.

Super excited right now by the way! For no reason! Can't stop laughing! Sometimes I feel like this for a few hours- never for several days straight like I've heard from some people with bipolar.

What if I'm not bipolar?! What if the antidepressant(s) are just messing with me? Thoughts? Stories? Anybody have bipolar that started this way? Thanks.

Daily:
1.5 mg Risperidone (Risperdal)
40 mg Celexa
750 mg Depakote (new for me)

 

[madison1101]

Anybody know anything about antidepressants (such as Celexa and Welbutrin) causing mania? Or Bipolar Disorder being revealed by antidepressants causing a switch to mania?

My psychiatrist thinks I might be bipolar. She told me to read more about it. I've had severe depression on and off for years. Then, when I finally got on some antidepressants (October), I had splatterings of manic-like and psychotic symptoms (October-January)... for a couple days in November I felt all wound up and crazy and I wanted to drive fast and buy stuff and write music... plus I was hearing voices.

(Note: Some very mild psychosis and mild possible hypomania-like stuff prior to any medication... I think maybe...hard to say)

Psychiatrist took me off my low dose of Welbutrin a few weeks ago because it possibly was causing or worsening the voices.

Super excited right now by the way! For no reason! Can't stop laughing! Sometimes I feel like this for a few hours- never for several days straight like I've heard from some people with bipolar.

What if I'm not bipolar?! What if the antidepressant(s) are just messing with me? Thoughts? Stories? Anybody have bipolar that started this way? Thanks.

Daily:
1.5 mg Risperidone (Risperdal)
40 mg Celexa
750 mg Depakote (new for me)

Until the right combination of meds is found for a patient, anything is possible. Why did it take so long, from October to January, to get off the Wellbutrin? I would have been on the phone immediately if I had a manic episode, not wait four months.

I don't care what my diagnosis is, as long as I am in therapy and on meds that keep me stable. I did not even know I was bipolar for years, but was on Risperdal, Lexapro and Buspar. I stayed stable on that for a while. Now, I am on Geodon, Cymbalta and Buspar.

 

[rossignol]

If you are bipolar, anti depressants can cause mania. I know this true from first hand experience. Mood stabilizers are better.

 

[madison1101]

If you are bipolar, anti depressants can cause mania. I know this true from first hand experience. Mood stabilizers are better.

This is bad advice. Some bipolar patients need both an antidepressant AND a mood stablizer. I am one of them. The psychiatrist should be consulted as soon as a problem with bad side effects crops up, and he/she should decide what combination of medications should be tried. From the original post, it sounds like this person waited for months to talk to the psychiatrist about the mania caused by an antidepressant. That is not being a compliant patient.

 

[Heartfelt123]

Antidepressants alone can cause mainia. They do it to me, the first caouple of days are fun when im in the hypomanic state but then a couple days later i notice that everything irritates me and my mind is going crazy fast. Antidepressants alone are dangerous for bipolars without a mood stabilizer like depakote or zyprexa.

 

[rossignol]

This is bad advice. Some bipolar patients need both an antidepressant AND a mood stablizer. I am one of them. The psychiatrist should be consulted as soon as a problem with bad side effects crops up, and he/she should decide what combination of medications should be tried. From the original post, it sounds like this person waited for months to talk to the psychiatrist about the mania caused by an antidepressant. That is not being a compliant patient.

Trust Phyc Dr's yes. I disagree that I'm wrong about anti-depressants being elevating the mood of bipolar people. Research from the Internet the long term effects of it.

I know a lot of Dr's prescribe anti-depressants but it may give motivation out of a depressive state, not stabilize manic and depression like bipolar people need. Taking them long term will only keep your body and mind in turmoil. Mood stabilizers work. When taking anti-depressants and other meds to counteract the symptoms they cause and drugs to mellow those symptoms, it becomes an endless cycle that could be simplified.

An example of this idea is, a person is sad from a loss of a loved one and takes a stimulate to continue life instead of dealing with the problem. The problem will never go away but the stimulant will make the person perform duties at work and home so that it looks like there is no problem. A mood stabilizer would help for your emotions not to become so extreme it's unsafe, allowing you to grieve and go through necessary emotions while not being explosive.

 

[madison1101]

Trust Phyc Dr's yes. I disagree that I'm wrong about anti-depressants being elevating the mood of bipolar people. Research from the Internet the long term effects of it.

I know a lot of Dr's prescribe anti-depressants but it may give motivation out of a depressive state, not stabilize manic and depression like bipolar people need. Taking them long term will only keep your body and mind in turmoil. Mood stabilizers work. When taking anti-depressants and other meds to counteract the symptoms they cause and drugs to mellow those symptoms, it becomes an endless cycle that could be simplified.

An example of this idea is, a person is sad from a loss of a loved one and takes a stimulate to continue life instead of dealing with the problem. The problem will never go away but the stimulant will make the person perform duties at work and home so that it looks like there is no problem. A mood stabilizer would help for your emotions not to become so extreme it's unsafe, allowing you to grieve and go through necessary emotions while not being explosive.

You misunderstood my post. Antidepressants are important for people with bipolar disorder. So are mood stablizers. Bipolar depression is not situational, but chemical.

Antidepressants are not stimulants. You are speaking as if they are, and that is misinformation. Antidpressants effect the seratonin levels in the brain of someone who lacks the right amount already. Stimulants do not do that.

Learn about drugs before you talk about them.

 

[rossignol]

You misunderstood my post. Antidepressants are important for people with bipolar disorder. So are mood stablizers. Bipolar depression is not situational, but chemical.

Antidepressants are not stimulants. You are speaking as if they are, and that is misinformation. Antidpressants effect the seratonin levels in the brain of someone who lacks the right amount already. Stimulants do not do that.

Learn about drugs before you talk about them.

Antidepresants are good for some people. They are also affective for people with bipolar in a depressive state. They are often used in junction with mood stabalizers for bipolar, can create mania in bipolar people.

To be honest, in my experience, I wonder if antidepressants are a stimulant. I know they help people and would never discount that but in my own experience they made me race. I wonder if Dr's cure is to see people more active and productive or to make them feel a sense of control and normality, a clear thought process.

 

[Alive again]

so to get back to the original post please. Yes, your story sounds very similar to mine. Work with you poc to find the right meds for you. The diagnosis will follow. Research bipolar and see if any of it matches. Mine came on slowly in my late 40"s, had been screened for bipolar before and it did not fit. I am bp2. Saying a prayer for wisdom for you and your doc.

 

[Habakkuk3]

Interesting thoughts... by the way I did tell my mental health nurse practitioner in a timely manner (same week as symptoms)... thanks for asking, Madison1101.

I didn't know what mania was at the time, and psychosis and depression were what my mental health provider focused on. Because I moved cities, I wasn't able to see an actual psychiatrist for a few months.

Anyway, I was just diagnosed Bipolar I. Cheers!

 

[elevationgirl]

I was taking Seroquel at night (mostly for sleeping, but also for night hallucinations) and Celexa in the morning. We didn't know I was bipolar. I went into mania several times. The first time however was before I started any meds and I was put on Strattera. Went into mania for 3 months. Had an affair, had little judgement and felt no control. Finally told husband, expressed guilt, got into therapy and diagnosed bipolar a year later. My mind was going thousand miles a minute it seemed. Anxiety was crazy. So yes, I believe the Strattera (which is for depression, anxiety, mostly attention adhd issues) shot me into mania. : ( Now I'm on the right meds. Still anxious and mood swings (agitation) , but also tough dealing with hubby and his anxiety mood swing issues. : (

 

[Hisonshine7]

Interesting thoughts... by the way I did tell my mental health nurse practitioner in a timely manner (same week as symptoms)... thanks for asking, Madison1101.

I didn't know what mania was at the time, and psychosis and depression were what my mental health provider focused on. Because I moved cities, I wasn't able to see an actual psychiatrist for a few months.

Anyway, I was just diagnosed Bipolar I. Cheers!

*****

I am BP1 also and was given Prozac for depression before I was DX with BP!
I am very, very careful with money, but I ended up buying oil paintings
one summer as I was manic and didn't know it!
I am now on the right meds...PTL

 

[Amyirene74]

I can't take regular antidepressants. They make me so manic that I end up in the hospital. I now take Trileptal which is an antiseziure medication but also works as a mood stabilizer. It works so much better and no weight gain.