Has anyone had success with antidepressants?

[michael714]

I've been struggling with a deep depression for the past 15 months. Over the years I've tried 10 antidepressants with no success - Everything from panic attacks to hearing voices. One AD (tophranil) sent me over the edge and into the hospital (January 2008). I've tried St. John's Wort and it sent me into mania.

From what I've read, AD's are dangerous for bipolars and can cause rapid cycling.

Has anyone had success with antidepressants?
If you've struggled with a long depression, what helped you in breaking out of it, or at least managing it?

 

[dark struggle]

no, they put me in a rage that I couldnt' even begin to describe to you. Um they may have worked for other, but not me, guess Im just difficult LOL.

 

[Bellicus]

No big success with anti-depressants. First try made me manically, and other meds Ive tried have had no big effect, mostly just side-effects.

 

[Alive again]

My antidepressants did not kick me out of depression. The right mood stabilizer did and then an antidepressant was also needed for about 6 months. Then I was able to wean from the antidepressant. Off for over a year then had to add the antidepressant back, but still have the tendency towards depression. Some did trigger manias over the course of try8ing them all.

 

[michael714]

My pdoc told me that 75% of his bipolar patients don't do well with antidepressants. He's wanting to try a few others but I don't know if I want to keep going there...

 

[Jeshu]

My pdoc told me that 75% of his bipolar patients don't do well with antidepressants. He's wanting to try a few others but I don't know if I want to keep going there...

Yeah watch out Michael, anti-depressants drive me completely crazy

 

[ke1985]

antidepressants did nothing for me.

 

[Greenriser]

They told me that if i tried antidepressants it would sent me manic.

I still now am searching for what I want to be in life. I don't think that should just equate to just an occupation, so thats why i'm worried. I don't want to be this person who just has a career and nothing else to define them. I equate drinking as one of my other interests.

And i'm still wondering about what i could actually take on in life if i was more emotionally and mentally stable and didnt have bipolar.

I can always blame people for my situation especially my parents, but my brother is more productive than me and doesn't have mental issues.

 

[bunnydrop]

I take prozac when low,but the dose is carefully watched as it can make me high.im on a new drug at the mo called lamicatal,seems to be ok.

 

[keek]

Yes and no.

I just started taking Celexa, it helps with the depression. As for the mood swings I'm still struggling =[. But everyone is different. You may have to play with the doses and combos. On a bipolar support group I belong to a lot of different people talk about their bipolar cocktails, which is just a mix of a lot of different meds. One lady I spoke with on the site told me she takes 8 different medications everyday just to manage, so don't give up or put all your hope in just one medication.

My mother is bipolar and she has it under control, with what I don't know but don't give up.

 

[Agapet0s]

I take an antidepressant (Effexor) along with Lithium and an antipsychotic. The mixture works for me, as I have Bipolar II so the lows are worse and more long lasting than the highs for me. Really it is the depression that is my bugbear, so an antidepressant works for me.

 

[urmysunshine]

I have done pretty well with cymbalta. I have been on it for 2 years.

 

[Cass8605]

I have never been told if I have Bipolar I or II. A former therapist of mine suspected II, but my psychiatrist has never told me for sure. I have a feeling they aren't sure either. I am also diagnosed with depression. With that being said...

I take two mood stabilizers, which worked pretty well by themselves for a while, but I was still depressed and I couldn't let go of the sadness and fear. So, they decided to put me on Wellbutrin. My mom takes it for depression, so my psych thought it might work for me. It did the trick. I take 300mg a day and I feel a LOT better with it. I have a feeling that it works because the bipolar is under control, but I'm really sure, since I know a lot of people with BD don't do well on antidepressants.

It's up to a doctor (preferably a psychiatrist) to say whether or not you should try an antidepressant. Be very aware of your behavior if you do try one, because the effects of being BD on an antidepressant can be pretty severe. Do you have family members or friends who can help look out for you in case the antidepressant is doing something other than what it's supposed to?

Good luck and God bless you.

 

[aigiqinf]

Aren't atypical anti-psychotics more popular now?

 

[michael714]

>Be very aware of your behavior if you do try one, because the effects of being BD on an antidepressant can be pretty severe.

Ain't that the truth. I tried Wellbutrin and started feeling better at first, but then started hearing "voices". I had to stop it immediately.

 

[EbonNelumbo]

I take 40mg of prozac daily, but it's in combination with a lot of medications, inclusive to mood stabilizers.

 

[KleinerApfel]

Antidepressants almost never work for me, and I must have tried half a dozen or so over the years.

I found Celexa worked one time, then stopped because the balance of feeling just a bit better against side effects didn't add up to a plus in the end.

I took a nosedive and couldn't cope so tried it again, and that time it didn't work at all and made me feel really ill.

Now I'm on Duloxetine. Not working.
My psychiatrist added lithium to augment it end of last week.
Not working but too soon to be sure. Sigh. Here's hoping.

Haven't been really well since middle of 2005. Not sure I really know what "well" means for me any more, but I will know when I get there.