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Reactions to Anti Depressants - Fits Bipolar II?

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Reactions to Anti Depressants - Fits Bipolar II?

Postby ladyjello » Tue Jul 31, 2012 6:27 pm

Mirtazapine - On it for 9 months andit was awful. Slept up to 16 hours per day, ate a lot and put on weight but no effect on mood. Depression got worse..
Paroxetine - Lifted mood but when mixed with alcohol I self-harmed. Also was too tired and sleepy on it. Came off it after 6 months.
Bupropion - Felt great - got up early feeling bright and full of energy but again got a bit too high when I drank on it one time and was taken off it.
Citalopram - Mood wise, this drug suited me very well but I got allergic reaction to it or another drug and had to come off it.
Sertraline – My antidepressant of choice . Good for mood although when on 150- 200 mgs daily I went a bit hypomanic and again when mixed with alcohol I went wild on it. Lessened dose of sertraline then came off it completely but after 6 months very down again.
Fluoxetine – On 20 mgs daily Prozac, got energised/optimistic then crashed and got down and slowed down in speech and movement, crying and lifeless etc. Increased to 40mgs and effect of this unknown as yet but perhps a bit more anxious and agiatated.

Is my response to these drugs similar to the reaction of someone with Bipolar II?
Some Emotional and Mood Instability.
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Re: Reactions to Anti Depressants - Fits Bipolar II?

Postby Bettyboop » Tue Jul 31, 2012 8:11 pm

Anyone could have these reactions to these medications even if they don't have bipolar. Mainly because the things you discribe happening with each of the meds is actually a side effect of the med.

Some People with bipolar get hypo/manic in anti depressants alone but not all do.

I also know people who have borderline and unipolar depression and OCD who have had bad experiences with anti depressants. It does not mean they have an underlining a bipolar disorder just that for them anti depressants are not the best medications for them.

Your experience on antidepressants does not determin what diagnosis you have but rather determines what drugs do and don't work for you mood.
Maybe you need to try a differen kind of medication like a anti psych med or a mood stabilizers.
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Re: Reactions to Anti Depressants - Fits Bipolar II?

Postby ladyjello » Tue Jul 31, 2012 8:45 pm

Hi bettyboop
Thanks for your reply.
Not been diansosed with Bipolar - so will not get mood stabilisers. Just stumbling around in the dark for years having ups and downs and depression and anxiety and agitation and occasion elation ( with or without alcohol or antidepressants - but never really got the help ro understanding or diagnosis I think I need - so frustrating. Now well enought to live a "normal " life - not "mad" enought to have ever needed in patient treatment - and with lack of diagnosis and lack of resources and money for mental health issues in society etc - I have spent the last 10 years going from mood to mood and not coping etc - but gettin gantidepressants form the family doctor.
Then "failed" my big audition" with a Psychiatrist a year or so ago. Feel that he doubted or misunderstood things I said etc - and came out of his office not only without acknolwdgement or diagnosis of bipolar - but with dismissal of my depression to a degree - he siad I did not respond ot antidepressants (although I fear that without them I would get very lifeless and suicidal) and told I had some "emotional instabilty" .
So sort of trying to gather info to decide if I should ask for a second opinion - because I still have mood swings, pretty bad depression at times, anxiety and agitation , very occasional elation once or twice a year etc.
Just so fed up with feeling dismissed or misunderstood.
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Re: Reactions to Anti Depressants - Fits Bipolar II?

Postby Bettyboop » Tue Jul 31, 2012 9:29 pm

You don't have to be bipolar to benifit from mood stabilizers.
I know of people with schizophrenia, personality disorders, depression, OCD and eating disorder who have been put on mood stabilizers or anti psych meds because they are more useful than anti depressants.

In fact I have one friend who is diagnosed "depression with and unstable mood" and she was offered Lithium and sodium valporate because anti depressants didn't work well for her either.


(what country you in?)
You should ask your family doctor if you can be refered back to the psych and see if they re-assess you medication. You may see a different and better psych.
There are still quite a few anti depressants you have not tried so I wouldn't give up just yet.
Also getting over mood instability is not all about medication, have you try doing some work books?
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Re: Reactions to Anti Depressants - Fits Bipolar II?

Postby ladyjello » Tue Jul 31, 2012 9:34 pm

Oh yes - done self-help stuff for years!

YEs might try for a second opinion - just fearful after the last bad experience how i would feel or react if I felt dismissed again - but may do it 'cos living in limbo here - and that is not good either.
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