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Multiple mood stabilisers at once?

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Multiple mood stabilisers at once?

Postby Bi-Polar Bear » Tue Apr 15, 2014 2:26 pm

How many of you have been prescribed multiple mood stabilisers to take together? I don't know much about all this, still, although I try my best to learn as much as possible about bipolar. I was prescribed abilify and to continue taking lamictal with it. It just seems strange as surely you only need one and the dosage matters more than the quantity of different stabilisers? Hmm...just a thought for the day!
Yikes.

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Re: Multiple mood stabilisers at once?

Postby Exiled. » Tue Apr 15, 2014 2:38 pm

I've only personally been on one mood stabilizer at a time. Looking the two meds up though, it looks like they target different things. The Abilify is used to treat acute episodes while the Lamictal is used to delay the onset of episodes.

http://www.rxlist.com/abilify-drug/indications-dosage.htm
http://www.rxlist.com/lamictal-drug/indications-dosage.htm
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Re: Multiple mood stabilisers at once?

Postby crubba67 » Tue Apr 15, 2014 5:05 pm

I'm on three mood stabilizers (one being an anti-psychotic)
"Sometimes the light's all shining on me, other times I can barley see, latley it occurs to me what a long strange trip it's been" - Grateful Dead

Dx: Severe Bipolar I w/psychotic features / Anxiety Disorder
Rx: Depakote 1000mg, Risperdone 4mg, Lamictal 200mg, Zoloft 50mg, Xanax PRN
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Re: Multiple mood stabilisers at once?

Postby ANewBeginning » Wed Apr 16, 2014 11:53 am

Im on two mood stabilizers which are meant to target two different issues. I would say its not that uncommon.
Seroquel- 100mg, Lamictal- 300mg, Trazadone- 300 mg, Trileptal-1200mg, Gabapentin-1200mg
PRN- .5mg Xanax
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Re: Multiple mood stabilisers at once?

Postby kenny66 » Wed Apr 16, 2014 1:35 pm

well, your meds do different things. I am on Lamictal-Saphris and Seroquel. I think its usual for people to be on multiple meds. At one stage I was taking Clozaril and after that Abilify as well.
DX: Schizoaffective Disorder Bipolar Type-OCD-PTSD
Seroquel-Saphris-Lamotrigine-Lithium
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Re: Multiple mood stabilisers at once?

Postby Sisupoika » Wed Apr 16, 2014 1:59 pm

It's common - I'm on 4 (see signature)
Sometimes the only way to stay sane is to go a little crazy
Bipolar 1, rapid cycling, mixed states; Borderline personality; OCD / passive aggressive traits
Abilify 22.5mg, Lamotrigine 200mg, Lithium 750mg, Deprakine 300mg, Olanzapine 10mg, Seronil 10mg
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Re: Multiple mood stabilisers at once?

Postby thejan » Wed Apr 16, 2014 2:08 pm

Some mood stabilizers prevent depression better (like lamictal), and some prevent mania better (like abilify, it's used to treat acute mania)
Your doctor is probably trying to "cover all the bases".
Dx: Bipolar 2. BDP+HPD. Pathological Gaming.

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Re: Multiple mood stabilisers at once?

Postby CrackedGirl » Wed Apr 16, 2014 2:52 pm

I am on lithium, lamotrigine, aripiprazole and quetiapine. They cover different things and most importantly do the job for me. :D

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Re: Multiple mood stabilisers at once?

Postby Slytherclaw » Thu Apr 17, 2014 4:07 am

I took Depakote and Lithium at the same time. I'm pretty sure there was no reason to be taking Depakote, though - all it did was make me unmotivated and overweight. Lithium actually helped, but it made me so nauseous I couldn't even look at the bottle without getting sick. So...that was my experience.
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Re: Multiple mood stabilisers at once?

Postby Bi-Polar Bear » Thu Apr 17, 2014 2:43 pm

Thank you everyone! It makes a lot more sense to me now. :D
Yikes.

Dx Bipolar I, Borderline Personality Disorder, generalised anxiety.
Pregnant, due Feb 2017
Quetiapine 100mg (pre-pregnancy: Lithium 800mg, Abilify, Pregabalin 200mg)
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