Posted by Ritch on August 8, 2002, at 1:40:41
In reply to Antidepressants (Effexor) for Bipolar II??, posted by HMK on August 7, 2002, at 10:05:31
> I currently take Effexor, Depakote, and Zyprexa. I'm sick to death of gaining weight but my doctor who is large himself doesn't seem to care. This new doctor says that people who are bipolar can't really do well until they are off Effexor or any type of antidepressant. Have people found this to be true?? I've been on Effexor for 3 years now at a low dose (75 mg) and am dreading going off it.
>
> I've been on Zyprexa for a week (switched to it from Risperdal) and have missed 2 days of work when I couldn't get myself out of bed. Doc said "it is up to me to get myself out of bed and to work"- oh, really? I've never felt like this until I started the Zyprexa- I'm tired and depressed all the time and he's telling me to DISCONTINUE the antidepressant!! That makes no sense to me.
>
> Can someone help me out? I would appreciate any insight you could offer-
> Heather
Heather,Antidepressants *are* troublesome for bipolars, but I am intensely skeptical that you can do without them with Depakote as your only antimanic agent. I haven't heard ONE bipolar person here describe taking Depakote as monotherapy for their disorder (over the "required" months and months), and feel that the depressive part of their illness has been addressed in any substantive way. Why did you get switched from Risperdal to Zyprexa (just curious)?
Mitch
poster:Ritch
thread:115541
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020807/msgs/115637.html