![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 16 of 16. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by babbler20 on December 12, 2013, at 18:46:27
I have had treatment-resistant depression for 20+ years and none of the SSRI"s have helped me. I have mood swings, but not mania. My depression goes from suicidal and really intense to less intense. Has anyone with a similar experience benefited from taking a mood stabilizers for their depression?
Posted by mellow on December 12, 2013, at 19:21:24
In reply to Do Mood Stabilizers Work For Depression, posted by babbler20 on December 12, 2013, at 18:46:27
I've had major depressions with psychosis, dysthymia lasting months and hypomanias. There are several periods in my adult life that I don't like to think about. Lots of lost time. But I have found a combo of a mood stabilizer and an antipsychotic that works very well for me. It is actually low doses of lamictal and risperdal. I feel better than I have in years and I'm out of therapy and only see the pdoc four times a year. Thus is a pretty substantial improvement from even two years ago. I feel like the biggest difference was having some goals in my life like returning to school and looking for a better job.
I also started eating a completely whole food no processed diet and it has made an incredible impact on my mood. Far more than any med or therapy I would say.
So that's the long answer. The short answer is that mood stabilizers are what saved me. I rapid cycled for years on every AD both SRI and NRI. I finally said to hell with it and we took another approach. Sorry for the ramble but my point is that recovery is possible and mood stabilizers provide a great benefit with less side effects in my case.
mellow
Posted by babbler20 on December 12, 2013, at 20:35:44
In reply to Re: Do Mood Stabilizers Work For Depression, posted by mellow on December 12, 2013, at 19:21:24
Hi Mellow,
I'm glad you are doing much better. Thanks so much for sharing your story with me. I don't quite think I experience hypomanias. I think I just go from really, really depressed to neutral. The really, really depressed seems to be my baseline and I'd settle for neutral at this point. I tried Lamictal at one point, but didn't notice a difference. Are there any other mood stabilizers out there that won't make you fat or make you lose your hair? Are there any new ones about to hit the market? Thanks again.
Posted by SLS on December 12, 2013, at 21:00:47
In reply to Re: Do Mood Stabilizers Work For Depression, posted by mellow on December 12, 2013, at 19:21:24
Hi Mellow.
That's an interesting combination. I'm glad you are feeling and functioning better.
- Scott
> I've had major depressions with psychosis, dysthymia lasting months and hypomanias. There are several periods in my adult life that I don't like to think about. Lots of lost time. But I have found a combo of a mood stabilizer and an antipsychotic that works very well for me. It is actually low doses of lamictal and risperdal. I feel better than I have in years and I'm out of therapy and only see the pdoc four times a year. Thus is a pretty substantial improvement from even two years ago. I feel like the biggest difference was having some goals in my life like returning to school and looking for a better job.
>
> I also started eating a completely whole food no processed diet and it has made an incredible impact on my mood. Far more than any med or therapy I would say.
>
> So that's the long answer. The short answer is that mood stabilizers are what saved me. I rapid cycled for years on every AD both SRI and NRI. I finally said to hell with it and we took another approach. Sorry for the ramble but my point is that recovery is possible and mood stabilizers provide a great benefit with less side effects in my case.
>
> mellow
Posted by mogger on December 12, 2013, at 21:14:52
In reply to Do Mood Stabilizers Work For Depression, posted by babbler20 on December 12, 2013, at 18:46:27
I was the same babbler20. I still have depression lingering and it gets more intense if any stress is added to my life as I have OCD as well. Definitely anxiety hit me first at a young age which turned into ocd and then depression kicked in. How much lamictal did you try? I have recently gone from 300 to 400mgs of lamictal and am seeing a noticeable difference. Lamictal is the mood stabilizer for me however my doctor says he has a number of people just on seroquel as at 300mgs it is a stand alone for depression and also is a mood stabilizer. Hope you get well soon,
mogger
Posted by linkadge on December 13, 2013, at 15:13:34
In reply to Re: Do Mood Stabilizers Work For Depression » babbler20, posted by mogger on December 12, 2013, at 21:14:52
lithium probably has the most evidence as an augmentation strategy for depression.
Linkadge
Posted by babbler20 on December 13, 2013, at 19:06:49
In reply to Re: Do Mood Stabilizers Work For Depression, posted by linkadge on December 13, 2013, at 15:13:34
> lithium probably has the most evidence as an augmentation strategy for depression.
>
> LinkadgeThanks Linkadge
Posted by SLS on December 14, 2013, at 0:40:29
In reply to Re: Do Mood Stabilizers Work For Depression, posted by babbler20 on December 13, 2013, at 19:06:49
What about Lamictal (lamotrigine)? It works more like an antidepresant than an antimanic.
- Scott
Posted by Phillipa on December 14, 2013, at 9:13:45
In reply to Re: Do Mood Stabilizers Work For Depression, posted by SLS on December 14, 2013, at 0:40:29
Isn't trileptal supposed to be good? Phillipa
Posted by babbler20 on December 14, 2013, at 18:55:57
In reply to Re: Do Mood Stabilizers Work For Depression, posted by SLS on December 14, 2013, at 0:40:29
> What about Lamictal (lamotrigine)? It works more like an antidepresant than an antimanic.
>
>
> - ScottHi, I tried Lamictal and Lithium a few years ago, but I didn't benefit from either, unfortunately.
Posted by babbler20 on December 14, 2013, at 18:57:01
In reply to Re: Do Mood Stabilizers Work For Depression, posted by Phillipa on December 14, 2013, at 9:13:45
Hi, I once tried trileptal for a couple days and my anxiety unfortunately went through the roof.
Posted by SLS on December 14, 2013, at 20:55:44
In reply to Re: Do Mood Stabilizers Work For Depression, posted by babbler20 on December 14, 2013, at 18:55:57
> > What about Lamictal (lamotrigine)? It works more like an antidepresant than an antimanic.
> >
> >
> > - Scott
>
> Hi, I tried Lamictal and Lithium a few years ago, but I didn't benefit from either, unfortunately.Are you an ultra-rapid cycler bipolar (four mood episodes within a month)? Is there anything about your case (including family history) that might indicate a bipolar-spectrum disorder? I've seen agomelatine help quite a bit with ultra-rapid cycling bipolar disorder.
If you can tolerate low dosages of lithium (150 - 450 mg/day), I would consider it - not so much for its acute therapeutic effects, but so as to protect the brain and optimize your chances of responding to treatment in the future. If your hands tremor from lithium, you are probably taking too much. This low-dosage strategy does not utilize blood tests. There is no established blood levels for lithium when used as an adjunct to antidepressants when treating unipolar depression. Lithium does a lots of good stuff. It might even reduce the risk of getting Alzheimers.
If there is any bipolarity going on, you might want to try combining minocycline + Lamictal + Abilify. I'm doing better with these drugs in my treatment regime.
I take:
Parnate 100 mg/day
nortriptyline 150 mg/day
Lamictal 200 mg/day
lithium 450 mg/day
Abilify 10 mg/day
prazosin 25 mg/day
minocycline 200 mg/day
- Scott
Posted by bleauberry on December 17, 2013, at 5:11:58
In reply to Do Mood Stabilizers Work For Depression, posted by babbler20 on December 12, 2013, at 18:46:27
Some people do benefit from mood stabilizers, but generally no. If one were to go that route, the best bet is Lamictal. After that, flip a coin on the others.
You mentioned ssris but not others. Ever added a TCA to the SSRI? If not, missed out on a good chemistry.
20 years of depression says something is wrong and it aint a chemical imbalance. In my opinion, this kind of depression is the kind that is least responsive to psych drugs because it has nothing to do with a chemical imbalance. It probably has more to do with a toxin accumulation thing gumming up all the brain receptors so the brain chemicals cannot dock at their destinations. Or a genetic defect from birth or biological insult. Or a hormonal gland off base.
Rhodiola rosea.
Posted by mogger on December 28, 2013, at 19:33:24
In reply to Re: Do Mood Stabilizers Work For Depression, posted by bleauberry on December 17, 2013, at 5:11:58
Bleauberry I am on day 6 of N-Acetylglucosamine and it is having a pronounced anti anxiety effect. Arthritis pain and back pain is gone as an added bonus. Taking 500 mgs. Any effective anti anxiety treatment for me tends to be a mood stabilizer as I have OCD.
Posted by phidippus on December 30, 2013, at 14:57:19
In reply to Do Mood Stabilizers Work For Depression, posted by babbler20 on December 12, 2013, at 18:46:27
Only two mood stabilizers seem efficacious in the treatment of depression: Lithium and Lamictal. Really work best when added to an AD.
Have you tried Tramadol?
Eric
Posted by Babbler20 on December 31, 2013, at 20:08:00
In reply to Re: Do Mood Stabilizers Work For Depression » babbler20, posted by SLS on December 14, 2013, at 20:55:44
> > > What about Lamictal (lamotrigine)? It works more like an antidepresant than an antimanic.
> > >
> > >
> > > - Scott
> >
> > Hi, I tried Lamictal and Lithium a few years ago, but I didn't benefit from either, unfortunately.
>
> Are you an ultra-rapid cycler bipolar (four mood episodes within a month)? Is there anything about your case (including family history) that might indicate a bipolar-spectrum disorder? I've seen agomelatine help quite a bit with ultra-rapid cycling bipolar disorder.
>
> If you can tolerate low dosages of lithium (150 - 450 mg/day), I would consider it - not so much for its acute therapeutic effects, but so as to protect the brain and optimize your chances of responding to treatment in the future. If your hands tremor from lithium, you are probably taking too much. This low-dosage strategy does not utilize blood tests. There is no established blood levels for lithium when used as an adjunct to antidepressants when treating unipolar depression. Lithium does a lots of good stuff. It might even reduce the risk of getting Alzheimers.
>
> If there is any bipolarity going on, you might want to try combining minocycline + Lamictal + Abilify. I'm doing better with these drugs in my treatment regime.
>
> I take:
>
> Parnate 100 mg/day
> nortriptyline 150 mg/day
> Lamictal 200 mg/day
> lithium 450 mg/day
> Abilify 10 mg/day
> prazosin 25 mg/day
> minocycline 200 mg/day
>
>
> - Scott
>Thanks for all the info Scott. I would definitely say I'm Ultra Rapid-Cycling. I'd say my mood changes on a daily basis and I don't know how much of that is related to the insomnia problem I've been having for the last few years
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.