Prozac For Bi Polar

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i am on geodone& prozac for bi polar but still have spells my mind is out of control? runing thoughts thoughts of my future

lizbeth0808 replied: "if that is all that is happening while on these meds, it's normal. As long as you are not having extreme episodes, you're okay and don't need to talk to your doctor about a med change. I answered your other questions, and your mind is going to race, even on meds. meds do not totally control bipolar, they can make you stable, but you still have occasional episodes and other symptoms."

Sandy S replied: "call your pharmacy and see if that is normal"

What alternatives are there to taking Lithium Orate to treat bi-polar? My fiance has bi polar and she's been taking lithium orate to treat it, but lately it seems to not be working. Are there any alternatives without going to the heavy meds? Zanex, prozac, etc.

cyanne2ak replied: "Xanax (Zanax) is a depressant.....not good for bipolar disorder AT ALL. Many have had success with Paxil and with SSRIs."

Doctor J replied: "It is always best to look for and treat the cause of a condition, rather than trying to 'cover it up' with drugs. Sherry Rogers, M.D. has written an excellent book that explains the causes of mood disorders (bi-polar, major depression, OCD, etc.) and how to identify and fix the many causes. The book is called: "Depression Cured At Last!". She documents everything in the book with over 1000 medical research references. The book is available at Amazon.com or from the publisher at 1-800-846-6687. I highly recommend this book if you have the willingness to learn and the ability to take control of your health. Best wishes."

plutopian replied: "If she's interested in getting off medication (which I would recommend for a reasonably mild case of bipolar), it may help a lot to take B complex vitamins (complex means it contains all the different B vitamins - make sure you get this) every day. I actually take a B complex plus a seperate B5 and a seperate B6 vitamin pill each day, as B5 and B6 are very important. Its not THE solution, but it helps me a lot."

gilda13me replied: "Try abilify it is a mood stabilizer. It works great and you have less side effects. A friend of mine deals with the same disorder and she has tried everything. This is what has worked best for her. Talk to your doctor about it."

flaim replied: "do not andi repet donot take her off meds she may have adujested to her meds so the doctor needs to up it or add somthing else im bi polar and its a very debilatating desise so be kind but she must be ckd by a phyfiatrist at leaast every 3 months to get blood test on her levels i personaly take depakote.efexor zoloft and clonozapan for my fear of leaving the house it helps calm my panic attacks"

nSine replied: "DON'T TAKE DEPAKOTE. It's like smoking marijuana all day long, just not fun. It makes you sleepy, lazy, slow, stupid, and really hungry. I gained 45 pounds on it in 6 months. Topamax is similar without the excessive hunger. A low(ish) dose of Risperdal might work, it's not that sedating, but you still lose energy. Xanex is very addictive and won't slow a manic person down enough to keep them from screwing up. She probably already has 'script for Prozac or Lexapro or Paxil or Celexa or Zoloft, but anti-depressants alone can make a bipolar person manic. Lithium itself is a pretty strong drug, then again when a person is manic they've got lots of energy to spare. Since she's bipolar you may have to ask if she's even taking her meds, bipolar people are notorious for not taking there prescriptions. Living with bipolar disorder and not taking anything for it often seems more interesting for a bipolar person than taking drugs (that don't make you feel good) everyday to prevent stupid decisions and irrational actions. Think about it, would you take a vitamin everyday if having your daily allotment of niacin and iron meant you'd get less done and feel like a zombie? Then again, I'm not even taking my meds, so who am I too talk."

The Tank replied: "Bipolar Disorder is treated by moode stabalizers, and the goal is to find stability. There are drugs besides lithium, but lithium is naturally occuring while the rest are chemicals. Abilify, and Seroquel are both anti-psychotics and can help with manic symptoms as well as balance moode, but are not tolerated as well as the traditional moode stabalizer. Depakote is a good medication if it does the job, it can stop people from rapid cycling and smooth out a moode cycle in ways lithium cannot. Depakote has weight gain, but a good diet and excercise can offset this. Tegretol, which is used less frequently is extremely potent, when the body breaks this down it breaks down into three different meds. Only use this if rapid cycling is present or if nothing else works. Tegretol is nasty, but for some patients they need it for survival. Trileptal is a lighter med, but is a byproduct of breaking down Tegretol. This often used in combination with lithium to boost the Lithium's effectiveness. Lamictal is a moode stabalizer, but is often used in bipolar depression. It is a good med for that, but does not really do anything for the prevention of mania. Antidepressants should be used with caution with bipolar because they can cause mania. If an anti-depressant is going to be used it should be at a low dose and used for the shortest period of time necessary. For any medicine to work it needs to have a constant blood level. That means one actually has to take it. In evaluating a new medicine one has to stay on it for up to six week before a benefit can be seen and or side effects. Most side effects, except weight gain will go away by the end of the six weeks. If one gains weight within two weeks after starting a weight gaining medicine that will mean one will probably continue to gain weight. At this time because of the nature of the illness there is no cure, only methods of curving and preventing symptoms. Cognitive Behaviorial Therapy has been proven to work well with bipolar disorder in conjunction with meds. People who go through the therapy tend to need less meds in the long run because they can better cope with the symptoms. There is also a good self-help book called Mind Over Moode, which contains good information and excersises to help cope with extreme moode swings associated with bipolar."

beachgurl123452001 replied: "seroquel, only take it a night because it acts like a sleeping pill, but prevents a person from having mania. Honestly pills are bad, I was on lithium for a half a yr. and I was soo numb that I couldn't cry anymore, I was emotionless, like a robot. No one should live there life like that. Also all lithium is is a natural mineral carboante salt."

baghdadcatcash replied: "hullo zyprexa might be a good choice,still you have to consult your psychiatrist."

Has anyone had any luck with Abilify for major depression or bi-polar disorder esp. if used with Prozac? I heard that it works well in conjunction with other anti-depressants. I have pretty bad depression and I'm on 40 mg. of Prozac. It doesn't seem to be helping much and I'm wondering if adding Ability might help. I do have Hep.C (my last blood tests showed that it's not bad)but doctors agree that the risk of taking the meds. is worth it since my depression is so debilitating. Thanks for any opinions or information.

Simon W replied: "I have been on 9 antipsychotics but not Abilify, I have found antipsychotics very helpful in calming emotions. Give Abilify a try and i hope you get on well with it."

noname replied: "I'm on abilify and my doctor (psychiatrist) says it's the best."

Missy J. replied: "Try suggesting Lithium,Lamictal,and Abilify...see what your doc. says,it has really helped me :) But everyones diff."

How can I convince my wife to seek counseling She is Bi polar and has ocd It is affecting our marriage? We have been married for six years and I treat her like a Queen but she still cannot seem to be happy she has changed her medicines she now takes prozac she also drinks alcohol and cant seem to stop with just one drink .I know she has feelings for me she has agreed to try to work it out but it seems like I am the one with all the problems. We need counseling because someone other than me needs to tell her about the effects of her drinking with her disorder. I love this woman with all my heart But I am afraid her compulsive desicions are going to mess her life up and all I can do is sit back and watch. She is a wonderful person she deserves to get better.

Alex62 replied: "You do need counseling, and she needs to see a psychiatrist (or a new one). Prozac is not a mood stabilizer, so either she has not been diagnosed by a psychiastrist, or she is not taking her stabilizers. Alcohol for bipolar also is a no-no, but I'd guess that she's using it to self medicate. I'd suggest that you also get involved with her psychiatrist visits, and if she's refusing to manage her illness, think hard about how much you want to put up with it. ~bipolar"

go_romo_go replied: "I would just ask her if she Would like to try it. If you are afraid this won't help, then I suggest you see if she would like to work on the relationship in counseling for both of you. This option may not leave her feeling as if you are placing "blame" on her. The therapist can address any issues once you are there."

glamourella replied: "Channel her self destructing energy into positive energy - a little bit every day."

chris v replied: "Those are some serious issues that you both will need to get resolved to be happy. If your that concerned just straight up suggest to her that you both go to couples counseling. If she refuses then she's not ready to admit there's a problem and your relationship really isn't that important to her. Hopefully she'll side on going to counseling to better your relationship. If not your better off without her."

che che replied: "If she is not already in therapy you will probably have to take a strong stand with her much like tough love with addicts.Many times people with this illness will use street drugs and alcohol to feel some relief.Keep in mind that if she gets in to trouble with the law, Bipolar Disorder is not a legal defense. Good Luck,you are not alone."

lovelorn replied: "Tell her she's a wonderful person and needs to get better (not deserves). If she can't or won't get help, then tell her she is putting the relationship and all that you have together in jeopardy. Tell her you will go with her to doctor or therapy appointments. If you think she becoming an alcoholic, call AA and ask them for some advice on how to get her into treatment for that."

HJG replied: "She needs to want to get better and must be willing to take the first step. Your family doctor will arrange for therapy. "

Amethyst replied: "I imagine you have probably tried to talk with her about the issues you mention above, and it's getting you nowhere. Do you know of somebody whom she has the utmost respect for (like maybe a member of her family or one of her closest, most-trusted friends)? If you do know of somebody that seems to somehow always manage to get through to her, maybe it would benefit you to talk with this person and see if he or she would be willing to talk with your wife about agreeing to some counseling? Though you may not want to involve others in your marital problems, if they love your wife as much as you do then I'm sure that they would be happy to do whatever they can to help her get better. Now if others have already talked with your wife and nothing seems to work, then maybe you should get some help yourself. Neglecting your feelings and sufferring in silence beside your wife cannot be good for you and so if she does not want to do anything for herself, then let her be but take care of you."

Vera C replied: "Hi Tim Sorry to hear about your wife but it is wonderful to know that you are not giving up on her and are trying to help. I also am Bipolar with OCD, PTSD and DID. You may need to talk with her doctor on your own to express your concerns. I have instructed both my husband and mother-in-law to contact my doctor any time they feel I am relapsing, or doing something that will be harmful to myself or anyone else. Who is prescribing your wife's medication? Anti-depressants should not be prescribed by a general physician. I found this out by personal experience which almost killed me. I just kept telling my doctor that I was depressed and she just kept increasing my medication. It wasn't until I voluntarily committed myself, did I finally get the real help that I needed and counseling was a major part of my getting better. She definitely needs to see a Psychiatrist if she hasn't already. If she is seeing someone, then maybe she should try another. It took me a while to find a good match. Aside from medication, she should also have one-on-one therapy and the two of you should have couples' therapy. Another important thing - she must decrease her alcohol intake. Alcohol has a great impact on how anti-depressants work. Again, something I learned from personal experience."

pinkribbon replied: "You're obviously a devoted and loving husband.Pick a moment when she hasn't had a drink.Take her out for the day, no distractions, and tell her how you feel.Tell her you have even had to ask a bunch of strangers on here for help you are that desperate to help her.Counselling will help, but it will be a long and hard journey.I've had clinical depression for many years.I weaned myself off medication as it made me feel out of control whilst on them.Drinking as others have said will damage the good effects of the medication.Get help, don't try and do this alone.I wish you luck and hope that things will get better for you soon."

What is the difference between depression, bi-polar and compulsive disorder? Are they treatable? I have depression for three years. I had been taking imperamine for two years with no cure. One week before I started Prozac but I have to terminate it since I couldn't stand it. When I see Yahoo answers I suspect that I have also compulsive disorder. Could you please tell me the difference between them?

antiekmama replied: "I have a child with all 3 and panic dissorder. You need to get good professional help. There are meds but it is a hit or miss situation , so you need to try several before you know what will work. You unfortunately need a psychiatrist who can write the prescriptions versus a psychologist. It costs money and so do the meds. Prozac I doubt would have helped with OC, I don't know but I doubt it. I am on Lexapro for depression and it helps 100 percent with my daily life. Good luck to you."

angelle_76 replied: "Depression is a disinterest in life and a constant sadness the things that used to bring you happiness no longer do and you find you are unable to just pull yourself together without some form of medication or counselling. Manic depression/bipolar disorder causes a peson to suffer extremely severe high moods followed by extremely low moods. OCD or obsessive compulsive disorder is a form of ritualistic behaviour that has to be continued every day or everytime you do something depending on obsession eg germs people are known to wash their hands until they are sore before touching anything after touching anything.It is like severe routine but if they are interupted or something is altered in their ritual they can become increasingly anxious or aggressive. All are treatable with the correct meds and correct therapist or counsellor to suppress symptoms or alter behaviour manic depression cannot be cured only maintained by taking meds to stabilise mood. Depression can be treated depending on level and severity of it it may recur continuosly and with ocd cognitive behavioural therapy is usually successful as it helps change the way your thoughts are processed making you think more positive. Please do not try and diagnose yourself you must go and see gp and inform him of every symptom you have so he can either correctly diagnose and treat you or refer you to a psychiatrist who will be able to correctly diagnose you and prescribe correct medication for that diagnosis.Being aware you have a problem is the first step to overcoming/fighting that problem. Good luck."

shandell replied: "Depression is a general feeling of hopelessness, disinterest in activities, usually accompanied by sleep disturbances, and can include episodes of crying without any apparent reason. Bi-polar disorder is a disorder in which the individual exists on one of two polar opposites all the time. These two polar opposites are very low and very high mental states. The individual goes from being severely depressed to extreme happiness (referred to as "mania" or "manic episodes") both without any apparent reason. Obcessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder in which an individual has an obcession in the mind that leads to a compulsion in behavior. For people who wash their hands until they bleed the obcession is with germs. They think they can't get the germs off of their hands, which leads them to the compulsion to constantly wash them. I have also seen individuals with OCD who have rituals they must follow down to the letter in order to calm their anxious state of mind. All three can be controlled with medication, and I believe counseling is necessary when taking meds of this type. Some anti-depressants (Lexapro, Paxil, Zoloft, Effexor) also help treat anxiety disorders like OCD. Bipolar disorder is usually treated with an anti-psychotic drug, and some of these can have permanent side effects. Before taking an anti-psychotic, I would certainly get a second opinion. Always make sure you research thoroughly via internet, library, etc. on any disorder you are diagnosed with. Knowledge is power."

What bi-polar medicine works the best for you? my boyfriend takes prozac, but i thought it was weird how his doctor didnt perscribe him an anti-anxiety meds. his anxiety is worse then his depression and usually his anxiety drives him crazy until he becomes depressed. any sugestions....???

pinkyismygirlfriendniluvhur replied: "massages at one point ZYprexa probably saved my life though email me if you want more info "

Kelly replied: "Maybe he should talk with a doctor about his anxiety. Tell him that it is worse then his depression....my friend is on something for bi-polar too, I just can't think of the name. Sorry. But, he should talk with his doctor...or research meds on the internet, and see what they offer him."

A friend replied: "Prozac is NOT a drug to take alone for bipolar (BP)! Prozac is an SSRI, and most BP people become manic (including irritable, angry, anxious) with SSRIs. My son became incredibly anxious, paranoid, irritable, etc. on Zoloft. The only time I think someone ought to take an SSRI if he is BP is if he is taking an anti-psychotic med and a mood stabalizer, and after a while it's obvious that he just can't beat his depression with the anti-psychotic med and the mood stabalizer alone. Then a small dose of an SSRI might be introduced gradually. You are right...the anxiety does cause people to feel depressed. However, the solution is not just an anti-anxiety med (although they are good to have on hand). He needs other meds. Is he seeing a GOOD PSYCHIATRIST? My guess is No. That is what he should do so that he can feel great and enjoy life again."

jml_gemini replied: "I take a mood stabilizer and a anti-anxiety pill. If he is Bipolar it would depend on which Bipolar he is on what kinds of medication he would need. But if the anxiety is not any better or the Prozac makes other things worse then he should tell his doctor right a way. Sometimes one medication can help alot of different types of symptoms. Good luck and I hope he gets stable soon."

Snazzlefrazz replied: "Abilify really helps me and it does not have a lot of side effects like the other psychotropic medications. It has really helped with my depression and energy level, without making me manic. It also helps with my anxiety."

fiVe replied: "Prozac is an SSRI, which can help with anxiety as well as depression. Anxiety and bipolar are different, which does he have? If he's bipolar he should be on a mood stablizer first, then an anti-depressant/anti-anxiety. To answer your question, though, my life-saving combination of medication is Wellbutrin XL (anti-depressant), Lamictal (mood stablizer) and Abilify (anti-psychotic with mood stablizing properties)."

limousineorama replied: "his doctor should have him on a mood stabilizer of some kind if he is bipolar. What kind of doctor just gives prozac to a bipolar patient? it could send him manic as all hell."

john l replied: "an aspirin....call me in the morning..."

Bi Polar Meds that won't cause Weight Gain? I am Bi-Polar and have taken Prozac, Paxil, Lithium, Depakote, Wellbutrin, Topamax and now am on 75 mg. of Effexor a day. I have went from 135 to 235 in the past few years due to these meds. I had weight loss Lap Band surgery in June and have only lost 20 lbs. I only eat 900 - 1200 calories a day and exercise regularly and drink lots of water. I haven't lost weight in about a month now. I don't know what to do at this point! Help!!!!

yvonne239021 replied: "Im really sorry, my twin is bi polar too, she has put on a lot of weight too..please remember it is more important for you to continue to take medication that helps your condition..., talk to your doctor, tell him/her how you are feeling re-your weight,,best wishes"

DODA replied: "give it time and talk with both of your drs. in my opinion if the weight stops coming off you at one point will have to decide which is more important to you...remaining mentally stable or being thinner.i wish you well and hope you never have to choose. doda"

riptide_71 replied: "I just wanted to write to sympathise with you..... I am on 6 meds for Bipolar, have been for years and can't lose a pound. When I started taking the meds 10 years ago, I gained 70 pounds real quickly and as I have gotten older, the pounds keep coming on...even though I exercise every day. It just stinks..... :("

Can Bi Polar medication make you bi polar or make you feel bipolar for a few weeks. Im refering to Abilify, i? i take it in combonation with remeron, depakote, prozac and suboxone im a in recovery from opiates and benzodiazepine early stages. about 4 months i dunno if that matters

Wild Sage replied: "Not sure, talk to the doctor who prescribed it."

Shαnnδn replied: "If you are bipolar and only take anti-depressants that can make you go manic. Getting the 'mix' right for you takes time."

Ms Kitty replied: "It cannot make you bipolar if you are not already Bipolar but if you ARE bipolar it can exasperate your symptoms..... Abilify has been known to cause anxiety and akathesia (an inner restlessness) and it can ramp you up......"

bi polar disorder dangerous lows? Im on prozac and neurontin Im being treated for bi polarI have bi polar and when I have lows I become suicidal. The mania I can handle. But what do I do when I have these severe lows?So I dint end up killing myself.

Holly & Jolly & all that jazz! replied: "You need to talk with your doctor. You may need a change in medication. Unfortunately it can take many changes before you find the right combination for you."

frediwhite@verizon.net replied: "Set up something so you have someone to call when it gets bad. Your doctor if nobody else. Or have them come over for a while, spend the night, whatever. There's a suicide hotline most places now. Might that work for you?"

strawberry replied: "Try to be extremely honest with your doctor during times when you feel you might be heading down that depression low. I know its hard I'm also bipolar and understand how you feel. But try your best to keep the lines of communication open, I try my best to think that life is a test and that I'm one step closer to getting over it all when I make it out of a dark period. Also I try to think If i don't try to be honest and help myself out I never know where I can end up later on. And truthfully once thing I know is that even though the down times are horrible each time you made it out of a dark spot an ok period or at least a better period was around the corner. Look forward to that. Also try to make plan for the future like going out, seeing family, going to a show. I know this sometimes helps me."

rob d replied: "I have been where you are and i know just like you do that when you are at the edge of the abyss all the meds in the world seem to do no good. I've been there many times, and thank God both of my suicide attempts were failures. But now i have developed a way to beat it. You have to be strong, and suffer through the pain with someone close to you who will not leave your side, even though you are going to be having irrational thought you need to keep one thing in mind, try to remember the things that were the good moments, or seconds during that time, and make it through. The next time it hits you, you have some ammo to fight back with, you know you can survive it if you can outlast it. Each time you make it through, it gets easier the next time. I will admit i still have the lows, but i spot them coming from miles off now, and adjust my thinking pattern to fight it off. I know it sounds like a long process, but it has worked for me and i believe it will be a permanent solution."

Chantix/Vernecline Does taking chantix help people w/bi-polar disorders-depression disorders? I know it works? to quit smoking. I have. But, I also take prozac and 50mg. serequal at night for depression & bi-polar. Since I have ended the chantix(about 10 days now) I seem to be regressing downhill emotionally & physically. I,m all too aware of Mania highs /lows so I recognize this "spiraling down" period. Can Anyone tell me if Verenicline(chantix) can be found in any depression or bi-polar medication or can it be used as a bi-polar medication? Sure felt great while taking it, not so good right now, though. I'm deeply grateful for ANY info. available!

onegreeneye replied: "I suffer from depression I am on zoloft 50 mg. I took chantix for about 1 month and felt great except for the nausous feeling and headache that would last a hour or two. after I quit taking chantix because of the side effects ( I still quit after 1 week) but, I feel very depressed lately I thought maybe it takes a while to leave the system but after seeing your question it makes me wonder. it blocks the nicotine receptors but what else? interesting..........."

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