What antidepressents are you on, how long, and what are the doses?

KT, MD

I'm on Lamictal just now got to 100mg, Lithium Carbonate 600mg (we uped it but it was too much for my system), Seroquel 200mg

None of them work though they have no effect on me.

Been on them for three months or so.

Also my shrink says they should have started showing some effect, and I have been in a shrink ward twice (self committed) but I can't go back because I can't afford to miss any more work. I have already missed two months and just now started back.

just keep taking your meds !eventually they will kick in. you have so much to give. You need to think of yourself and not what you've lost. I know it's hard to do but you come FIRST! never forget that1 you have your whole life ahead of you, although i know you're not thinking about thay know, but you NEED TO PUT YOURSELF FIRST! Let me know if you want to vent beacause i know what you'e going through and i made it.just hang on sweetie, we're all here for you!

PEOPLE CARE I CARE "FIGHT"! I HAVE BEEN THERE AND I LOOK BACK NOW AND I AM SO GLAD I DIDN'T SUCCEED BECAUSE THE THINGS THAT I WOULD HAVE MISSED ARE THE THINGS THAT HAVE MADE IT ALL WORTH WHILE YOU WILL HAVE NEW THINGS TO CARE ABOUT AND THAT CARE ABOUT YOU BUT YOU HAVE TO FIGHT PEOPLE CARE "I CARE"! FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME IF YOU NEED TO TALK....

If you are too deeply suicidal, antidepressents can make you feel worse for a while. If you realize this, and can bear with it, and stay at work, that is great. But it can be very risky to keep putting up with it feeling worse and worse. You can get to a point where you suddenly can't stop yourself.
If you are writing good-bye notes, and thinking of details like when, where, and how, it is time to get to the hospital. You don't want to let it get any further, as you may loose control. You can't worry about your job if you aren't there to work!!

Dear Oleander, I am a 4th year medical student with Bipolar I. Lamictal is a great med, has both antidepressent and mood stablizer actions but not enough for you NOT to be on an antidepressent, especially because you are SO DEPRESSED. You MUST be on an antidepressent too--on of the BEST ones is ZOLOFt especially for young people, because it doesn't have any of the sexual or weight gain side effects. Seroquil is an antipsychotic, which helps against manic episodes, but again, you MUST be on an antidepressent. I would contact my MD and ask about that, or I would change my MD. When I was first diagnosed with bp, I was put on Li too. My uncle is a psychiatrist too, and when he found out, he suggested that i go off of it, because of the terrible side effects, like intersticial nephritis (kidney disease) and hypothyroidism (which is almost 100% chance of getting in the next 10-15 years)
So, here are the meds my uncle put me on and they have been AWESOME

1. Lamictal - now i am on 250mg, but of course it was titrated up slowly; you must be on this constantly. It is not only a great mood stablizer, but also it has shown to PREVENT further outbreaks
2. resperdol consta shot every 2 weeks. You can also take resperdol oral tabs instead (o.5-1mg) at bedtime
Resperdol is an antipsychotic, protects you when you start having racing thoughts, irritability, signs of mania. It's something that you are on temporarily, whenever you start getting manicy
3. Zoloft

I was exactly where you were 6 months ago, and i wanted to die every second. i am so glad that i toughed it out until the right treatment, because i am so happy now and finally enjoying my life

I was on Zoloft for two years with no effects what so ever. No drugs they try seem to work on me. I think something is just wrong with me mentally.

The other thing, i would strongly, strongly recommend, is that you do go to the hospital. Bipolar can be a very deadly disease(b/c of suicide) and i know you say you can't do it, but when you are suicidal, it's just like having any other medical emergency. We routinely admit patients for suicidal ideations, because it is not only dangerous for the patient, but they can be helped. It's not any different than having a heart attack or difficulty breathing or having a broken leg. You need help now, so please get some. And, again, you need an antidepressent ASAP, it's gonna take at least 3-6 wks to kick in. I know there is data out there that antidepressents can make you suicidal, BUT, it's a very very SMALL risk. And, plus you will be monitored closely, so that they can discontinue it if you get that way. It's like saying that just because lamictal has been shown to cause the Steven-Jonson rash (which is very serious) no one should be on it. That's very untrue, because not only does this happen in very very few people, but the med can be stopped when this happens.

What was the dose of your Zoloft if you remember?
also, there are other antidepressents they can try... different ones work differently for different people. you just need to find the right one for you and remember it takes between 4-6 wks for it to start working and a lot of times the dose needs to be adjusted

another one is Lexapro--it's pretty potent

I can't go to the hospital. I live in a small town and last time I went to the hospital they talked to me for an hour and then let me go home where I live alone. Sometimes I think it's a sign that maybe I should die. The world wouldn't notice it seems like.

also... are there any major, major issues going on in your life right now other than having a crisis with your illness? like a death in the family, relationships problems, or any other serious things?

I was taking 150mg and the highest they usually go is 200mg

A little old lady came to me when I woke up in the hospital after my last attempt and asked me why? I told her because nobody cares, she told me "that may be true if you had succeeded, but you didn't and you care! don't you think you should stick around" that was 20 years ago and they have been worth the fight.I have loved and have been loved and so will you! don't give up

I lost my two best friends who I called sisters because they couldn't handle the fact that I wanted to die. I lost all my friends when I went to a shrink ward. I'm pretty much on my own my family only cares to make sure I show up once a week to get my pills other than that I got noone. Also within the last year I have lost 8 friends to car crashes, the war, suicide. It's been rough but so has my whole childhood.