None worked for me.

There is a danger of SSRI's triggering mania in people with Bipolar. It's not an absolute rule - some people use them while also on a mood stabilizer, some are ok on them even without a mood stabilizer and some can't tolerate them under any conditions.

My experience with SSRI's is that they made me manic with a quickness. The worst (and best) one was Celexa. I say best because it put me into that euphoric hypomanic phase, but after a few days the hypo turned bad. I got angry and could not sleep. You can use them to treat bipolar but they should be taken with a mood stabilizer or antipsychotic as to balance things out.

the SSRI i was given tanked me hard, i turned into a depressed zomie and made my anxiety go thru the roof....yuck

I've been on Prozac since I was 15, two years before I was diagnosed with bipolar, and my psychiatrist has kept me on it for fear of triggering something since it's been 4 years. I'm on a mood stabilizer in addition and I seem to be doing alright at the moment. We're going to work on taking me off the SSRI to see what happens.

I've heard a lot of bipolar SSRI horror stories though, so I think it really is based on the individual and their brain chemistry. I think the most important thing is to be in really good communication with the physician prescribing the medication and to monitor yourself very carefully.

Well, this is complicated.and a VERY GOOD question, Katten.
First, this is my experience. For years I tried everything from Prozac to Cymbalta.
They either:
1) did not do a damn thing
2) made me more depressed
3) sent me into orbit - mania
The general rule is, I think, that other meds should be used first to treat bipolar depression (like Lamictal or Seroquel) with Seroquel being the only drug approved by the FDA for bipolar depression. Whoo hoo big deal. LOL
This is just what I have learned from my doctors. I am sure people are filled with different experiences.
What finally worked for me (after I was stable on Clozaril) was Zoloft and Doxepin. I am now weaning off the Doxepin, but I still need the Zoloft at 200mg.
And I personally know several fellow BPDers that take one or two SSRIs or SNRI in their cocktail. It is a delicate balance, I suppose. Hope this helps. Best wishes!

WOW!!! Thank you all SO MUCH for your input!!! I REALLY appreciate it!!! And yeah - it does help! I was prescribed fluoxetine for my last depression but that (the depression I mean) went on for about a year so I guess it didn't really help that much pretty much as for you LoonyTune it just "did not do a damn thing"... then I just quit taking it altogether and I'm doing fine without any meds at all - or... at least up to now :( now I'm kinda finding myself going down, again, you know... and then I heard about SSRI and bipolar and just wanted to know more so I know if my pdoc just don't know what he's doing... since I seem to need to go back again...

Anyway - this is turning out a pretty confused post; all I really wanted to say was: THANK YOU!!!

Loads of HUGS to y'all!!!
Katten

it can cause mania to happen because you asre always up there is no down

My doctor has told me putting patients suffering from Bipolar Disorder (I & II) on SSRI's is pretty common IF they have a mood stabilizer such as Lithium, Abilify, Lamictal, etc. also. This is because for some people the mood stabilizer is not enough to help them when their depressive episodes hit. However, a hallmark of diagnosing someone with Bipolar Disorder as opposed to Depression and/or a Anxiety Disorder often has to do with their effects from SSRI's. This is why many people are misdiagnosed. I was initially diagnosed with an Anxiety Disorder and Depression, for which I was put on Celexa (like another here posted about) and given Klonopin as a sedative for anxiety. Like our friend here posted about, I also had a very quick and severe manic-like episode following only ONE dose of Celexa. Within 10 minutes I started feeling "weird", almost like I was having an out of body experience. Then within an additional 10 minutes I started laughing uncontrollably. I felt happy but dizzy and foggy like I was drunk. Then, I lost my sunglasses and it completely set me off and I burst out crying uncontrollably and was so livid. For at least 2-3 days I was totally off, including breaking down and crying FOR NO REASON while at brunch with a group of friends. EEK! So, be VERY careful with SSRI's if you have Bipolar Disorder.

Morrisbeal and Anima,

Thank you for your replies!! Phew..., Anima: what a truly nasty experience that must've been !!??

I'm still fighting my urge to call that doc - i haven't been there for quite some time, I've been doing fine without him (and his meds) and he doesn't seem to know what he's doing anyway... but i don't know... yesterday I just had to send the whole family away to my mother-in-law because they were just doing my head in... then they were late coming back and I found my self thinking 'what if they've had a car accident? What if they've all died? Then I can just die too without hurting anyone'

Shit. I know I should be very upset with myself for thinking that... but i can't really be bothered. Of course, there hadn't been an accident, and yes, I AM glad for it. Still... shit, i don't know...

anyways
hugs to all
K

I took a variety of SSRIs over the course of many (17) years. They didn't seem to help my depressions at all, but my up mood states were horrible manias.

Now I am only on mood stabilizers. I only go up into hypomania now, not mania. What a relief!! I got into so much trouble before. Life is so much more peaceful now.

When I moved and got a new pdoc he immediately weaned me off my SSRI. Said they cause full blown manias in BPs. That has been the case for me.

However, like the others said, it is different for everyone. I'd imagine your pdoc will be experimenting with different med combos to find the best for you. Remember to advocate for yourself. Stay informed about the disorder and different treatment options. You should also stay in close communication with your pdoc. For example, did he/she know you 100% went off your meds? This is generally not a good idea for someone with BP.

Good luck to you! Here's hoping you find the right combo of meds soon.

It caused me to be manic but not like necessarily full blown probably more hypo but still not good and my thoughts would race.

Thanks for your input, MaineGirl and nocturnal!!

MaineGirl: No... I haven't told him anything - I more or less went off meds and doc at the same time... I got out of my last depression on my own, and i just stopped taking the meds and didn't go back to my doc, and I've been doing fine since - I've had hypomanic episodes but no depressions, nor any full blown manias (never had them anyway - the full blown manias, I mean).

I don't like 'my' doc - I wouldn't say he tried out different combos, he just basically put me on fluoxetine (apparently the best option for anorectics, which i am) and wished me good luck... Then again, I wasn't too good at calling back either - i just didn't have the energy, and then when I finally got out of it i didn't see any reason to go back... Anyway i suppose you're right... hm.

Hugs
K