Depression and agitation

[braccio]

Does anyone know of any medications other than Geodon, Depakote and Lexapro to treat Bipolar?  I have been depressed for over 3 years, and I've also tried  Lithium, Lamictal, Cymbalta and Buspar.  I wake up dreading the day, and I feel very anxious all day, like I don't want to stay unoccupied.  My thoughts are all about how I'm never going to beat this thing; it feels almost like something alien has taken over my brain.  I also can't yawn anymore.  I know it sounds stupid, but I can't yawn.  At least I can sleep.  It's very hard to fake emotions that I don't feel.  I can't laugh or smile;. it's all forced.  I don't see my new doctor until December 2, so I have to make do until then.  I just don't get joy out of anything anymore, in fact, last week I was thinking about suicide.  I managed to get my thoughts straightened out, but that was quite a scare for me.  I'm just afraid the new doctor is going to say that there's nothing else he can do for me, and I'll be stuck like this for the rest of my life.  Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.  

[domitron]

Yawning and serotonin levels are linked in some way.  One needs to look no further than a Prozac experiences to know this.  If someone who does not require Prozac takes it, as I did before, it is common to keep yawning and yawning until one's jaw becomes very fatigued.  The yawning is not in response to tiredness but someone serotonin related, and at this time no one fully understands what is going on.  

[whitecat78]

I am feeling depression and agitation right now too. I have been dreading getting up in the morning. I have never been diagnosed with bi-polar, only GAD. I feel like I might have conversion disorder, I constantly have these bad physical symptoms. I haven't tried many medications except anti-depressants, but for me this comes and goes, when I feel this bad I know I will have to eventually feel the opposite later, so that is what I have to look forward too. life is full of surprises, don't give up, you wont feel depressed forever.

[ILADVOCATE]

You have been through all the commonly used mood stabilizers from what I am aware of unless different antipsychotics are tried as mood stabilizers as all atypical antipsychotics are FDA approved as mood stabilizers. Trileptal has worked for some people I know (its use has generally replaced Tegretol as they are clinically similar but its safer and doesn't require blood work). Topomax is generally used as an adjunct mood stabilizer. There are others as well. This list has been posted before but as time has advanced as these medications are FDA approved but used off label and thus can be prescribed now some are used now whereas before they were still only in study:
http://psycheducation.org/depression/meds/moodstabilizers.htm
For example I recently started on Lovaza which is used experimentally as a mood stabilizer and things have improved. Some psychiatrists would only be familiar with commonly used mood stabilizers and it might be worthwhile to find a referral to a mood disorders specialist or psychopharmocologist. As to which mood stabilizers specifically treat agitation which can occur in mixed states that would be within a psychiatrist's specific clinical understanding.

[adel_ezz]

as to the no of drugs in the market it's huge, i bet there is at least a hundred, i know half of them. But unfortunately there is nothing called a best drug. What can be suitable for me may not be for you. your pdoc prescribed one AD one AD and one AP.

you will find that geodon used to treat schizophrenia and acute manic or mixed episodes associated with bipolar disorder. it's also used as maintenance treatment of bipolar disorder when added to lithium or valproate. so the pdoc followed what is known. This doesn't mean you will get the best of this combo. Sure there must be a certain there that fits but it needs many trials and errors. pts can stay some time until they find one.  For depression i would say lamictal but you already tried it. The problem when you combine many drugs you don't know which one is effective and which doesn't help or from which one you have this side effect.

I myself am on seroquel, it makes you lethargic but i am using it also as a mood stabilizer. I didn't try depakote neither i tried any of the ms like lamotrigine, topamax, tegretol etc...the last one only for a month giving me serious headaches. Depakote i heard apart from increasing the weight it thins the hair a little but some find it very effective. I know a lady on sone other forum who said she has been on 200 depakote for 25 consecutive years and doing pretty well and the important thing taking else except depakote. So you see there is not one specific drug for BP.

honest advise to you don't put all your hopes on your meeting with your doc you will be amazed to find yourself from now till December changing. this illness is by definition an unstable phenomenon. So at times you will be ok i.e.not feeling bad all the time. But i learned to expect anything from it as if as you said someone else is gaining control over our brains.

there is one thing though you said it "en passant" that you sleep well i bet many here will envy you, i am one of them. So forget about your symptoms right now and try to take it slightly, it will change. You have to accept that you have this disorder and live with it. The more you complain the more you put it in your mind the more it tortures you.

my advise don't focus on yourself and do something constructive. The more you get involved in doing something interesting the more the brain itself gets crystallized around that thing and you will find that life has its good side
keep well