Just diagnosed bipolar I . Quick question

[claudetis23]

I was just diagnosed and feel that it may be wrong. I noticed that all mood stabilizers make me feel dumb and slow. The only medication that has ever worked is celexa, but they say that people with bipolar I are not supposed to take antidepressants. I also have GAD and take klonopin. My question is if there is anyone that takes celexa and does well with it and has bipolar I? I feel great right now. I feel optimistic, I feel motivated and I don't feel guilty, depressed, like i was feeling just a few weeks ago, and now I'm afraid that now that I have a new diagnosis they will remove me from celexa.

[mixedsalad]

Hey!  If celexa is working for you, that's great.  It's good that you have found a drug that works for you.
I can't see a doctor taking you off of a medication that works just because your dx may change.  If it works, it works.

[lindahand]

They may remove the celexa or take a wait and see approach. Generally speaking SSRI's are bad news for bipolar patients, and some of the newer research says that they increase cycling even with a mood stabilizer. If you google "antidepressant bipolar" you'll see some of the controversy. I personally will not use one again after reading the research. I think using Wellbutrin triggered my episode of ultra-rapid cycling. The timing conincided, and when I went off I still cycled but not as bad.

[freddie8605]

Amy is right, you need a mood stabilizer, if you are going to take an antidepressant. That said if celexa works for you with out a mood stabilizer that is great. I completely get that the mood stabilizer can make you feel "dumb" and slows you down but maybe you could talk to your psychiatrist about a lower dose or something. Its important to work together with your doctor and you get what works for you.

I didn't find Celexa helpful but i was on a low dose. And i Have Schizoaffective disorder which is Bipolar and Schizophrenia mixed together, so hope you don't mind me commenting.

Hope this helps
Freddie

[Amy4891]

As long as you are taking a mood stabilizer taking an antidepressant is ok. Antidepressants alone for people with bipolar can cause rapid cycling or induce mania or even psychosis. That is why there is always a mood stabilizer perscribed because it keeps the antidepressants from doing that.
I had no good luck with celexa....it made my thighs tingly and numb and had to quit taking it, but all medications work differently for different people.