Should I try a diffrent medication?

[Amy4891]

My current meds work fairly well except I sometimes get some minor depression. I have lack of motivation and lack of energy mostly. My doctor said maybe I should try a different anti depressant, but I hate madication changes. Also none of these medications are a cure and some less severe ups and downs are to be expected. So should I try a diffrent anti depressant or stick with what I am currently on.

[Amy4891]

They increased my Trazodone to 150 mg and moved it all at night. I was taking 50 mg in the morning and 50 mg at bed time. He wants to see if I am really depressed or if I am just downed out by the medicine.

[claudetis23]

How did it go?

[Amy4891]

Well the pole didn't work out as well as I hoped. Two people voted and it is 50/50. Oh well I see my psychiatrist today. I am almost certain he is going to suggest a medication change...oh boy, lol.

[Amy4891]

I am on Lamictal (Lamotrigin) already. I am on Trazodone, but they put me on it to treat my anxiety. Which it actually works very well for. So I am worried if I try a diffrent antidepressant my anxiety might get worse. I am also on Risperdal and cogentin. I think I may be rapid cycling actually. My episodes are not as severe but they are happening more often. I swear I was manic for half a day for a couple of days. Then yesterday I was all perky and ready to do everything in the morning and an hour later I had absolutely no motivation and about another hour later I was back to normal.I am depressed off and on most of the time though. It is a bit exhausting to be going up and down so much. So I am kind of lost on the whole thing...not sure what to do...

[Anneinside]

If the only symptoms of depression you are getting is "lack of motivation and lack of energy mostly" then you might ask your pdoc for a stimulant. I was just like that and my pdoc put me on Concerta and the problem disappeared. (I was also on an antidepressant, Cymbalta, however it wasn't quite doing the job.) I hated it when I had to give it up. I switched from Cymbalta to an MAOI, Emsam patch, and Concerta conflicted with it.

[lindahand]

You may just want to ask them about adding something called NAC (n-acetyl L Cysteine). I am a bit like you describe in the okay, but not great. Coping but could be better. It was recommended in a book I was reading. It is an amino acid. It is primarily used for tylenol overdose and some other heart related stuff, it is not widely used in bipolar so don't be surprised if your doc hasn't heard about it. There is only one study out there that I could find, but it was a well done study, that showed it helped with the depression end of things as an adjunct to what people were already taking. So it was as an addition not instead of.

I had the pharmacist at the Mental Health Clinic check into it for me to make sure it was safe. She said the dose used in the study was 2000mg a day for bipolar, and she couldn't see any interactions. It is an amino acid which is naturally in the body anyway, this is just giving it more. If you are going for surgery it is recommended you stop this before hand as it can cause some bleeding issues as it thins the blood a bit.

I'm at about day 6 so it is still a bit early to say if it helps. I went up slowly because it can cause some nausea. I do feel a bit perkier, but I cycle so that is just as likely.

Because I have seen a few studies that say antidepressants, even with mood stabilizers, can trigger rapid cycling - I wouldn't touch them with a 10 foot pole personally. If you are not on lamotrigine you may want to ask about that. It is good for the depression end of bipolar.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

[llamasmellfunny]

If you are diagnosed with depression then it's possible that this particular medication doesn't work for you and you may need to try a new one, or that your dose needs to be upped.  If you're diagnosed with bipolar then it's possible that you need to be on both a mood stabilizer and an antidepressant.  Changing medications *****, but you have to think about whether you're willing to accept living this way or if you want to make the change to try and have a better quality of life.

[Amy4891]

Yes I am going to talk to my psychatrist about it I just don't have an appointment until July 19th. I am on trazadone, but I am on it to treat my anxiety. Which it works well for that so I don't know...

[ILADVOCATE]

I'd perhaps suggest that you see what your psychiatrist can tell you about what potential options there are. After that you could see if one works and if it doesn't you could go back to the medications you are on now. Thats generally what I did. Its probably worth seeing if one might work.

[Amy4891]

Maybe I should I feel depressed again. Its about half the time I do.