My internist said I would have to pay out-of-pocket for Lovaza because it is FDA approved for people who have triglyceride counts 500 or more, and therefore is off-label & wouldn't be covered by my insurance. My tri. is well under that #.
Have some insurance companies made exceptions at request of psychiatrist?
Has anyone found that Fish Oil supplements 1) approved by USP (United States Pharmacopeia--a non-governmental watchdog), 2) the stricter requirements in CA under Prop 65, or 3) International Fish Oil Standards (IFOS--they test only Fish Oil supplements out of Guelipin Univ. in Ottawa?)
Yes I just started Lovaza recently and I find it quite helpful as a mood stabilizer and the only specific side effects I noticed were sedation (which is okay because I can sleep it off) and cognitive blunting (which is passing that is common with many medications at first) and because it causes some minor gastrointestinal discomfort I find it best to take it with food. The dose I have has not been fully titrated yet so I haven't seen its full effect but I have noticed that as an adjunct to the antipsychotic agent I take it actually has provided help on standard psychosis because as a person with schizoaffective disorder I require an effective mood stabilizer for the antipsychotic to work in full (the effects of mood stabilizers and antipsychotics overlap in people with schizoaffective). I did not realize I was experiencing rapid cycling, manic episodes (the sleep disruption should have keyed me in) and a return of standard psychosis but as they are being mitigated now it makes sense to me. Years ago my psychopharmocologist said I would have to see a mood disorders specialist to take Lovaza but now he actually suggested it and has it in regular use so there should be other psychopharmocologists who could prescribe it although like all medications each persons' response rate and side effect profile varies.
I would recomend getting another doctor to perscribe you lovaza. I don't know about what other people have to say, but lovaza has worked wounders with my moods. It eally helps to give me that extra lift I need when I feel emotional or depressed without sending me into mania like other rx drugs would.
A psychopharmocologist is a psychiatrist who has a specific trained understanding of medications which would include medications that are FDA approved but in clinical study for off label uses (including for bipolar). This is a list of mood stabilizers in general:
http://www.psycheducation.org/depression/meds/moodstabilizers.htm
For information on the use of Lovaza and bipolar google "Lovaza, bipolar". Some of the studies found that it might not be of help but there is still ongoing research. However it has been shown that fish oil (taken under the supervision of a psychiatrist) works as an adjunct mood stabilizer but can't replace one. However there are many other options for bipolar but some of them have not been put into general use yet and are still being studied so if a person has not responded to known treatments they could be referred to a psychopharmocologist or mood disorders specialist.