lovaza?

[theguts]

I read on a post that an anti-cholesterol med is being used to treat bipolar.  I don't remember which post it was on.  But I would like to know more about it since I have high cholesterol.  I think it was called lovaza.  Is it in the US or somewhere else?

Thanks for your help!

[ILADVOCATE]

Good question. Since Lovaza is specifically FDA approved for high cholesterol any off label use would have to be determined by a doctor or physician. I know that it is in clinical study as a mood stabilizer. I could not find any results on the internet for other than that and I am not sure if they would be medically reliable. You might want to post this question in the specific forum for that. I do know that a doctor could explain any other uses for it. That link to the study shows what other off label uses Lovaza is being researched for but you'd have to discuss that with a doctor and they would make the determination.

[ymt800]

any knowledge of "Lovaza" helping the Ovulation system ?

[ILADVOCATE]

That was my post and my psychopharmocologist did almost try me on it so I can't say I've personally used it but it is in clinical practice as an anti-cholesterol agent used off label as a mood stabilizer in the United States. Remember technically a doctor can prescribe any medication for other purposes but usually a trained psychopharmocologist would be the one to know about FDA approved medications in use experimentally for other purposes. Your doctor could prescribe it for anti-cholesterol use of course. Its hard to get covered as an off label medication so it would be best if prescribed by your doctor for anti-cholesterol purposes and then followed up by your psychiatrist:
http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/mhprograms/efc/Omega-3-acid%20ethyl%20esters%20(Lovaza).doc


"FDA approved indication as an adjunct to diet to reduce triglyceride levels in adult patients with very high (>500 mg/dL) triglyceride levels1

Off-label uses include prevention of cardiovascular disease and treatment of inflammatory disease.  Small clinical trials have investigated omega-3 fatty acid use in the treatment of major depressive, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorders.

Dosage:
For hypertriglyceridemia, the labeling recommends a daily dose of Lovaza® is 4g omega-3 fatty acid [~2g EPA] (4 capsules) per day in single or divided doses.1      

For off label use in psychiatric disorders, reported efficacious dosages have ranged between 1g and 6g of EPA."