Mood stabilisers

tweetypie

Antiquities Friend
#1
Hi
Most of you have probably seen my ramblings on the forum and im just looking for some advice has anyone with depression ever been prescribed mood stabilisers ? I really think these would benefit me as i have big trouble with mood swings so im just asking and secondly if you have any experience with sertraline for major depression could you please tell me a bit about it also if anyone who has been diagnosed with depression and then been rediagnosed with something else id be greatful to hear about that too !! thanks very much :D
 

feathers

Well-Known Member
#2
My doctor told me that you can only be prescribed mood stabilisers if you have an official diagnosis of something like bipolar disorder.
 

aoeu

Well-Known Member
#4
Many people on this board have misdiagnosed bipolar, I suspect. Treatment resistant depression is a form of depression that's often ultimately rediagnosed as bipolar (indeed, I believe that it is identical to bipolar).

Try to find evidence of a mania or hypomania in your history. If you can't think of one, watch for them in the future...

If you're worried about bipolar I'd suggest you get off sertraline which is a mood DESTABILIZER... I'm not sure how doctors feel about prescribing Seroquel off-label as an antidepressant, but it has been shown to be effective in that regard, and it also has mood stabilizing qualities. It has a rather severe drowsiness side effect that takes quite a while to go away, though.

Kazine, that either reflects poorly on your doctor or health care policies in your country -_- My doctor would probably suggest trying mood stabilizers because they don't cause any short term harm and can do a world of good; often bipolar is hard to diagnose (in many people it takes decades), but if a mood stabilizer works it'd be a rock solid indication that it exists.
 

tweetypie

Antiquities Friend
#5
Hi Aoeu,
Thankyou for your advice. I definately have not had a manic episode. I would say that my recent ill period could have been hypomania but this is only the second time its happened to me. All i can say is it feels like ive been on the spin cycle in a washer and been spat out again. everything was going fast really speeded up but now its all slowed down again! and im just kinda flat. there is bi polar in my family so it is a possibility but the doctor has not mentioned it . if they never tell me what it is and just give me a treatment that works ill be more than happy!!!
 

aoeu

Well-Known Member
#6
Only one hypomania is required for diagnosis of bipolar, without any other symptoms at all. If you have bipolar in your family and cyclical depression you stand a VERY good chance of having bipolar (in fact, I've no idea what else it could be since major depressive disorder is permanent, not cyclical). Push the diagnosis, or at least the drugs - and see my sig for a potentially very useful treatment that you won't ever use >_<
 

icequeen

Well-Known Member
#7
I was given olanzapine when in hospital last year and i can say it was awful
and it took for ages for the docs to actually take any notice of what it was doing to me. vomiting/dizziness/real dry mouth/constant eating and worst of all severe swelling of feet ankles and then legs to the point i had to lie on bed on my back with feet in air to try help...eventually after 10 days or so of suffering (couldnt wear shoes or leggings as swelling so bad) and numerous blood tests they decided to try me on water pills and took me off the olanzapine. i was not diagnosed with bipolar but was only given it as mood stabiliser.

my own gp tried me on sertraline earlier this year and that also didnt agree with me...insomnia, nausea hallucinations and dry mouth.

having said that, everyone is different and you may get on fine with them. but if you are diagnosed bipolar not sure sertraline would be appropriate.

good luck with whatever you choose to go with.
 

ace

Well-Known Member
#8
I have treatment resistant depression and have been on several different mood stabilizers without much luck.I'm on lithium now but it's barely done much for me,in saying that I can't say it doesn't and won't help other people.
 

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