Posted by CK1 on November 12, 2005, at 10:59:10
In reply to Re: Can Someone Explain Soft Bipolar? » Phillipa, posted by snapper on November 12, 2005, at 0:11:49
Who cares what if its soft bipolar, bipolar 3, recurrent depression, or depression with racing thoughts. If AD's alone do not work, according to many docs, bipolar should be seriously considered. The fact that you've only been treated with SSRI after SSRI for the past 8 years is simply awful....good pyschiatrists would have never gone this route because it simply hasn't worked and WON'T.
Philippa, I don't see any reason for you not to get treated as a "bipolar" with mood stabilizers and AD's! I think you're on the right track. My cousin and aunt both didn't respond to SSRI's alone and are doing very well on mood stabilizers and SSRI's together. The SSRI's that caused agitation before the mood stabilizers now actually work! Strange, but true.
Mood stabilizers take much longer to work than SSRI's, sometimes up to 3 months to get fully stable. Also, during the first month or two, they might make you more depressed, but my doctor said don't worry about that.In my case, I responded well to Paxil for 3 years and it stopped working, then tried 4 SSRI's and they each had horrible side effects. During my first appt with my new pdoc about a month ago, he stopped me in the middle of my speech and said "bipolar". Paxil worked great for a few years, but it will never work again unless I'm stabilized on a mood stabilizer first. I'm just on a mood stabilizer now and will be for the next month until I get my mood swings under control (feeling great one week and bad the next).
Philippa, don't automatically reject that you're bipolar. It isn't any worse than plain old depression and anxiety and the SSRI's alone haven't worked for you so you NEED to try a different strategy if you ever want to get better. I thought PaulBWell's comment was very rude, but, in essence, he was correct. If you continue taking SSRI's only, you really are wasting your life :)
poster:CK1
thread:577594
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20051112/msgs/577997.html