Which antidepressants are more likely to trigger mania in bipolar people if they aren't on a mood stabilizer?

Question

I know Wellbutrin is probably is the least like likely. But is Zoloft more likely to cause mania than lets say Lexapro or Prozac? Just wondering which ones caused you problems before being diagnosed with bipolar.

Answer 1

hi rockford,
i have a good friend who has bipolar 2.
all of the antidepressants send him high when he isnt on a mood stabiliser - even the herbal one, st johns wort.
i think that anyone with bipolar would easily be made manic by antidepressants because the brain isnt able to regulate itself properly.
i did read about at least one antidepresant that is better for bipolar but i cant remember what it was, and they probably were recomending it for use with a mood stabilizer- if i can find the details, i'll let you know.
i did loads of research for my friend when he found out he had bipolar because he didnt want to take lithium and he hated the other mood stabilisers that he was given.
he has bipolar 2 and we found out that lamotrogine (might be called something else in USA) had hardly any side effects.
he's been on lamotrogine for ages now and its working quite well... he's not great but doesnt get any major depression or highs any more, and there arent any side-effects (it doesnt make him feel **** or half dead) - i'd recomend giving it a go (you'd have to experiment with the dosage with your doctors help) and you can take antidepressants with it if you need to.
email me any time through my profile if you'd lke any further help... i know quite alot about bipolar...
if you want to try an antidepressant on its own (i wouldnt recomend it), then maybe you could take tiny doses (alot less than is recomended) or try a small dose of st johns wort - a herbal but very good antidepressant. monitor yourself closely to watch out for highs - and get someone close to you to help you with that too cos sometimes you might not notice when you are going high yourself.
take care of yourself

Answer 2

It depends on the individual person and what type of bipolar they have. I have bipolar with a tendency towards manic episodes, so any and all antidepressants send me into a manic phase within 24 hours, even if I am on mood stabilizing medications.

The first time I was depressed (before I found out I was bipolar) the doctor put me on Prozac. I went from being depressed and not being able to get out of bed to never being home. I later was diagnosed with bipolar and told that the extreme switch in my moods was due to the antidepressant. I was put on lithium and it worked great.

A few years later (still on lithium - and a few manic episodes to go along with) I had my second bout with depression. I was severe enough that I had to be admitted into a psychiatric hospital and they gave me an antidepressant - even though I had told them my history with it. The next day I woke up completely manic and had to stay in hospital for a month and a half until the meds could get me normal again.

Everyone is different - every bipolar has it's own unique trademark. You should speak with your doctor about you history and design a plan from there.

Answer 3

Well my husband was originally diagnosed as depressed, but when he was put on Effexor, which I'm told is a mood stabilzer, he was back to his old self. I, at that time began to wonder whether or not he was really bipolar and had never been diagnosed. I guess when you live with someone whose moods swing, you just chalk it up to mood swings, age, etc...but when they are stabilized and you don't live with the differences and just enjoy life you realize what you have been missing. I really wish he would've stayed on it though. He took himself off and soon was in a depressed cycle again. After he returned to the psychiatrist again and was then put on paxil, he definitely showed the highs and lows and was difficult to live with. So maybe the paxil exaggerated some things, but I believe that the bipolar was there a long time before that.

Answer 4

When my daughter was put on Paxil, she had episodes of mania. The doctor was treating her for depression, however a psychiatrist I took her to recently thinks she may be bipolar and should be on a mood stabilizer. The Paxil was fine at first, but after a couple of months she started cutting herself and having suicidal thoughts. I weaned her off of it and she's been 100% better. She still has moodswings and a depressive episode now and then, but I'm not so sure I want to deal with doctors anymore.

Answer 5

All antidepressants have different possible side effects. YOu'd have to do research on each one's website, which usually has the "package insert" info if you look under the physician's part of the site.
Wellbutrin can occasionally cause seizures, which can be a really bad thing. I've heard people say Zoloft makes them irritable but I don't know what the studies have shown.

Answer 6

It does not matter. If you have Bipolar, you should not take any antidepressant without a mood stabilizer because it could trigger mania...your Pdoc should have told you this, contact them for advice on this matter.

Answer 7

Normally for bipolar disorder most doctors will prescribe Paxil and depending on the severity they might prescribe Lithium

Answer 8

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