What is the most energizing antidepressant? (for use with Lamictal, for bipolar !
Question: What is the most energizing antidepressant!? (for use with Lamictal, for bipolar 2)!?
Hello!. I have the sleep-too-much, eat-too-much kind of depression most of the time, but I also have had periods of hypomania and recently had a full-blown manic episode while coming off Effexor, so the new theory is that I'm bipolar 2!. I'm taking Lamictal as a mood stabilizer, but after reaching what I hoped would be a therapeutic dose, I'm still really depressed, with the main symptoms being fatigue, hopelessness, tearfulness, and isolation!. I spend a lot of time in bed hiding from the world!. My shrink thinks it's time to add an antidepressant, but she's not sure which one, and I'm wary because they've made me very sleepy in the past!.
I think I would feel a lot better if I had the energy to get out of bed and try to get moving toward a better life - i!.e!. find a job, get going on an exercise program, pursue some of my barely begun projects and hobbies!. Any suggestions on what might work best to help get me going!?
Thanks!Www@Answer-Health@Com
I think I would feel a lot better if I had the energy to get out of bed and try to get moving toward a better life - i!.e!. find a job, get going on an exercise program, pursue some of my barely begun projects and hobbies!. Any suggestions on what might work best to help get me going!?
Thanks!Www@Answer-Health@Com
Answers:
Here is the thing with people who have bipolar disorder and are on antidepressants!.!.!. some antidepressants are known to trigger manic episodes so most doctors are cautious about what they antidepressants they prescribe!. I can completely relate to the depression you are having and when I am having an episode I wish there was a miracle pill to help me get going on a daily basis but like everyone else I have to wait until the medication gets into my system and begins to work just like everyone else!. If your shrink is waiting to decide which antidepressant to put you on she needs to get moving and make a decision!. There is no reason why you should wait to start on an antiepressant especially since your daily life is so significantly impacted!. If your shrink won't make a decision seek a second opinion, there is no reason why you should continue to suffer!. You might also consider seeing a therapist who can help you deal with the feelings associated with the depression!. The both of you could also work on some small (and I stress small) goals that you can work on to break through some of the symptoms, like going for a walk every day or every other day to get you out of the house!. Or making sure that you sit down for 10 minutes a day to work on one of your projects!. It is easier said then done!. But those small accomplishments will also go a long way in helping you to feel like you have moved forward while you are waiting for the meds to kick in!. I only make those suggestions because I have had many problems with depression over the years and these are things that have worked for me!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
Yeah sure vitamins and plenty of sleep will certainly do the trick!. It sounds like you already get plenty of sleep!. I'm on wellbutrin at the moment it gave me a little bit of energy when I first started taking it!. Now I'm not sure if I'm out of an episode or my meds are working, but all in all wellbutrin seem to help with sleeping and energy!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
check out www!.curezone!.com, check the natural treatments, omega 3 helps bipolar, does not make you feel tired,
also if you don't go off your meds yet, should still eat healthy, take vitamins and get plenty of sleepWww@Answer-Health@Com
also if you don't go off your meds yet, should still eat healthy, take vitamins and get plenty of sleepWww@Answer-Health@Com
The problem with antidepressants is they may cause you to rapid cycle or go hypo again, neither of which is your goal!. Wellbutrin is for some reason usually the best tolerated by those of use with bipolar!. Idk!. My doc won't prescribe me any ADs unless totally suicidal since I now rapid cycle and it may be due to the ADs!. Anyway, also talk to your doc about Abilify and Geodon!. Both are antipsychotics (just the name of another class of med used to treat bipolar and sometimes depression) that have a pretty strong antidepressant effect!. Lithium also has a mild antidepressant effect and is good at augmenting ADs or in your case, Lamictal!. I'll also second Omega 3 fish oil!. 1-3 grams of the EPA ingredient has been shown to be as effective as 20mg of Prozac in many!. My pdoc recommened it and it does help me some!. Do the healthy living stuff, too, even if it's a struggle - normal sleep-wake schedule (too much sleep makes depression worse), go for one or two long walks a day (even if they're slow), get sunlight, eat well, talk to your therapist!.
What works best!? Two things - actively working with my pdoc, and sheer determination (and, yes, sometimes I suck at the latter for a bit)!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
What works best!? Two things - actively working with my pdoc, and sheer determination (and, yes, sometimes I suck at the latter for a bit)!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
Antidepressants, and even St!. John's wort may trigger mania/hypomania in people with bipolar disorder!.
You can eat a lot, but lose weight, as follows from previous posts: EATING PLANS: The idea is to become a grazer, eating mostly low calorie/kilojoule foods, and having several mealtimes, well spaced apart, so you never get hungry!.
Go to: h t t p : / / c h o o s e d i e t !. b l o g s p o t !. c o m (you should type it in the usual manner) and select one, possibly changing, later!. Eat 6 - 8 small meals, daily, with a little protein in each, preceded 20 minutes earlier with a large glass of water: this speeds up weight loss!. Snack on any amount of celery sticks, with the occasional carrot stick, and/or slices of cucumber, tomato, bell pepper/capsicum, or raw onion, in any vinegar (a little salt & pepper/chilli powder is OK, but no oil, or sugar! Rinse your mouth with water, later, if using vinegar!.
Your body needs a small amount of [ preferably olive, grapeseed, or premium coconut* ] oil, daily, to be healthy: about 2 teaspoonsful, if not getting it in the rest of your food intake already)!. Understand and accept that many people use food in an attempt to fill an emotional void, which is unhealthy, and never works!. Others eat out of boredom, so have plenty of things to keep you occupied!.
Sometimes I use http://www!.stumbleupon!.com/ or http://www!.coolsiteoftheday!.com/ EATING PLANS: See http://www!.foodaddiction!.org and http://www!.ediets!.com/ and http://www!.oa!.org/index!.htm and http://www!.obesitydiscussion!.com/ and http://www!.fatloss4idiots!.com EATING DISORDERS: http://emotionalhealth!.ivillage!.com/!.!.!. and http://www!.eating-disorder-research!.com/ and http://www!.webhealth!.com/wiki/eating_dis!.!.!. and http://www!.edreferral!.com and http://www!.something-fishy!.org/dangers/d!.!.!. and
http://www!.helpguide!.org/mental/eating_d!.!.!. and
http://www!.selfhelpmagazine!.com/articles!.!.!. and
http://www!.addictions!.net/ Call EDAP on (USA) 1-800-931-2237 (8am - noon, Pacific Time) & Eating Disorders Center: USA 1-888-236-1188!. More at: http://www!.coolnurse!.com/hotlines!.htm A twelve step plan is at http://www!.therecoverygroup!.org/newcomer!.!.!. EATING DISORDERS (this from http://www!.pamf!.org/)
847-831-3438 (USA)
National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders
Hotline, Counseling and Referrals
(go to http://www!.pamf/!.org for direct links to these)
Overeaters Anonymous
Find a local group!.
(direct link at http://www!.pamf!.org/)
Weight Watchers
Find a local group!.
(direct link at http://www!.pamf!.org/)
National Eating Disorders Association
Information on eating disorders and referrals for treatment!.
Also view hypnotism for weight loss (if fairly suggestible) at http://www!.ezy-build!.net!.nz/~shaneris in section 81!. Depression is addressed in section 2: view page R first, and bipolar disorder in section 10: view page O first, and consider trying the alternative treatments, for the reasons shown!.
Put: "nutritional type" in the taskbar, at * http://www!.mercola!.com/ and enter: find out what yours is, and build an eating plan around it for the future: include considerable variety, so that you never get bored with it!. Work up slowly to at least 20 minutes minutes of exercise, daily, or 30 - 60 mns, 5 times weekly!.
TIRED/LACK ENERGY: Take 4 Omega 3 fish oil supplements, daily!. They should be certified as being free of mercury, and if containing vitamin E, it should be shown as from a natural source; otherwise it is synthetic: avoid it! Consume with an orange, grapefruit, or their freshly squeezed juice, or another good antioxidant!. Consider taking a 100% natural vitamin B complex, daily!.
Drink 2 - 4 cups of green tea, daily: preferably honey/lemon ginseng, from Celestial Seasonings: supermarket tea, or health food aisles!. As with all herbal/green teas, use lemon/lime, and/or a little sweetener (NOT ARTIFICIAL!!!) but no cream, or milk!. Exercise daily!.
Xylitol is preferable, (health food stores) or fruit sugar (fructose, such as "Fruisana", from supermarket sugar aisles) or even a little honey, because these will reduce "sugar spikes", which later deplete you of energy!. Ginseng reputedly boost energy levels!. Ginseng: Panax Ginseng (Chinese/Korean/Japanese), panax quinquefolius (American) Eleutherococcus senticosus (Siberian))!. It is also known as man root, life root and heal all!. Have a high protein breakfast of fish, or scrambled eggs and possibly bacon (these provide a lasting energy boost: no carbohydrates for 2 hrs, or extremely little!. Eat in accordance with your "nutritional type":- enter that term in the searchbar at http://www!.mercola!.com/
Minimise/eliminate consumption of highly processed foods, particularly grain products, such as white bread, donuts, cake, cookies/biscuits, or anything with sugar!. Opt for more wholefoods, non-starchy vegetables (especially broccoli, and spinach, with lemon, or vinegar), and fruit!. Have a medical checkup, (thyroid function, adrenals, etc!.) including blood tests, for low iron levels!. Many people in Western countries are lacking in minerals, such as zinc, magnesium, and calcium, so it is a good idea to have those levels checked as well!. ~~~
I KNOW, from experience, how difficult it is, but once you drag yourself out of bed, throw on a dressing gown, and have a little time in the morning light, preferably doing easy stretching exercises, then have a shower, a cuppa, and either fish, or scrambled eggs, and possibly bacon for breakfast!. Avoid any carbohydrate for 90 mns before, or after!. A teaspoon of sugar is OK, but xylitol, or fruit sugar is better!. No daytime sleeping: splash cold water on your face to revive you!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
You can eat a lot, but lose weight, as follows from previous posts: EATING PLANS: The idea is to become a grazer, eating mostly low calorie/kilojoule foods, and having several mealtimes, well spaced apart, so you never get hungry!.
Go to: h t t p : / / c h o o s e d i e t !. b l o g s p o t !. c o m (you should type it in the usual manner) and select one, possibly changing, later!. Eat 6 - 8 small meals, daily, with a little protein in each, preceded 20 minutes earlier with a large glass of water: this speeds up weight loss!. Snack on any amount of celery sticks, with the occasional carrot stick, and/or slices of cucumber, tomato, bell pepper/capsicum, or raw onion, in any vinegar (a little salt & pepper/chilli powder is OK, but no oil, or sugar! Rinse your mouth with water, later, if using vinegar!.
Your body needs a small amount of [ preferably olive, grapeseed, or premium coconut* ] oil, daily, to be healthy: about 2 teaspoonsful, if not getting it in the rest of your food intake already)!. Understand and accept that many people use food in an attempt to fill an emotional void, which is unhealthy, and never works!. Others eat out of boredom, so have plenty of things to keep you occupied!.
Sometimes I use http://www!.stumbleupon!.com/ or http://www!.coolsiteoftheday!.com/ EATING PLANS: See http://www!.foodaddiction!.org and http://www!.ediets!.com/ and http://www!.oa!.org/index!.htm and http://www!.obesitydiscussion!.com/ and http://www!.fatloss4idiots!.com EATING DISORDERS: http://emotionalhealth!.ivillage!.com/!.!.!. and http://www!.eating-disorder-research!.com/ and http://www!.webhealth!.com/wiki/eating_dis!.!.!. and http://www!.edreferral!.com and http://www!.something-fishy!.org/dangers/d!.!.!. and
http://www!.helpguide!.org/mental/eating_d!.!.!. and
http://www!.selfhelpmagazine!.com/articles!.!.!. and
http://www!.addictions!.net/ Call EDAP on (USA) 1-800-931-2237 (8am - noon, Pacific Time) & Eating Disorders Center: USA 1-888-236-1188!. More at: http://www!.coolnurse!.com/hotlines!.htm A twelve step plan is at http://www!.therecoverygroup!.org/newcomer!.!.!. EATING DISORDERS (this from http://www!.pamf!.org/)
847-831-3438 (USA)
National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders
Hotline, Counseling and Referrals
(go to http://www!.pamf/!.org for direct links to these)
Overeaters Anonymous
Find a local group!.
(direct link at http://www!.pamf!.org/)
Weight Watchers
Find a local group!.
(direct link at http://www!.pamf!.org/)
National Eating Disorders Association
Information on eating disorders and referrals for treatment!.
Also view hypnotism for weight loss (if fairly suggestible) at http://www!.ezy-build!.net!.nz/~shaneris in section 81!. Depression is addressed in section 2: view page R first, and bipolar disorder in section 10: view page O first, and consider trying the alternative treatments, for the reasons shown!.
Put: "nutritional type" in the taskbar, at * http://www!.mercola!.com/ and enter: find out what yours is, and build an eating plan around it for the future: include considerable variety, so that you never get bored with it!. Work up slowly to at least 20 minutes minutes of exercise, daily, or 30 - 60 mns, 5 times weekly!.
TIRED/LACK ENERGY: Take 4 Omega 3 fish oil supplements, daily!. They should be certified as being free of mercury, and if containing vitamin E, it should be shown as from a natural source; otherwise it is synthetic: avoid it! Consume with an orange, grapefruit, or their freshly squeezed juice, or another good antioxidant!. Consider taking a 100% natural vitamin B complex, daily!.
Drink 2 - 4 cups of green tea, daily: preferably honey/lemon ginseng, from Celestial Seasonings: supermarket tea, or health food aisles!. As with all herbal/green teas, use lemon/lime, and/or a little sweetener (NOT ARTIFICIAL!!!) but no cream, or milk!. Exercise daily!.
Xylitol is preferable, (health food stores) or fruit sugar (fructose, such as "Fruisana", from supermarket sugar aisles) or even a little honey, because these will reduce "sugar spikes", which later deplete you of energy!. Ginseng reputedly boost energy levels!. Ginseng: Panax Ginseng (Chinese/Korean/Japanese), panax quinquefolius (American) Eleutherococcus senticosus (Siberian))!. It is also known as man root, life root and heal all!. Have a high protein breakfast of fish, or scrambled eggs and possibly bacon (these provide a lasting energy boost: no carbohydrates for 2 hrs, or extremely little!. Eat in accordance with your "nutritional type":- enter that term in the searchbar at http://www!.mercola!.com/
Minimise/eliminate consumption of highly processed foods, particularly grain products, such as white bread, donuts, cake, cookies/biscuits, or anything with sugar!. Opt for more wholefoods, non-starchy vegetables (especially broccoli, and spinach, with lemon, or vinegar), and fruit!. Have a medical checkup, (thyroid function, adrenals, etc!.) including blood tests, for low iron levels!. Many people in Western countries are lacking in minerals, such as zinc, magnesium, and calcium, so it is a good idea to have those levels checked as well!. ~~~
I KNOW, from experience, how difficult it is, but once you drag yourself out of bed, throw on a dressing gown, and have a little time in the morning light, preferably doing easy stretching exercises, then have a shower, a cuppa, and either fish, or scrambled eggs, and possibly bacon for breakfast!. Avoid any carbohydrate for 90 mns before, or after!. A teaspoon of sugar is OK, but xylitol, or fruit sugar is better!. No daytime sleeping: splash cold water on your face to revive you!.Www@Answer-Health@Com