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Medication I've been taking for more than 13 years

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    Medication I've been taking for more than 13 years

    Wellbutrin
    Lamotrigine
    Fluvoxamine
    ..
    I hear people frequently talking about Wellbutrin .. but I don't remember hearing someone talking about the other two ..
    ..
    On the other hand .. Prozac and Lithium are always mentioned when talking about mental health issues .. are they related to the three I'm taking ? I'm a bit curious and anxious about this ..
    ..
    Would be great if I can hear some second opinions ..
    Last edited by Jafar the wizard; June 30, 2020, 06:47 PM.

    #2
    Hello Jafar. Fluvoxamine and Prozac are both SSRI's (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor ) that just means that they are in the same class of medications. Each one may react differently to an individual. They both work on the Serotnin in our bodies. Both are Antidepressants (A/D's).. Wellbutrin is a NDRA. (norepinephrine–dopamine reuptake inhibitor) and is also an A/D. It works on the dopamine and norepinephrine in our bodies.

    Some people with bipolar react badly with A/D's and they can send some of us with bipolar straight from depression to mania. Wellbutrin has a reputation for being less likely to cause a person to become manic. Wellburtrin is also often used as an add on to other A/D's.

    Lamotrigine is an anticonvulsant medication, also known as a mood stabilizer. However it is known to be used to treat acute episodes of depression and rapid cycling in bipolar type II and to prevent recurrence in bipolar type I.

    Lithium is the only drug developed for use for a person with bipolar. It is also sometimes used as an anti-depressant and occasionally to treat someone with schizophrenia. I took it for years and it worked very well for me, although at first the side effects were pretty bad. I had to stop taking it as for a number of reasons my kidneys level started to go down and lithium is known to cause that.

    So Fluvoxamine and prozac are related but may have a different result in people. Wellbutrin is a A/D, but has a different mechanism of action. Neither Lamotrigine nor Lithium are related to any of the above meds or to each other. If I haven't been clear on something just ask me again. Take Care. paul m
    "Alone we can do so little;
    Together we can do so much"
    Helen Keller

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      #3
      Hi Jafar. I see you mentioned lamotrigine. I've taken it for a long time too. My psychiatrist added it to my antidepressants to lessen the severity of my depressive episodes (which I still experience once in a while, but nothing like in the past). It seems to work. The only thing that really concerns me is it can be bad for the bones after a while, so I keep watch on that as my family has a history of osteoporosis. That and of course never ever start or stop it abruptly due to rare but potential life threatening rash. I'm just glad to have a livable life after some of the roller coasters I've been on, so no med changes in the foreseeable future.
      Last edited by uni; July 16, 2020, 01:51 PM. Reason: Added some info
      uni

      ~ it's always worth it ~

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        #4
        Paul M and uni
        thanks a lot for explaining .. Now I have a better idea about how these medications differ ..
        Last edited by Jafar the wizard; July 21, 2020, 11:58 AM.

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          #5
          Truth is knowledge .. and knowledge is limitless .. It has no end or a supreme limit ..
          Answering questions leads to more questions ( thanks for the Wikipedia's links ) .. I'd rather post a separate article to ask more questions ..
          im sorry but that's what I am .. I'm not good in hiding my ignorance .. I'm as inquisitive as a toddler .. but I'm sure I'm not the only one .. Mental health will always be an enigmatic world for me .. at least right now I'm sure it is ..

          Comment


            #6
            Hello Jafar. I've been researching bipolar for 25+ yrs and I still find out new things. So never feel bad about asking questions. Take Care. paul;m
            "Alone we can do so little;
            Together we can do so much"
            Helen Keller

            Comment


              #7
              Thank you Paul .. I'm happy with the information you provided in your comments ..
              I will ask further questions later .. I'm googling some the terms you mentioned ..
              I prefer asking my questions as specific as could be ..
              take care ..

              Comment


                #8
                I think everyone reacts differently to the A/D. I seem to have poor regulation of serotonin so go manic on SSRI and Lamotrigine. I've ended up taking a tricyclic, another form of A/D, as it also helps wth the chronic migraines associated with my bipolar.

                Bipolar treatments are a pain. It basically is about finding things that work that don't cause major side effects. Lithium is regarded by many psychs as first line of therapy as a mood stabiliser. It made me very unwell, which is rare.

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                  #9
                  Justken
                  thank you for commenting ..
                  Tricyclic is another anti depressant I heard about .. but never used it myself ..

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