I have severe bi-polar depression episodes.
In the past, anti-depressants were used alone, and I found myself on a rollercoaster of mood swings.
I am now told that I went in to rapid cycling.
I take Lamictal, now as a bi-polar anti-dressant, but really want to try some...
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Michelle
Wednesday, May 14, 2008 at 12:20 AMre: Untitled Comment
proactive-debj
Wednesday, May 14, 2008 at 01:32 AM
To Michelle,Thank you for your concern. I do intend to stay on Lamictal. I wish I could be off all medications, but am aware that it is unwise.
Your idea of chromium picolinate is interesting. I think I will give it a try.
I do my best to exercise and eat well, etc.
First thing is dragging myself out of bed, because I feel so depressed. I find it hard to face a new day.
Once I am up, I feel a little better.
I hope you are doing well.
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non-medical treatment options
sherrie l
Friday, May 16, 2008 at 10:28 AMDuring the twelve years that my psychiatrist and I struggled to find a drug combo that would help I discovered that the therapies I was doing were helping more than the drugs themselves. I am now also on Lamictal (btw - anti-depressants can contribute to rapid cycling in bipolar) and have been stable for months.
Some of the therapies that I tried included: DBT/CBT, EMDR, accupuncture, massage therapy, relaxation exercises, exercise, diet changes (eliminate wheat gluten), and just getting organized and decreasing chaos in my life. Don't be afraid to try things that seem a little "out there". You may be surprised by what helps.
Also, talk to your prescribing doc before taking OTC supplements; many of the herbals can cause interactions with psych meds. Although they may say herbal or natural, they are still drugs.
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Do you mean non-medical options in addition to the Lamictal or instead of? I would highly advise NOT stopping the medication if that's what you're getting at but I wholly agree and support trying non-medicinal options in combination with lamictal.
In that case, it's what you've probably heard before: take a daily multivitamin, try and get outside daily and engage in exercise of some sort. If you want to try something completely off the wall that's worked for me (and I'm highly skeptical of alternative medications) is chromium picolinate. You can find this at any nutritional store. It's safe, no side effects and has done a great job of lifting the remaining bits of depression that lamictal can't take care of for me. Read up on it, and please give it a go if you deem it safe. Let me know how it goes.
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