Posted by cache-monkey on November 11, 2005, at 23:13:24
In reply to Re: Can Someone Explain Soft Bipolar? » Glydin, posted by Phillipa on November 11, 2005, at 17:51:09
Hi Phillipa,
Luvox's only "on-label" use in the US is for OCD, but it's basically just another SSRI and has been used as an antidepressant in Europe for years.
As far as soft-bipolarity, it's such an amorphous thing. Some p-docs believe that you're in the BP spectrum if multiple ADs don't work or make you worse in some capacity. And the symptoms of anxious-depression overlap quite a bit with mixed-state/dysphoria, e.g. racing thoughts on top of low mood.
Jim Phelps, who runs a site on BPII (www.psycheducation.org) doesn't see a symptomatic difference between BPII and GAD:
http://www.psycheducation.org/depression/Anxiety.htm#GADI'm struggling with this issue myself: "am I BP II/II"? And the worst is that different docs have different diagnosis.
I think that trying mood stabilizers is a good thing. If they work, they work, and it sort of doesn't matter what you actually "are". One thing to keep in mind is that you probably don't be dosing accoring to standards for classical BP if you're trying to get at BPII. I.e. start lower and go slower. This is especially true for the anti-convulsants, which (except for Lamictal) tend to have more impact on the manic, rather than depressive, side of things.
Good luck Phillipa, and hang in there.
Best,
cache-monkey> Pdoc said it was because of 81/2yrs of depression, anxiety. Which has changed over the years from panic attacks at age 24 to thryroid disease and after menopause anxiety internal. No shaking hands but racing thoughts, tiredness, insomnia with valium, depression afraid of going places alone or being home alone. So she thinks trileptal will work to stabalize moods. Internist I saw today said luvox is for OCD right? So I wonder why I'm even on this med? Fondly, Phillipa
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