Bipolar Zoloft+Lamictal

Hello, All!
So I have a question for you all and was wondering if anyone else has experienced or gone through a similar situation. 2 years ago I was put on Zoloft for chronic depression. The usual slow increase of Zoloft was given and I believe I was at 75-100mg. At the time my doctor and my family had no idea that I was bipolar. After two months I began to feel amazing! I truly felt happy and less obsessive over the less important things in life and was able to focus on the simple enjoyments in life. I was happy with myself for once!

This is where things began to get bad... On month 3 of being on Zoloft my family and my (amazing) girlfriend started to notice small changes in my behavior. First it was detachment from my family and my girlfriend. I began to start going out and being with people that were bad influence on me. I started to drink (when I say drink, I mean I drank maybe 3-4 times out of the month. Nothing crazy, but I use to be disgusted by drinking and here I am drinking?!) I remember the day that changed everything. I was visiting my girlfriend and we started to have small argument which escalated. At which point my girlfriend told me to take back a promise ring I gave her a year ago. I lost it... I threw the box and the ring across the room and stormed out to my car. Now, I don't drive crazy or fast but I was flooring it and driving crazy. My girlfriend somehow caught up with me and I tried to lose her. Once I got to my house she pulled her car behind mine so I could not leave again. My parents were waiting for me as well. My girlfriend came and opened the door and just held me... Didn't say anything but held me. When I think about it now, it feel terrible for putting her through that. She and my parents conference called my PCP. My doctor said to get me off the medication immediately... Cold turkey... (Bad choice IMO)

After that point I had a very hard summer that included me drinking heavily and being detached even more with my family and girlfriend by being away from home as much as possible (Sleeping at friends house or staying out until it was 8am) I made some huge mistakes that summer that I know for fact were in part to getting off Zoloft, cold turkey. During the fall I saw a psychiatrist that was highly respected. This is when I was diagnosed with being Bipolar II (At this point I was rarely manic and if I was, it was minor. I also had my depression back). For a year now I have been on Lamictal and currently am taking 300mg. My mood has stabilized greatly so I was put on Wellbutrin for my depression. First the dose started at 150, then 200, then 300, now I'm taking 450mg! I literally feel nothing. I have been taking Wellbutrin for 6 months now with no change in my depression.

Current med list: Lamictal 300mg, Concerta 18mg, Wellbutrin XL 450mg.
Current PMHX: ADD, Chronic Depression, Bipolar II, (undiagnosed OCD... It's definitely about to be noticed)

JUST GIVE US THE ACTUAL QUESTIONS ALREADY!!!
Ok, I know that first part was extremely lengthy but I felt it was very important to share. Now... the questions.

Q1.) I want to be put back on Zoloft and taken off Wellbutrin but I am afraid to ask my doctor. Now that my mood has stabilized dramatically, would it be reasonable since Zoloft did help drastically with my depression? I truly felt at peace when my mood in the beginning was stable and everyone was extremely happy for me. I was happy!. I'm afraid to ask because I don't want to be stripped away of that possible hope of being free from depression. I've tried to help myself and I also see a GREAT Psychologist, but my depression is apart of me.

Q2.) If I can't be put on Zoloft what would be my next best option to suggest to my doctor? I have heard great things about Viibryd. I also am very worried about my weight and Zoloft and Viibryd seem like safe bets in that department and they both are SSRI's. I use to take Paxil when I was younger (Nightmare!!!) I had huge weight gain on it. I believe Paxil is satan lol.

Q3.) Has anyone else been through this before?


I don't believe my dopamine receptors respond well anymore and I believe a SSRI would be a better choice.

BTW I'm 24 years old.

We all have different metabolism. Personally I react badly to Zoloft and respond well to Efexor and Agomelatine. Lamictal is a mania suppressant/mood stabiliser alone. If possible, it is best to attempt to get mood stabilisation with a mood stabiliser alone, however given you were only manic on anti-depressants and are still depressed with another antidepressant added, you may want to pose the question to your pdoc to lighten the dose of the lamictal to given an antidepressant the opportunity to work. Antidepressants and mood stabilisers are like two ends of an unbalanced seesaw. Some people need a lot of mood stabilisers to be balanced. I and some other people I know have been able to be stabilised by Efexor alone for many years (even though it is an antidepressan)t. I'm not wanting to confuse you. I am merely saying if depression is the predominent state, your mood stabiliser may be preventing your antidepressant from break through, and sometimes just the tiniest reduction of the mood stabiliser dose can be all we need to come out of depression. Have a think about it. Write your questions down and take the note with you to the doctors. I am sure you will be able to get your meds right if you feedback they are not working and provide suggestions for better management. Sometimes people with mainly depressive bipolar CAN get away with just a mood stabiliser if it holds their chemicals firm. (By not going up, it can stop their mood plummeting). People with anxiety disorders and trauma usually require some assistance from antidepressants and it seems your pdoc recognises just mood stablisers is not going to cut it for you - that is an encouraging sign. Your pdoc will probably be cautious about driving your antidepressants up too high, especially if the Lamictal is scaled back. Given that you are on a mood stabiliser, its seems reasonable to me as a layperson to at least ask your pdoc about introducing an a/d that has worked previously. I am not too familar with zoloft and whether it can be taken with Lamictal. Your pdoc will know that. I encourage you make good use of all their years of training, a help them get the best outcome for you. By the way, your loved ones seem sensational... They see you for the unique person you are with all your strengths and that is very special thing to have ;) I really hope I've made sense ;)

Hi TheBanner,

The meds together with therapy will work. However, you need to in find the right medication for you and it will take sometime.

You will be happy again and have fun. Life has it challenges but you can get through this. Depression can get the better of us sometimes but we have to fight back. Hang in there. Do talk to your doc about the meds as well.

I hope you'll feel better.

UA