So many questions!

Hi folks

My wife, Jo, has had problems with depression for the last 12 years, but only recently has she been diagnosed with bipolar due to responses when she stopped taking fluoxetine, mainly.

After venlafaxine and quetiapine for a few months, Jo was put on Lithium (Priadal). She was maintaining about 0.8 on her bloods, but has in this time, gone from a UK dress size 10 to a 14. Jo has always prided herself on her appearance, so is finding this very hard now - especially as she looks more pregnant than the 7 month gone lady downstairs from us.

I'm about at my wits end. I want to support Jo, but am scared if she stops the lithium (which is now what she wants to do). She has been offered Depakot, but knowing the common side effects as being weight gain (at the top of the list) followed by poor concentration and bad memory, neither of us feel it's the right thing.

So there's the dilemma. Stay with lithium which Jo is sure is causing the massive bloating and weight gain, or ditch it all and either go without or try going back to fluoxetine.

Unfortunately, the Psyche is about as much help as a paper bag under water.

When Jo did stop fluoxetine in the past, she had quite short manic episodes of about 1 to 2 hours, before coming crashing all the way back down with a very big bang.

In all honesty, I'm struggling, feel a bit on my own, and also feel like I can't help Jo to resolve this (keying nicely in to my "useless" self-perspective that sometimes rears his ugly head).

Any help, suggestions, experiences or advice (in any combination you like) would greatly be appreciated.

Regards

Dan & Jo T.

Anti depressants used to throw me into a mania too, although compared to my recent depression, I wouldn't mind some more of that, controllable of course. I am on a mood stabilizer, Lamictal, very popular medication - it is supposed to be weight neutral, since that is a real issue with me (past eating disorder issues). Seroquil lead to some weight gain, and I think Abilify did too, despite the doctors disagreeing. I know that Lithium and Depakote are both offenders in the weight gain area, which just makes a person more depressed, obviously. My neighbor is on Lithium and he has gained a lot. He is now on Geodon and not having as much trouble with weight gain. Best of Luck to you and your wife.

I'm from the U.S. - yes, those meds are from here. I am so pleased to hear that Jo was able to get up from the severe low, I cycle quite rapidly myself and I don't know what's worse, the low or the high, probably the lows, although the highs easily get to be too much and inevitable get me into trouble. Hang in there, hope all remains well. It's a journey that is for sure, God bless you for being so supportive, not everyone has that. I am fortunate to have a very supportive husband, even if he gets frustrated, it is always directed toward the illness and not me, he knows that I would NEVER choose to have this debilitating illness.