Anti-depressants and Mood Stablizers

Hi Sean,

I take a mood stabilizer, but it is abilify. It works well for me, they also help your antidepressant work better. Mood stabilizers kick in rather quickly, so you should notice a difference soon. Best wishes...

Have a good day today!

Hugs, Karen...

I took abilify with Effexor for a few years, then I switched to pristiq and take it with that now.

I have found that the qualities of the mood stabilizer for me are I think less. I use to think so much that I talked to myself a lot. I have found that when I do have a lot on my mind, I will still do that, but not all the time.

It stabilizes moods. No drastic ups and downs, and it makes the pristiq work better.

If it helps with your thinking, to slow it down, you will be able to focus on the task at hand better. You will worry less about the future, and you will think less about your past. It kind of frees the mind up and you are able to live life in the present, as we should do. It helps a lot with mindfulness. You should notice some of these effects in a couple of days. I like the mood stabilizer as it starts to work faster than the antidepressants. I think it will really help you. You will feel more grounded. Less detached from life.

Keep us posted. I really hope that this helps. I have not looked up your medication but I am going to.

Hugs, Karen...

Thanks Karen, the consultant started me on 2.5 mg but today said to take 5 mg. I am kinda nervous as I have just doubled my dose of Prozac too so I don't really know what to expect anymore.

Are the mood stabilizers meant to help the prozac work quicker too?

I have got a gig on Friday and I am already nervous because I dont know how I will feel :(

Sean,

It take time for meds to work. I am also on a mood stablilizer, however it is used for pain management.

My combo for depression and anxiety took about 3 weeks to really kick in. Learn coping skills they really help.

Focusing, DBT, mindfulness, walking, journaling, art, music. etc.

Our Resource thread at the top of the page has some good skills sites listed and books to refer to.

Stay strong, it will get better.
Peace
Trina

Hi Sean,

When I took prozac many years ago I wasn't on a mood stabilizer with it but it did help me for a while. I do take abilify with my antidepressant but I can't really say if it made the antidepressant work quicker because for me it's always a few weeks before I feel any change if any at all.

Congratulations on your gig, I'm sure you'll do great.

Hey Sean,

It took my antidepressants about 2 maybe almost 3 weeks before I started to feel a difference, but I have depression/anxiety/ptsd. But this doesn't mean it will take yours that long. I've been hospitalized several times and I have seen plenty of people that started feeling better after one week on their meds and I felt a little discouraged like what's wrong with me or why isn't mine working but I now realize that meds work differently for everybody and that we have to give them time to kick in and work for us if that is the right med.

Hi Sean,

Good to see you on here, sure hope the increased does of Prozac kicks in soon, i was on it years ago but can't remember what dose it was.

Sean, don't mean to hijack your thread so hope you don't mind me saying this....it is so interesting what Karen says about the mood stabilizer along with an AD, I've suffered from major depressive disorder since my late teens and not one Dr has mentioned this, my last Dr said she was glad I finally decided to pull my socks up!!! argg!! they don't get it.

Karen, I also talk to myself a lot! my mind is so busy I talk out loud to myself and get all worked up, my thinking races especially when I'm tired and it's hard to shut it down, just awful. I didn't know anyone else had done this so have never mentioned it.

Going to talk to my new Dr about it all, thank you so much for mentioning it.

Sean, again, sorry to butt in here, hope it helps you so much, thank God you're not alone with all this eh?! You are very strong, you're going through so much so try to keep being positive, hang in there.

Hi Sean,

It's not crazy to feel some kind of difference now it kicks in at different times and in different ways.

As far as how I know when something is kicking in sometimes my mood is a little more even or kind of like I don't cry as much or dip down into that severe state of depression and I'm getting some sleep but it's usually in combination with something for sleep. It's not a all of a sudden type feeling for me, it's more gradual

Thank you guys and girls.....I def feel a bit happier tonight but still a bit disconnected but I think that will come back quite soon now the tablets are kicking in.

I am actually looking forward to waking up in the morning now :)

Much love to you all

Hey thank you so much....I feel happier but still spaced out and disconnected but I think that will go soon when I get back into normal everyday life.

How are you feeling?

Sean, I am glad you are feeling happier... That is awesome, one day at a time... Little by little.

HeartfeltOne, I am glad you started posting...

Hugs to all, and to all a good night!

Karen...