No Mood Stabilizer?

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Soon I’m going to have to come off my mood stabilizer because I’m having liver issues and Depakote could be contributing to this problem.
Depakote is very hard on the liver.

The thing is I’m not sure which other mood stabilizer to replace it with?

I’ve been on all the major mood stabilizers, like Tegretol, Lithium, Lamictal and of course Depakote.

The million dollar question is can I survive without taking a mood stabilizer?

Anyone out there diagnosed with schizoaffective or bipolar and not taking a mood stabilizer?

My current diagnosis is bipolar disorder but I’ve also been diagnosed with SZA many times before.

I’d like to be able to be on just one psych med, Risperdal.

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i have bipolar and i dont take a mood stabilizer. I can’t say it is easy though. At times I can definitely feel like a human yo-yo.
if your ok with coping with the ups and downs with cbt or whichever strategies you have you could try.

I also do 2 treatments a month of rtms (transcranial magnetic therapy) which does help to stabilize me though.

I think gabapentin might be another one, and some other one similar to that.

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Thanks @LevelJ1

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I am schizoaffective and I don’t take a mood stabilizer either I’m on inVega and I feel it does a good job controlling my moods

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Oh ok thanks @Thesickguy

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You didn’t list Topamax in your list of meds that you’ve tried. It’s mild I think. I don’t get any sedation from it. Plus as an added benefit you could end up losing weight from it too, if you’re lucky.

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@Wave, I’m diagnosed sza since 1994 and I’m not on a mood stabilizer per se. All my AP’s act as mood stabilizers though. Yours will too.

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I was diagnosed schizophrenia-affective at first. At one point my doc took me off mood stabilizers and I did fine.
Rediagnosed scizophrenic. I think @SkinnyMe is right, most Aps will take care of any issues you have.

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I been on only aps for years and they seemed to work on my mood well enough. I am on a mood stabilizer now and it’s work’s good. So it depends on the person.

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I’ve seen Geodon prescribed as a mood stabilizer before in students. I find it has mood stabilizing properties.

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When I was first diagnosed, it was SzA. The psychiatrist put me on an AP without a mood stabilizer. This year, my mood swings mostly went away when I switched to Abilify.

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Yes I know that AP’s can make good mood stabilizers but just wondering if that’s enough on their own.

She may raise my Risperdal dose and agree to keep me just on an AP without another mood stabilizer.

Thanks @SkinnyMe, Thanks guys.

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I was having mood swings on Risperdal, along with low testosterone and ED. I took Risperdal for years.

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I’ve been doing some thinking and I may have to go on a mood stabilizer along with my AP.

My manias and mixed states can become very intense.

I don’t want to end up in the psych hospital again.

I’ll see what my doctor thinks.

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I just got on remeron it’s good adp. I took depakote too about nine years ago. I had to have blood work which I hate. I’m not surprised about the depakote is messing with your liver. I hope it can be reversed for you.

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Do you do regular blood tests for Depakote?

" Serious adverse effects include:

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Yes I get regular blood tests with it @Aziz.
Thanks @roxanna and @Aziz

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I coped for six years with no mood stabiliser for my sza. Amisulpride and olanzapine acted as mood stabiliser. I did start on lamotrigine last year for my depression though. Maybe my sza was worsening. But I did cope ok on two AP’S for quite some time. Maybe if I took higher dose of both I wouldn’t have needed the lamotrigine. Dunno…

Hope everything goes well with you @Wave! I know from your posts you have it tough with your mood swings. Maybe a higher dose of your AP will help.

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Thanks @Hadeda

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