Posted by Bill L on May 31, 2001, at 9:45:45
In reply to Bipolar II? SAMe? A little help..., posted by Miriamne on May 30, 2001, at 9:07:52
SAM-e is not recommended for bipolar. But I guess in your case you don't know if you are bipolar. I take a combo of SAM-e and Celexa with good results. If you try SAM-e, get NatureMade. The best prices are at Costco, BJ's and other membership clubs. Or you can get it at a higher price at Target or KMart. Start with 400 mg first thing in morning atleast 30 minutes before eating. You can then raise the dose to as high as 1600 mg per day. Most people with severe depression need 1000 to 1600 mg per day if they are using SAM-e alone. It's expensive and just like other drugs, it doesn't work for everyone. The good thing about SAM-e is that if it does work, you should know within a week. But since you might be bipolar, you better start at a low dose and be very careful.
You mentoined that you tried SSRI's and a tricyclic. Did you try other types of antidepressants. There are several others that are very effective other than those 2 classes. I think that you should try them before you try SAM-e. Have you tried Effexor, Remeron, Wellbutrin. Have you tried Lithium or Ritalin along with the SSRI's? If not, then I would strongly recommend that you discuss those options with your doctor. Sometimes a different point of view is helpful. Maybe you should check around for a different doc or psychiatrist to get some fresh ideas.
> I am not sure where to post my question (I'm new to this site), but I'm trying to determine what direction to follow next. I am struggling with serious depression. I have been helped by several different ADs, but always end up being unable to deal with side effects, or the effectiveness seems to go away after a while. The question I am trying to resolve is whether I am a truly Bipolar II-- my original diagnosis--and could be helped by a mood stabilizer such as Zyprexa; or should I look for help from medications that deal only with the depression (after using several different SSRIs and recently attempting a tricyclic, my doctor is suggesting I try SAMe, which my initial research indicates is not the choice for bipolar).
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> As I say, I've tried both directions in the past and am thoroughly stumped as to how I should proceed... I am hurting and becoming less and less able to cope with my life. I don't know if I can last long enough to try each and every possible solution till I stumble on the "right" one.
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> I am glad at least to have found a place online where I can pose this question and know it will be understood.. it's so difficult trying to explain all this, over and over, to the various people in my life. The frustration and the sense of helplessness are almost unbearable sometimes.
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> Thanks for any help you might be able to offer.
>
> Miriamne
poster:Bill L
thread:64722
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010530/msgs/64876.html