I think I spelled mood stabilizers wrong in the title so I apologize lol. Right now I realize it is the one really important thing I am missing with my treatment. My moods are swinging all over the place and so rapidly I don’t know how to react from moment to moment.
I have been on them in the past but they were not successful because the bipolar depression was so bad. Now that is getting better it is time to deal with the constant spinning of my brain.
I’d love to hear from anyone on mood stabilizers that are working successfully. I’m not really sure where to start again.
I’ve been all over the place today and when I go back to see my shrink after the new year I would love to have some suggestions. I know everyone is different but I have an open mind when it comes to my treatment.
A Bipolars Reality 
I started Topamax as a mood stabilizer and also to help me lose the weight I gained on Seroquel (which did absolutely nothing for me except for add 30 pounds in about 2 months). My doctor was sympathetic to how crazy and depressed the weight gain made me feel. I’ve been on Topamax since ~late August, and it has worked wonders. It makes appetite disappear, which is no longer necessary for me (I weigh 120ish now, back to normal, at 5’5″), and I have some trouble making myself eat, but my moods have really evened out. I’m also on four other psych meds (effexor, latuda, trazodone, klonopin) so they have something to do with it, I’m sure. And soriety. But I think that Topamax is key in the stability I’ve found recently. I’m not a picture of mental health, I have my days, but I am so, so, so much better with Topamax. I don’t have any other experience with mood stabilizers other than Topamax that I can recall (I’ve tried so many meds, though). Hope this helps! If you do try Topamax — it makes you really thirsty, so I’ve used this to my advantage with the no hunger thing. I make green protein smoothies all the time. At least two per day. Kind of tricks the Topamax no food brain. 🙂 I also realize that I decided to get sober when I started Topamax. And quit smoking. And quit being the queen of promiscuity. I haven’t had a cigarette in 99 days, haven’t had a drink in 121 days, I’m in a very healthy relationship now. I didn’t make that connection before but maybe Topamax snapped me out of “maybe I’m just drinking my ass off daily because I’m in my twenties?” delusion.
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Over the years I’ve been on a variety of medications, but Depakote has worked the best as a mood stabilizer for me. I ended up in the hospital after replacing Depakote with Topamax, aka Dopamax (because it makes you stupid).
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Try and stay away from lithium, it’s a horrible drug. I was taking that and Quetiapine for 10years and have recently switched to Olanzapine and am actually feeling great.
I really hope you find one that works for you and doesn’t leave you in a fog as many do.
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Lithium has totally saved my life, and I have had very few side effects. The blood test is no big deal. I take 900 mg/a day. Everyone reacts so differently…good luck with whatever you decide to try, my dear!!! XO Dy
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