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Least sedating mood stabilizer?


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I couldn't take either seroquel nor Klonopin due to severe sensitivity to sedatives. My doc wants to put me on a mood stabilizer and I'm wondering which is least sedating due to my being so sensitive.

I can't function normally with these meds and I can't wait a few weeks for it to level in my system because the sedation is so bad I can't wake up to care for my two year old and go to work.

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lamictal works well for me without sedation, but it does take time to titrate up. The only other mood stabilizer i've taken is depakote and that worked great for me, but it was somewhat sedating.

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It's actually pretty individual. Case in point - I have had much worse sedation problems with Lamictal than I ever did with Depakote. As much as it sucks, you may just have to try things until you find what works. It also depends on the specifics of your illness - you need something that is likely to help you, after all.

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I don't remember lithium being sedating for me. Lamictal is neither sedating nor activating for me. Carbamazepine might have been a little sedating at first, but that went away very quickly and now it is not sedating. It really is very individual.

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I'm on a combo of Lithium and Lamictal and in my case neither have been sedating for me either. Like others have said, it's pretty much individual. My pdoc insisted that the Lith would help me sleep, he was wrong as my brain and body just didn't respond that way. Seroquel made me tired, but didn't knock me on my butt like it had for others, it just sucked the motivation out of me.

my pdoc once said, it's trial and error and you'll never know until you try....

Good luck!

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As others have already said, it is very much an individual thing. In my case I found Lamictal non-sedating when I took it. I am currently on Lithium and find it non-sedating. I have also taken carbamezapine and sodium valproate and they were ok too, but probably a bit more sedating than the first two I mentioned.

I'm afraid that the only way that you're really going to know is to try a medication out, trial and error!

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