Q:  Antidepressants in Bipolar Disorder

I have heard that SSRI's may affect the mania side of a bipolar - my S/O recently found he was misdiagnosed 3 yrs ago and has been takign Celexa 40mg and for hte past year had alot of problems - doc said impulse control disorder, part of bipolar disorder. He is now taking depacote as well as the celexa.

I would appreciate any information you can give me regarding this matter.

Thank you,
Robin


Hello Robin -- 
As you may have found reading elsewhere, this is an area of great concern nowadays.  Here's a little essay on the subject I wrote for my website, in the section for physicians, about Antidepressants -- The Controversy.  There are numerous links to follow from there.  You will find elsewhere on my website about bipolar II, in the section written for patients and families, my personal bias on this matter, which is to lean pretty far away from using an antidepressant unless a good solid look for possible bipolar disorder has been undertaken.  

Dr. Phelps