What has and hasn't worked for bipolar mood swings?

Gabapentin helped me with my mood swings, however I am not bipolar. My brother is, I will ask him what has helped. It has taken him a long time to find a good mix of medication. I also take Cymbalta (30 mg) lowest dose, for depression. It brought me out of the hole, so that is good. Do you have a good shrink?

I'm bipolar 2. After antidepressants backfired on me in a very frightening way, my psychiatrist and I decided to try lamotrigine, which has been a lifesaver. Severe mood swings dating back to childhood simply stopped when I began taking it at 59. It's now been two and a half years without a single severe depressive episode, down from several major bouts a year since grade school.

It's not a wonder drug, and according to this article, depending on the condition it might not work or it might need to be used in conjunction with other medications. But in a lot of cases it can be effective.
https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/view/lamotrigine-an-update-on-its-role-in-bipolar-disorder
For me the most critical thing above all is to be actively involved in decision making regarding treatment. It's worth your time to do a bit of research before starting anything so that you make an informed choice. I cannot stress the importance of staying exclusively with credible sources if you do this. Don't go to Facebook or Reddit, go either to the research papers themselves or publications like the one I linked that draw their information from research papers. You don't want to work yourself into a panic, you simply want to make an informed choice.

Too often online groups can be sources of misinformation and alarmism. This forum isn't. It's well monitored. So you're in a good place for discussing your issues. Listen to everyone, not just me, and work with your provider as a participant, not simply as a recipient.

Also, talk therapy has helped me tremendously. Despite the success I've had with medication, I've stayed in it. That's always a safe option. There are no potential physical side effects to worry about. And just talking about it can be a huge relief. You don't feel so alone with it.

Keep us updated.

Thank you from this comment it may be possible to open a door.

I’ve been on Cymbalta (120 mg currently)for years for pain and depression. And other depression medicine before that.

Last 6 months my depression has gotten worse. My adult children have been begging me to talk about some over the top “highs” that I’ve had for quite a while. I enjoyed them mostly so had never mentioned them to a dr before.

I finally spoke to the dr about everything and she agreed with my daughter that she needed to know that. She said she thinks I have Bipolar 2 with mainly depressive episodes. I cycle fairly frequently. She also said that while regular depression meds could help with some of the depression I needed to be on a mood stabilizer to get true relief. I was suicidal a month ago rarely taking showers or leaving the house and two months before that I was on buying sprees, talking so fast people thought I was on drugs and rarely slept during that manic period.

My dr started me on Lamotrigine a month ago with a slow increase in dose. I started feeling the effects after two weeks and every week I feel more even with my emotions. She was able to keep me on my antidepressant as well so I did not have to deal with coming off of them.

I still have a couple of months to go to see for certain how I am but I feel like I may finally have an opportunity at a much better life. Good luck!

It took me five years to generally be stable. My current combo is Trileptal, Seroquel and Klonopin along with Lyrica for pain, Progesterone for sleep and Estrogen for all other post-menopausal symptoms. I tried anti-depressants twice and can't tolerate them. They make me rapid cycle. My bipolar was there since my 20s but didn't make sense until my mid-40s when I was diagnosed after a traumatic back surgery. Best of luck.