How many medicines should I be taking for my symptoms of bipolar depression?
There are no easy answers to this and it is a very individual choice. Generally one medicine should always be the aim but combinations (often called “polypharmacy”) sometimes help. It is rarely of any use to combine drugs with similar ways of working. Below are some of the combinations that are used with the reasons. This is not a complete list but you might want to talk to your prescriber about any combinations not on this list you may be prescribed.
Antidepressants are very useful for acute depression and for a few months afterwards to prevent it coming back. However, these are probably not a good thing longer-term so mood stabilisers such as lithium or lamotrigine should be taken with the antidepressant to start with and continued afterwards.
| Main medicine | Second medicine | Reason |
| Antidepressant | Lithium, lamotrigine or valproate | To reduce the chance of switching from depression to mania in bipolar depression and to stabilise mood |
| Antidepressant | Quetiapine, risperidone or olanzapine | To reduce the chance of switching from depression to mania in bipolar depression and to stabilise mood |
| Lithium, lamotrigine or valproate | Quetiapine, risperidone or olanzapine | Preventing relapse |