Bipolar Drugs Database;     [ updated 11/23/06]                                       
Information on medications used treat bipolar; Lamictal, Depakote, Tegretol, Seroquel, Lithium, approved for use in the United States arranged alphabetically by brand name.                   

Bipolar Drug Database

Bipolar illness is common psychological mood disorder.  You can think of a person with bipolar illness swinging on a "mood pendulum"

You should think of mood stabilizers as medicines that stop the pendulum from swinging or at least stabilize it's movement to keep it away from extremes.

An unmedicated person with bipolar can experience periods of depression that cycle into periods of hypomania.  The goal of bipolar drug therapy is to stabilize the patient's mood avoiding depression and avoiding hypomania.

Hypomania is actually considered to be more destructive than depression in terms of causing disorder in a person's life.  A person in a hypomanic state is likely to do risky things such as driving at extreme high speeds, experience sexual urgencies (they often cheat on their spouses) take illegal drugs and alcohol, and spend money in a uncontrolled lavish manner.  In extreme cases, a persons in a hypomanic state have been known to commit crimes such as vandalism or bank robberies.

A person with bipolar illness should not take antidepressants without also taking a mood stabilizer because antidepressant-only therapy can launch or exacerbate a hypomanic state in these patients.


Since we already have a comprehensive antidepressant drug information database, we are using this page to focus on mood stabilizers.

SSRI's: General 

Lexapro (escitalopram HBr: Drug Family SSRI - Forest Laboratories)
Lexapro is a cleaner, improved version of Celexa.  Lexapro is moderately expensive.  It is indicated to treat depression and Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD).  Lexapro compares favorably to other antidepressants such as Zoloft or Effexor.

Lexapro is an interesting compound.  It is effective as the other SSRI's but it has a side effect profile equal to a sugar pill.  For this reason, Lexapro has caught on very fast. 

Most people start with 10mg per day, and the doctor can go up to 20mg per day as needed. It's also available as a 5mg tablet or a tasty peppermint flavored liquid for people who have a hard time swallowing a pill.

Lexapro costs about $2.15 per pill if you buy it from your local drug store.  If you shop around on the internet, you should be able to find a better price.  Click Here to comparison shop for Lexapro

There is no such thing as generic Lexapro, so if you see an advertisement for generic Lexapro, stay away from it.  This so-called generic Lexapro is a bootlegged copy made in some lab in Mexico or Cambodia or some other undeveloped country. 

If you can not afford Lexapro, ask your doctor to switch you to generic Celexa or citalopram.  Citalopram is similar to Lexapro but it is less expensive.Click Here To Comparison shop for generic Celexa (citalopram) 

Another inexpensive alternative to Lexapro is generic Prozac or generic Paxil.  These two products have very similar actions to Lexapro but they are much cheaper because they are generics.
Click Here To Comparison Shop for generic Paxil.
Click Here To Comparison Shop for generic Prozac.

Lexapro Drug Information Database:
Comparison Shop For Lexapro
Prescribing Information PDF File
Literature Search (National Library of Medicine Database)
Official Website: PI, Patient Info, Depression Information
General Information Patient Information, picture of Lexapro pill, etc.
Compare Prices
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