There is no reason to panic if you have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, as there are many traditional and new bipolar disorder medications available to assist you with the bipolar condition. Whether you are in the manic or depressive phase, antidepressants, antipsychotics and mood stabilizers helps return your condition to normal and prevents you from returning to either phases.
Alternative treatments for bipolar disorder
In addition to using bipolar medications to alleviate your symptoms, it's also useful to undergo therapy and educate yourself about your disorder so that you can cope with life's stresses and therefore be less likely to have symptoms recur. It can also keep you aware of your own condition, so that you can tell your doctor if the bipolar medication you're on has quit working or is not working as effectively.
Some of the most common bipolar medications
Mood stabilizers
Mania and depression phases are calmed with mood stabilizers. Generally youll need to take these when you are first diagnosed to help you get your manic or depressive phases under control and continue on them to help give you a long term control. They can prevent the cycling of moods and also reduce the effect of cycles if they do occur.
The most commonly prescribed mood stabilizers are valproic acid and lithium. Lithium is recommended if you have episodes of euphoric mania, while valproic acid is usually the drug of choice for rapid cycling or mixed episodes.
Antidepressants
Antidepressant drugs can be useful for those who spend far more time in their depressive phases of bipolar disorder than they do in the manic phase. However, there has been some recent concern that they may not be effective and may even trigger manic episodes, making bipolar disorder worse over the long term. Therefore, if you're already on a mood stabilizer, it's not likely that you also will need an antidepressant, although you should of course check with your health care practitioner to make sure. It may also be that your health care practitioner will prescribe an antidepressant for you for the very short term to simply help you cope with a severe depressive phase, then discontinue it once your symptoms are under control and continue with just your mood stabilizer.
Anti psychotic drugs
So-called "older" antipsychotic drugs such as Haldol or Thorazine have been prescribed and are effective in treating bipolar disorder, but long-term use can cause a permanent movement disorder with involuntary tics called tardive dyskinesia.
Therefore, so-called "atypical antipsychotics" are preferred; these include Zyprexa, Risperdal, and Seroquel, among others. These may also be effective in the treatment of bipolar depression.
Alternative bipolar disorder medications
Benzodiazepines
Typically, mood stabilizers and antidepressant medications can take several weeks to work. Benzodiazepines can be used in the short term to help you with anxiety, agitation or sleeplessness while your mood stabilizers kick in. Some examples of these include Klonopin and Xanax. However, they're also highly addictive, so they should only be used in the short term.
Calcium channel blockers
Channel blockers are usually used for disorders like high blood pressure, but they can also be used when you are not able to tolerate lithium or other mood stabilizers. However, they are less effective compared to traditional mood stabilizers.
Thyroid medication
Those with bipolar disorder often also have problems with their thyroid. Thyroid medication can be added to the drug regimen to correct this situation. Lithium can also cause low thyroid levels, which is another reason thyroid medication may be needed.
In conclusion
Without adhering to the doctors orders no medication or therapy will be effective for you. In addition it may take some adjustments to find the right medication protocol for you. Without adhering to the doctors orders and staying on your medication and attending therapy sessions, staying well will be a difficult task. If ever you face difficulties with your medication never go off it without first consulting with your doctor. They should be able to adjust the protocol to make you feel well.
Alternative treatments for bipolar disorder
In addition to using bipolar medications to alleviate your symptoms, it's also useful to undergo therapy and educate yourself about your disorder so that you can cope with life's stresses and therefore be less likely to have symptoms recur. It can also keep you aware of your own condition, so that you can tell your doctor if the bipolar medication you're on has quit working or is not working as effectively.
Some of the most common bipolar medications
Mood stabilizers
Mania and depression phases are calmed with mood stabilizers. Generally youll need to take these when you are first diagnosed to help you get your manic or depressive phases under control and continue on them to help give you a long term control. They can prevent the cycling of moods and also reduce the effect of cycles if they do occur.
The most commonly prescribed mood stabilizers are valproic acid and lithium. Lithium is recommended if you have episodes of euphoric mania, while valproic acid is usually the drug of choice for rapid cycling or mixed episodes.
Antidepressants
Antidepressant drugs can be useful for those who spend far more time in their depressive phases of bipolar disorder than they do in the manic phase. However, there has been some recent concern that they may not be effective and may even trigger manic episodes, making bipolar disorder worse over the long term. Therefore, if you're already on a mood stabilizer, it's not likely that you also will need an antidepressant, although you should of course check with your health care practitioner to make sure. It may also be that your health care practitioner will prescribe an antidepressant for you for the very short term to simply help you cope with a severe depressive phase, then discontinue it once your symptoms are under control and continue with just your mood stabilizer.
Anti psychotic drugs
So-called "older" antipsychotic drugs such as Haldol or Thorazine have been prescribed and are effective in treating bipolar disorder, but long-term use can cause a permanent movement disorder with involuntary tics called tardive dyskinesia.
Therefore, so-called "atypical antipsychotics" are preferred; these include Zyprexa, Risperdal, and Seroquel, among others. These may also be effective in the treatment of bipolar depression.
Alternative bipolar disorder medications
Benzodiazepines
Typically, mood stabilizers and antidepressant medications can take several weeks to work. Benzodiazepines can be used in the short term to help you with anxiety, agitation or sleeplessness while your mood stabilizers kick in. Some examples of these include Klonopin and Xanax. However, they're also highly addictive, so they should only be used in the short term.
Calcium channel blockers
Channel blockers are usually used for disorders like high blood pressure, but they can also be used when you are not able to tolerate lithium or other mood stabilizers. However, they are less effective compared to traditional mood stabilizers.
Thyroid medication
Those with bipolar disorder often also have problems with their thyroid. Thyroid medication can be added to the drug regimen to correct this situation. Lithium can also cause low thyroid levels, which is another reason thyroid medication may be needed.
In conclusion
Without adhering to the doctors orders no medication or therapy will be effective for you. In addition it may take some adjustments to find the right medication protocol for you. Without adhering to the doctors orders and staying on your medication and attending therapy sessions, staying well will be a difficult task. If ever you face difficulties with your medication never go off it without first consulting with your doctor. They should be able to adjust the protocol to make you feel well.
About the Author:
Ken P Doyle is well versed with the latest developments in bipolar medication and belives it is important to share his knowledge with the world. To find out more about bipolar disorder , enter his helpful resource site on knowing bipolar disorder today.
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