If you've been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, take heart. There are many traditional and new bipolar disorder medications on the market that can help you both get and stay well. If you're in an either manic or depressive phase, antidepressants, antipsychotics and mood stabilizers can help you bring your symptoms under control. Once you can maintain, mood stabilizers can help you stay where you are so that you don't go back into either manic or depressive phases.
Optional treatments for bipolar disorder
Further to using bipolar medications, it is useful to undergo therapy and educate yourself about bipolar disorder to develop a self understanding about your condition and limits. This will help you tell the doctor if the bipolar medication you are on has quit working or is not working effectively; ultimately to help you cope with lifes stresses and therefore be less worried about the symptoms recurring.
Commonly prescribed bipolar medication
Mood stabilizers
Mood stabilizers help you handle mania and depression phases. They are generally prescribed to anyone who is diagnosed for the first time to control manic and/ or depressive phases and stay on them for long term stabilization. These drugs can prevent mood cycling or make them less severe if they do happen.
Valproic acid and lithium are the most commonly prescribed mood stabilizers. For individuals with episodes of euphoric mania lithium is recommended while valproic acid is usually the chice drug for rapid cycling and mixed episodes.
Antidepressants
If you spend far more time in your depressive phase than antidepressant drugs would be far more useful for you than if you were in your manic phase. With this said there are some recent concerns that they may not be effective and may result in episodes of mania and make bipolar disorder worse in the long term. This is the reason why antidepressant drugs and mood stabilizers are not used simultaneously. However your health practitioner may prescribe antidepressants for you only in the short term to alleviate the effects of depression and then return you to continue on mood stabilizers.
Anti psychotic drugs
Previous prescriptions for bipolar were antipsychotic drugs such as Hadol or Tharozine. They have been effective in most treatments of bipolar disorder; however they have negative long term effects such as 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.
Bipolar disorder " other medications
Benzodiazepines
The average mood stabilizer and antidepressant medication often takes several weeks to work. However during the short term Benzopdiazepiness can be used to help with anxiety, agitation or sleeplessness while the mood stabilizers take effect. Some examples of these are Klonopin and Xanax. Since they are so hi highly addictive they should only be used in the short term.
Calcium channel blockers
Typically used for disorders like high blood pressure, but they can also be used when your body may be intolerant to lithium or other mood stabilizers. Channel blockers are less effective compared to conventional mood stabilizers but have fewer side effects.
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.
Finally
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.
Optional treatments for bipolar disorder
Further to using bipolar medications, it is useful to undergo therapy and educate yourself about bipolar disorder to develop a self understanding about your condition and limits. This will help you tell the doctor if the bipolar medication you are on has quit working or is not working effectively; ultimately to help you cope with lifes stresses and therefore be less worried about the symptoms recurring.
Commonly prescribed bipolar medication
Mood stabilizers
Mood stabilizers help you handle mania and depression phases. They are generally prescribed to anyone who is diagnosed for the first time to control manic and/ or depressive phases and stay on them for long term stabilization. These drugs can prevent mood cycling or make them less severe if they do happen.
Valproic acid and lithium are the most commonly prescribed mood stabilizers. For individuals with episodes of euphoric mania lithium is recommended while valproic acid is usually the chice drug for rapid cycling and mixed episodes.
Antidepressants
If you spend far more time in your depressive phase than antidepressant drugs would be far more useful for you than if you were in your manic phase. With this said there are some recent concerns that they may not be effective and may result in episodes of mania and make bipolar disorder worse in the long term. This is the reason why antidepressant drugs and mood stabilizers are not used simultaneously. However your health practitioner may prescribe antidepressants for you only in the short term to alleviate the effects of depression and then return you to continue on mood stabilizers.
Anti psychotic drugs
Previous prescriptions for bipolar were antipsychotic drugs such as Hadol or Tharozine. They have been effective in most treatments of bipolar disorder; however they have negative long term effects such as 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.
Bipolar disorder " other medications
Benzodiazepines
The average mood stabilizer and antidepressant medication often takes several weeks to work. However during the short term Benzopdiazepiness can be used to help with anxiety, agitation or sleeplessness while the mood stabilizers take effect. Some examples of these are Klonopin and Xanax. Since they are so hi highly addictive they should only be used in the short term.
Calcium channel blockers
Typically used for disorders like high blood pressure, but they can also be used when your body may be intolerant to lithium or other mood stabilizers. Channel blockers are less effective compared to conventional mood stabilizers but have fewer side effects.
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.
Finally
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 most recent developments in bipolar medication and believes it is important to portion out his knowledge with the world. To find more about bipolar disorder , enter his excellent resource site on knowing bipolar disorder today.
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