Bipolar Medication Explained
Bipolar disorder is almost always treated with medication after diagnosis. Bipolar medication is required on a consistent basis and is usually part of a lifelong treatment of the disorder. There is no cure for bipolar, so medication is the best chance for keeping symptoms at bay.
Importance of Bipolar Medication
If a person stops taking their medication, though, it is very likely that symptoms will return swiftly. It could also cause a severe episode to occur that could be especially debilitating. A person should never go off their medication without consulting with their doctor.
Types of Medication Used
Bipolar disorder is a mood disorder. It is characterized by the mood swings from extreme highs to extreme lows. Due to this it is most commonly treated with mood stabilizing medication. The most common medication used it Lithium.
In some cases anti depressants and anti seizure medications are used. Usually, though, moos stabilizers are the first resort and tried before other medications. If side effects are too severe dosage may be adjusted or other medications may be tried.
It can take two weeks for the mood stabilizing medication to begin working. During this adjustment phase many people get frustrated and feel the medication is just not working. This can lead to them stopping the medication. It is important that a doctor explains that the medication may take some time to work so this does not happen.
Lithium
Since lithium is the most commonly used drug, and also the oldest drug used, there is a lot known about how it works. It is generally very safe and any issues with the medication are caught quickly. This is why it is the traditional standby used as a first medication in treatment.
The common side effects from lithium include:
- fatigue
- diarrhea
- nausea
- frequent urination
- tremors
- weight gain
The Bipolar medication used will be chosen based on the individual patient. In some people bipolar does not cause major mood swings, but rather the episodes are severe.
In those people the depressive episodes are usually most severe and that is when a patient would be treated with an anti depressant. In general, though, a doctor will observe the patients mood swings to see what the best bipolar medications would be.
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