Medication for Bipolar Disorder

Never self medicate for bipolar disorder. The medication is not a cure but a relief from the disorder. A responsible physician that works closely with the patient and the patient’s psychologist must do prescriptions and management. It is also very important that you take the right doses of each medication that is prescribed for you.

Lithium is the most widely used medication for this disorder. It will even out your mood swings and takes about two weeks to work. It can take up to several months to fully control the mood swings. If you are taking lithium you must have regular blood tests so that you take the right amount. Some of the side effects of this drug are weakness, drowsiness, fatigue, nausea, increased thirst and urination, or hand tremors. Adjusting the dosage, by your physician can control the symptoms you have.

Anticonvulsants can be given with lithium or alone to help stabilize a person’s mood and calm hyperactivity. It normally takes a couple of weeks for the full effectiveness of these drugs to work. Some of these are: depakote, tegretol, lamictal, and trileptal each of these affect the brain in different ways and must be monitored. Some of the side effects are dizziness, weight gain, nausea, fatigue, drowsiness, rashes, and tremors; these usually get better with time. Anticonvulsants can cause liver or kidney damage so regular blood tests must be done. Like all medication make sure that you talk to your doctor about taking anything with them even aspirin.