These days one can find a lot of information regarding bipolar disorder as well as the existing types of treatment for this condition. And this is not surprisingly as a great number of people are suffering from this medical condition and are looking for the most effective way their illness can be treated.
In this article I decided to write about the typical treatment prescribed for people with bipolar disorder.
The effective treatment of bipolar disorder requires a thorough physical and psychiatric examination by a healthcare provider. This includes a careful assessment of the individual’s symptoms. Your medical provider will ask you questions about medical conditions you have and your family history in order to disclose the possible presence of the illness in your family members. Besides, you should tell your medical provider about the history of any medications you currently take or used to take in the past.
One should understand that bipolar disorder cannot be cured, but fortunately can be effectively managed over the long-term treatment. The best effects can be achieved if the treatment is taken continuously rather than with the breaks.
Nevertheless, it should be noted that even with proper treatment, the is still the risk for mood changes. Almost half of the patients who recovered can still experience lingering symptoms. These patients experience a relapse of their condition that is characterized by a return to a depressed state. Moreover, in case a person suffers from a mental illness in addition to bipolar disorder, it is more likely for a relapse of the condition to occur. However, scientists have no full information on how other illnesses or lingering symptoms increase the risk for recurrence of their condition. Combining psychotherapy with medical treatment help to a number of patients to prevent or at least delay a relapse.
One should understand that treatment may bring more effectiveness if a patient works closely with their medical provider, follow the given recommendations and talk openly about their questions and concerns. Notifying a medical provider about any mood changes and symptoms can significantly help a healthcare provider to evaluate a person’s response to the prescribed treatments. During the treatment your medical provider might change a treatment plan in order to make sure the symptoms are managed in the most effective way.
Bipolar Disorder Medications
Typically, medications for treating bipolar disorder are prescribed by a psychiatrist. In some states bipolar disorder medicines can also be prescribed by clinical psychologists or psychiatric nurse practitioners.
It is a common knowledge that not everyone responds to medicines in the same way and a number of different drugs might need to be used before the best one is found.
Keeping a chart of mood symptoms, treatments, and sleep patterns daily can be of a great assistance for the doctor in treat the illness in the most effective way. In case patient’s symptoms change or side effects worsen, the doctor may take a decision of switching to a new medicine or adding a new one.
Generally, the following types of medications are used in treating of bipolar disorder: antidepressants from canadian drugstore without prescription, mood stabilizers, antipsychotic medication.
As a rule mood stabilizers are prescribed for people who experience such conditions as irritability, talkativeness, accelerated speech, depression and some other manic symptoms which affect a person’s functioning. These drugs work by reducing the intensity of mood swings and help to stabilize person’s emotional state. The most common medications of this group are Lithium, Depakote and Carbamazepine. These drugs can also help people suffering from bipolar disorder to prevent symptoms from coming back after they have been treated.
Antidepressant medications are prescribed for patients experiencing depression which can be characterized with having such symptoms as feelings of sadness and depression, and slowed behavior. These drugs can help the body to renovate its energy enabling a person to lead more active life. Remember that antidepressant medications can worsen the symptoms of manic-depressive disorder and thus should be used only after consultation with your medical provider.
Antipsychotic drugs are used for treating bipolar disorder in people who may suffer from hallucinations or delusions. Antipsychotic medications work effectively in managing such conditions. Among the medicines of this group are the following: Olanzapine, Quietiapine, Risperidol and Ziprasidone.
A number of researches has shown that medication treatment is one of the most effective way of dealing with bipolar disorder providing with good results. A wide variety of medications available these days allows to choose the most suitable for your condition medication.
When medical providers prescribe a medication to their patients, first of all they take into the consideration how the chosen medicine might affect different phases of the illness. The phases of bipolar disorder are the following:
- initial manic and/or depressed stage (acute phase)
-early and initial recovery stage (continuation or early stable phase)
- maintenance stage (prophylactic phase).
During the treatment, the medications might be changed. One should understand that all medicines have not only benefits but certain risks and potential side effects as well. But it is important to understand that there are risks in not using the medications for your condition. Certainly, the use of certain drug should be discussed with a medical professional.
Before starting the treatment with a particular medication, you should discuss the potential side effects with your doctor. Besides, while treating with certain drug. The patient should be closely monitored in order to minimize adverse effects. In some cases switching to some other medication helps to eliminate some adverse effects. Note that elderly patients, pregnant women as well as nursing mothers should take particular care when discussing adverse effects of the medication with their healthcare providers.
In case a patient suffering from bipolar disorder develops any severe adverse effects from a prescribed medicine, he should notify his medical provider about this as soon as possible. In such a situation a medical professional may change the dosage or prescribe some other medicine.
Bipolar disorder medications should not be withdrawn without talking to a healthcare provider first as abrupt treatment cessation may lead to worsening of bipolar disorder symptoms.
Other Bipolar Disorder Treatments
For cases in which neither medication nor psychotherapy work, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) may be recommended. Electroconvulsive therapy, formerly known as “shock therapy,” used to have a bad reputation. However, in recent years, this method has been greatly improved and now can provide relief for individuals suffering from severe bipolar disorder and who are resistant to other types of treatments.
Electroconvulsive therapy is an effective type of treatment for severe depressive or manic episodes, nevertheless, this method is not a first-line treatment.
Before electroconvulsive therapy is made, a patient is given a muscle relaxant and is put under brief anesthesia, so, the electrical impulses are not consciously felt during ECT. ECT treatment lasts usually 30-90 seconds. After this treatment patients recover typically after 5-15 minutes.
ECT can be recommended to treat bipolar symptoms when certain medical conditions, such as pregnancy, make the medication treatment too risky for the patient.
Electroconvulsive therapy might cause certain short-term adverse effects, including the following: memory loss, confusion, and disorientation which generally go away soon after treatment.
Certainly, patients suffering from bipolar disorder should discuss possible benefits and potential risks of this type of treatment with a medical provider.
Sleep Pills
Bipolar disorder sufferers who experience sleep problems, typically begin to sleep better after receiving treatment for bipolar disorder. In case, sleeplessness persists, a medical provider may advice a patient to switch to another medication or sedatives or other sleep medications can be prescribed.
Individuals with bipolar disorder are recommended to tell their healthcare provider about all prescription and non-prescription drugs, as well as supplements they are using as certain drugs and supplements used together can provoke unfavourable or even dangerous side effects.