Bipolar Disorder Medication: The Three Categories

Bipolar disorder medications are prescribed to help control the symptoms of the disease. These medicines are useful in providing temporary relief of bipolar disorder but they do not cure the disease permanently. Bipolar disorder medications work to provide balance of the neurotransmitters in the brain. These neurotransmitters are called serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine.

Consult a doctor if you suffer from bipolar disorder and you want to use medicines to prevent or control the attack of the disease. These types of medications are only recommended to be used upon prescription and must not be used without proper medical assistance. It is also helpful if the person equips himself with the basic knowledge about bipolar disorder medication. This will give him an idea about what to expect from the medicines; what relief they can give and what side effects they may have.

Types of Medications Available

Bipolar disorder is characterized by extreme mood swings and feelings of both mania and depression. Therefore, the medications for treating bipolar disorder include mood stabilizers, antidepressants and antipsychotic.

Mood Stabilizers are used to provide relief from or to prevent the onset of both mania and depression. Mood stabilizers are grouped into three. They are the Lithium, Divalproex and Carbamazepine. Among the three, Lithium and Divalproex are the most commonly used but Lithium is the oldest and the most effective. Lithium is effective in controlling adverse mood swings; for both mania and depression that is why it is used as a maintenance drug for bipolar disorder.

But because it is not a fast acting drug, antipsychotic drugs are used in the first few days of the medications until lithium is already acting. Lithium takes about five to fourteen days before it starts reducing the symptoms of bipolar disorder. The disease can only be controlled fully after several months of continuous medications.

Antidepressants are used to help lithium in episodes of depressions. They are classified into three groups also. The Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI) is used to compensate for the imbalance of serotonin in the brain. The Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitor (MAOI) is used to balance both serotonin and dopamine. The third type is the Tricyclic Antidepressant (TCA). This third type of antidepressant works on both serotonin and norepinephrine. There are also newer types of antidepressant medicines and they do not fall on any of the three older classifications; they are often called the atypical types of antidepressants.

What to Ask the Doctor

Before starting on any bipolar disorder medication, proper medical assistance is necessary. Go to a physician and discuss your condition with him. There are many things that a patient needs to know before finally deciding to take the medicines. Although the doctor may prescribe it to you, you have to make your own evaluation and decide if you want to make use of the medications or not. Here are the things that you need to know.

• Ask information about the medicine such as type, brand name and generic names, mode of action and possible side effects. It is also important to know how long you have to take the medicine before you can possibly feel the effects.

• Know how it can possibly affect certain conditions such as pregnant and lactating mothers, children and certain illnesses like heart disease and other conditions.

• How do you take the medicine and how do you stop taking it; can you stop abruptly or does it needs tapering down. How will you feel when you stopped taking the medicine?

• What other medicines, foods and activities should you avoid while you are taking the recommended bipolar disorder medication?

• Ask about the possible side effects and what severity do you need to expect. It is also important to know what actions you have to take if you observed that you suffered from a certain side effect

What Side Effects to Expect

There are many side effects noted among users of bipolar disorder medicines. They differ based on the type of medicines and the tolerance of the person using them. Some people can neglect the side effects while others can not tolerate them.

Extra care of the thyroid gland and the kidneys are important when you are taking Lithium. You have to undergo periodic blood test to make sure that they are in good condition. Other side effects prevalent among Lithium users are weight gain, increased urination, nausea and tremors.

Most common side effects observed with a bipolar disorder medication include headache, vomiting, nausea, weakness, drowsiness, fatigue, tremors, increased thirst and urination and severe cases leads to much more depression when the medication is stopped.