Bipolar Medications

Types of bipolar medications
  Bipolar disorder also known as manic-depressive disorder is a brain related illness involving extreme mood swings from elation to depression. Symptoms and their severity vary enormously between bi polar sufferers so treatment needs to be personalized and under continuous medical control.

  There is as yet no cure but with long term bipolar medications good control of the symptoms are possible resulting in a much improved quality of life.

  Bipolar disorder is characterized by mood swings, depression and often psychosis so the major bipolar medications address these issues with mood stabilizers, antidepressants and antipsychotics.

  Depressive episodes require antidepressants often in conjunction with psychological therapy.

  Lithium is amongst the oldest and most well known of the mood stabilizers. Others include anticonvulsants with mood stabilizing effects like Valproic acid, Topamax Trileptal and Lamictal. Some like Lithium and Lamotrigine effectively treat depression associated with bipolar disorder.

  Some bipolar patients respond better to anticonvulsants (drugs usually given to patients of epilepsy) like carbamazepine (Tegretol) and valproate (Depakote). Bipolar individuals who cycle rapidly in their swings seem to respond better to carbamazepine, while valproate is effective in countering high mania. Some new anticonvulsant drugs include lamotrigine (Lamictal), gabapentin (Neurontin), and topiramate (Topamax); these can be prescribed in combination with mood stabilizers.

  As with all drugs bipolar medication is not free from side effects and contra indications. What is suitable for one type of mania might not be for another.

  Children may often not tolerate adult medication. Sometimes the age at which the drugs are administered has a bearing on adverse effects eg research has shown that at times adverse hormone changes are possible in teenage girls and polycystic ovary syndrome in women from valproate use before before the age of 20.
Adult women with bipolar disorder, who wish to conceive or who are already pregnant, have special challenges as the bipolar disorder medication can have harmful effects on the pregnancy.

  The best means to a content productive life for individuals with bipolar disorder probably lies in a combination of therapies of which drug treatment is one aspect. Others include psychotherapy, natural remedies and lifestyle choices. Another approach while possibly not as well known but worthy of consideration is Homeopathy.