Bipolar disorderis a mental health condition that can severely affect your day-to-day life if not treated properly.
Symptoms can range fromacute (short-term) maniato depression and depressive episodes.
Luckily, multiple treatments exist that can help you manage the condition.
Getty Images / Dragos Condrea
Other options, such as certain nondrug therapies and interventions, can be used alongside medication for added relief.
They can be used alone or in combination with other medications to treat symptoms associated with bipolar disorder.
Some examples include:
Lithium
Lithium (brand-name Lithobid) is a mood stabilizer.
It is one of the oldest medications still used to treat bipolar disorder.
Carbamazepine
Carbamazepine (brand-name Equetro) works in the body by reducing nerve excitement in the brain.
It can be used for the treatment of bipolar disorder, as ananti-seizure medication, or fortrigeminal neuralgia.
Carbamazepine can cause severe skin reactions and anemia.
Therefore, you should ask your healthcare provider if you need any tests done before and during treatment.
Lamotrigine
Lamotrigine (brand-name Lamictal)is another mood stabilizer used to manage bipolar disorder.
It is also commonly prescribed as an anti-seizure agent.
It is not an acute treatment.
These typically occur within two to eight weeks of starting treatment.
It can be used alone or in combination with other medications to help better manage symptoms.
Like lurasidone, it can be used alone or with other medications.
you’re able to take it by mouth (orally) or through an injection into the muscle.
Your starting dose may vary depending on the treatment regimen your healthcare provider places you on.
A common side effect when starting aripiprazole is restlessness.
Let your healthcare provider know if you start to have trouble staying still.
However, benzodiazepines are not considered for treating bipolar symptoms outside of the acute setting.
Additional caution must be used if you are also prescribed anopioidat the same time.
What’s the Right Medication for You?
Certain factors will help your healthcare provider determine which medication is right for you.
Summary
When it comes to managing your bipolar disorder, several medications are available.
These include mood stabilizers, antipsychotics, and antianxiety drugs.
Frequently Asked Questions
No single drug is guaranteed to work for every person with bipolar disorder.
Common medications, such as lithium or valproate, may not be suitable for everyone.
Several treatment-based options are available for better managing bipolar disorder.
Depending on the punch in of medication, the time for you to feel the effects will differ.
Certain medications, like antipsychotics, may be administeredintramuscularly (IM)for acute (short-term) episodes.
Food and Drug Administration.Equetro label.
DailyMed.Label: lamotrigine tablet.
DailyMed.Label: Depakote- divalproex sodium tablet, delayed release.
DailyMed.Label: Symbyax- olanzapine and fluoxetine hydrochloride capsule.
Food and Drug Administration.Latuda label.
Food and Drug Administration.Abilify label.
2018 Nov;20(7):634-646. doi:10.1111/bdi.12626
DailyMed.Label: clonazepam tablet.
Armstrong C.ACOG guidelines on psychiatric medication use during pregnancy and lactation.American Family Physician.
2008;78(6):772-778.
