Question 1

what are the adverse effects of a diagnosed bipolar patient smoking marijuana while on their prescribed medications?

Accepted Answer

Bipolar and MJ: Any person with diagnosed bipolar disorder needs to practice solid self-care: regular sleep, exercise, healthy food, compliance with prescribed medications, and avoidance of substance abuse including alcohol.  Using recreational substances invites destabilization of neurobehavioral status and possible shift into depression or mania.  This includes marijuana.  Mj can cause hallucinations too.

Question 2

i'm currently taking antidepressants, a mood stabilizer, and an anti-anxiety med for bipolar disorder. they all warn that they can increase the effects of alcohol like drowsiness. but i'm finding that every time i drink, i don't feel hungover at all the n

Accepted Answer

Russian Roulette: Recommend alcohol use with your diagnosis and your medications.

Question 3

what is a great med to take just finding out bipolar disorder?

Accepted Answer

Discuss with doctor: There are many medicines that help people with bipolar disorder, and you are on some now (the lamictal, especially).  Others include depakote, lithium, and seroquel, (quetiapine) etc.  You and your doctor can discuss the benefits and risks of each in your case, and come up with a plan that helps you with a minimum of side effects.  It sounds like you've done that so far.  Best wishes to you.

Question 4

i have bipolar disorder. i am taking hydroxizine 50mg as needed. it is good, but i need a  more effective drug for anxiety?

Accepted Answer

Anxiety and Bipolar: I am wondering what mood stabilizer you're taking for your bipolar disorder, because none is listed in your medications.  I see you're taking wellbutrin, (bupropion) which in itself causes anxiety in some people and could expose you to the risk of hypomania or mania.  Please talk with your psychiatrist about this -- you may be leaving out some of your medications, or they may need to be re-evaluated.

Question 5

can person think his way out of a bipolar disorder instead of taking meds?

Accepted Answer

Think about it: Bipolar disorder is a neurobiological problem, carried through in one's genes & connectomes . If we could think our way through bpd, then we should be able to think our way through cancer, heart disease, strokes, diabetes, leukemia. Get the analogy?  Unfortunately, no we can't, at least at this time. But cognitive behavioral therapy has been an effective adjunct to medication.

Question 6

what are some of the non-drug treatments for bipolar disorder?

Accepted Answer

The non drug treatments for Bipolar disorder include::   Counseling, Electroconvulsive therapy, Behavior therapy, Psychotherapy.

Question 7

what can i do to cope with depression (and possibly bipolar disorder) without meds?

Accepted Answer

Encourage you to: Start by seeing your physician. Your doctor can not only assess for a mood disorder but can also check for underlying medical conditions that may be the cause of your depressive symptoms.  Talking therapy (such as cognitive behavioral therapy or insight oriented psychotherapy) is extremely important for lasting change. Psychiatric medications may be indicated. Don't isolate. Spend time w people.

Question 8

bipolar disorder and my meds are making me always tired with no motivation.  can anything be done to help this?

Accepted Answer

Yes: You and your psychiatrist need to insure that this is not a part of bipolar depression.  If it is the medications, the two of you need to revise them, by dose, or timing, or replacement, so that you don't have this side effect.

Question 9

i have bipolar disorder, social anxiety, panic disorder, and ocd. is there a cure that doesn't require tons of meds?

Accepted Answer

Probably: Bipolar disorder could account for social anxiety, panic attacks, obsessive thoughts, and compulsive behaviors so you do not necessarily have 4 separate disorders. Mood stabilization may help to allay the other syptoms. A mood stabilizer such as depakote, lithium, lamictal, trileptal, seroquel, or Abilify (aripiprazole) would be the place to start. Discuss this with your psychiatrist.

Question 10

i have bipolar disorder and i want to know which drug is better and cause less weight gain: ziprasidone, aripiprazole or quetiapine.

Accepted Answer

Less weight gain: Forget the weight gain. You need to see your Psychologist and/or Psychiatrist to help control your bipolar disorder.

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Doctor answers about:

Bipolar disorder meds adverse effects

A member asked:

What are the adverse effects of a diagnosed bipolar patient smoking marijuana while on their prescribed medications?

A member asked:

I'm currently taking antidepressants, a mood stabilizer, and an anti-anxiety med for bipolar disorder. they all warn that they can increase the effects of alcohol like drowsiness. but i'm finding that every time i drink, i don't feel hungover at all the n

A member asked:

What is a great med to take just finding out bipolar disorder?

A member asked:

I have bipolar disorder. i am taking hydroxizine 50mg as needed. it is good, but i need a more effective drug for anxiety?

A member asked:

Can person think his way out of a bipolar disorder instead of taking meds?

A member asked:

What are some of the non-drug treatments for bipolar disorder?

A member asked:

What can i do to cope with depression (and possibly bipolar disorder) without meds?

A member asked:

Bipolar disorder and my meds are making me always tired with no motivation. can anything be done to help this?

A member asked:

I have bipolar disorder, social anxiety, panic disorder, and ocd. is there a cure that doesn't require tons of meds?

A member asked:

I have bipolar disorder and i want to know which drug is better and cause less weight gain: ziprasidone, aripiprazole or quetiapine.

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