A 42-year-old member asked:
Which treatment works the best and fastest for bipolar disorder?
2 doctor answers • 6 doctors weighed in
Dr. John Moranvilleanswered
Psychiatry 37 years experience
Lithium: Lithium is still the best treatment for bipolar disorder. Unfortunately it has many side effects. Valproic acid (depakote) has been more commonly used over the past 20 years, because it has fewer side effects. More recently, Lamotrigine (lamictal) has proven very effective, but is not usually first-line due to a rare but potentially serious rash.
6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Arman Danielyananswered
Child Psychiatry 30 years experience
Mood stabilizers: Mood stabilizers and atypical antipsychotics both used for treatment of bipolar disorder. The choice depends on what phase of the illness you are in, side effect profile and many other variables. You should talk to a sychoatrist about specific drugs.
6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Similar questions
A 44-year-old member asked:
What is the best medication or best treatment we can get for bipolar affective disorder?
4 doctor answers • 11 doctors weighed in
Dr. Bernadette Onuohaanswered
Psychiatry 39 years experience
Comprehensive Tx: The best treatment for bipolar disorder is one that includes a combination of both medication and therapy. Therapy addresses education about the disorder and coping skills to address some of the symptoms and interpersonal problems that arise from the disorder and medication to address the chemical changes that are associated with it. The.
5.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 44-year-old member asked:
Could it be bad not to have treatment for bipolar disorder?
2 doctor answers • 14 doctors weighed in
Dr. Dheeraj Rainaanswered
Psychiatry 30 years experience
Yes. : Untreated bipolar disorder can be very devastating as it can affect all ares of one's functioning, including relationships, jobs, and physical health.
5.1k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Pamela Pappas commented
Psychiatry 43 years experience
Untreated Bipolar disorder can also worsen over time -- repeated episodes of mania and depression can create a kindling effect in the brain, leading to more intense and more frequent episodes. Worse suffering for the patient.
May 2, 2013
A 36-year-old member asked:
Teen with bipolar disorder, treatment?
2 doctor answers • 4 doctors weighed in
Dr. Heidi Fowleranswered
Psychiatry 26 years experience
Recommend: Working with a child psychiatrist. Psychiatric medications are often required. Individual therapy (ie. Cognitive behavioratherapy or psychotherapy) and family therapy are usually indicated. Group therapy may be benificial and inpatient psychiatric treatment may be needed in some cases.
4.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Last updated Oct 3, 2016
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