Anyone know any better drugs for Bipolar Disorder besides Tegretol?

Answer 1

THere are tons of medications out there for the treatment of bipolar. It just comes down to what works for you, because different treatments work for different people. I personally have tried a few before finding the one that worked for me, which is Lithium, and it didn't work for me the first time I tried it either.

Here are a few others that you can try:

* Lithium, the first mood-stabilizing medication approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treatment of mania, is often very effective in controlling mania and preventing the recurrence of both manic and depressive episodes.

* Anticonvulsant medications, such as valproate (Depakote®) or carbamazepine (Tegretol®), also can have mood-stabilizing effects and may be especially useful for difficult-to-treat bipolar episodes. Valproate was FDA-approved in 1995 for treatment of mania.

* Newer anticonvulsant medications, including lamotrigine (Lamictal®), gabapentin (Neurontin®), and topiramate (Topamax®), are being studied to determine how well they work in stabilizing mood cycles.

* Anticonvulsant medications may be combined with lithium, or with each other, for maximum effect.

* Children and adolescents with bipolar disorder generally are treated with lithium, but valproate and carbamazepine also are used.

* Atypical antipsychotic medications, including clozapine (Clozaril®), olanzapine (Zyprexa®), risperidone (Risperdal®), quetiapine (Seroquel®), and ziprasidone (Geodon®), are being studied as possible treatments for bipolar disorder. Evidence suggests clozapine may be helpful as a mood stabilizer for people who do not respond to lithium or anticonvulsants.

* If insomnia is a problem, a high-potency benzodiazepine medication such as clonazepam (Klonopin®) or lorazepam (Ativan®) may be helpful to promote better sleep. However, since these medications may be habit-forming, they are best prescribed on a short-term basis. Other types of sedative medications, such as zolpidem (Ambien®), are sometimes used instead.

Answer 2

Lamictal is very good. It must be taken slowly - increasing the dose up- to optimally 200mg. eventually. There are rare but serious side effects that should be discussed with your provider in detail. By the way, a small dose of Klonipin (Clonazepam generic name) two to three times a day works well with the Lamictal. A fellow bipolar, I wish you the best!

Answer 3

Better drugs.....yuhk!non of them is better each of them f***s in a different way.
lithium-likely to cause you hypothiroidism after lon term of usage
depakote-try it if you wanna look like a zeppelin in a few months
lamictal-never used this one but they say there's a risk of gt rash
these are the lovely juvly meds the scientists offer for us the cr-Z

Answer 4

Jimi hendrix did a song called manic depression, that's the same thing, so if I were you, I'd go for it. Jimi Hendrix? He's from Seattle, just like me.

Answer 5

My mother is sick with bipolar. She has taken many medicines, yet it seems the one that is most successful is the one she is taking now. Haldol. Please feel free to email me if you want have any more questions.

Answer 6

Look at the information and testimonials on my page.

Answer 7

i take lithium although its not completely set in, its supposed to be good