what is the proper out patient medications for people suffering from bipolar disorder?

Answer 1

Well, usually you must be on some kind of mood stabilizer. The only medication that is specifially for bipolar disordre is lithum. However, most people these days don't take it because it can make you lethargic, fat, feel like a zombie, give you the shakes, and a bunch of other side effects. However, it is a natural drug, a salt, and it has been around for years.

Anti-convulsants are also used as mood-stabilizers. Sometimes your doc will put you on one or two. Some of the most popular is Depakote, Tegretol, and Lamictal. I take Lamictal and love it because it has no side effects and works well for the depression part of bipolar disorder.

Anti-depressants are usually combined with a mood stabilizer for an extra kick at preventing depression. Some of the newer ones work on more than one brain chemical.

Wellbutrin is a new and good one that has less sexual side effects and may give you a boost in energy. It works on dopamine and norphenephrine neurotransmitters. It aids smokers that want to quit, and possibly might help a bit with ADHD.

I'm taking Effexor which works on norphenephrine and seretonin. It relieves anxiety also, which makes it good for panic disorder, Anxiety disorder, Social anxiety disorder or and of course it works to alieviate depression. My personal favorite.

A new one that works on the same neurotranmitters is Cymbalta. It is also a pain suppresant, it is good for people that get muscle pain.

Trazadone is a newer one that will put an end to insomnia, trust me it will knock you out at night. Remeron has alot of side effects included fatigue, and they will make you gain an appetite and weight but Remeron works on three major neurotransmitters.

The classic and older anti-depressants are Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft and a bunch more.

Lastly is anti-psychotics. Usually people with bipolar disorder are firsth treated with mood-stabilizers, but recently doctors started treating people with anti-psychotics to numb the mania in it. However, these meds are usually used for people with schizophrenia, a condition where people hear and see things that aren't there. These drugs are better now but they still can cause you to feel like a zombie. It might make you feel dead inside, lethargic, make you fat and lazy, and worst of all it can cause tardive dyskensia which is a disease in which the muscles of the face jerk uncontrolably. Anti-psychotics are usually only for short term use, they can have long term effects.

Some of the medications commonly used are Zyprexa, Risperdal, and Abilify. I was on all three. I got fat, felt like a zombie, and couldn't stay awake on Zyprexa, Risperdal made me feel like blah. Abilifiy is the only anti-psychotic that doesn't cause weight gain, loss of energy, or that zombie feeling. It is spiked with a stimulating effect that will make you feel wired. I took it and felt too wired, i was miserable because my tongue kept pushing against my teeth without control. But at least it had more plus.

So your doctor may put you one one, two, three, four, of these drugs in a combination that will work to alliviate any of your symptoms.

My suggestion:

I would suggest you try and stay away from the anti-psychotics because of the long term effects.

Someone on here suggested Adderall, it is used for severe fatigue and ADHD, adderall will make you high, and drop you off a cliff once it stops working. It made me go into a hypo-manic phase so I don't suggest it at all. It causes anxiety and insomnia too. It will give you a great amount of attention, and you will feel so happy and coffident when it is in your system.

If you are mostly depressed, tired, and have anxiety, I suggest a combo of; Lamictal/Tegretol, and Effexor. If you have bipolar II then Lamictal and effexor might work too. Another combo for these problems could be Wellbutrin, Effexor, Lamictal. Provigil is good for fatigue, it isn't as strong as Adderall and will make you feel more alive and not like a zombie. This could replace the Wellbutrin.

If you are more manic, have insomnia you could try Lithium, Trazadone/Remeron, and Lamictal.

But I'm not your doctor. Well, I hope I didn't bore you; Hopefully this will help. I'm medicine cabinet. Lol

Answer 2

There are many many medications to help treat bipolar disorder. It also depends on the type of bipolar that you have. One of the most important facts to keep in mind is that treating a disorder like this is one, is sometimes a trial and error with medications. There is no set cocktail of medications that will work for everyone.

Your best bet is talk with your doctor and be honest with him about what is going on with you.

Answer 3

Well the gold standard is lithium followed by depakote and tegretol. Now they have a newer one called Trileptal and Lamictal. Atypical antipshycotics are also used. Seroquel, Abilify, Risperdal, Zyprexa,<<<-----These make you very hungry and can gain alot of weight. You may be on one or a combination of some of the above. It is up to the MD to decide which ones are best for you. Also it takes alot of trial and error too.

Answer 4

Please contact your professionals for this advice. Everyone is different...every case is different. Psychiatrists are specialists who have studied and, often, practiced for years to know the ins and outs of medication and all the nuances. Make an appointment! Good luck.

Answer 5

higher percentile is Effexor, Zyprexa, And depakote. But medications are different for each individual. Some prefere other meds that are simular, but the side effects are lower than those posted here.

Answer 6

Lithium & Adderal