question Bipolar?

Question

i have just been diagnosed with bipolar. is the medication i have to take permanent. i take abilify my doctor didnt say how long i would have to take it

Answer 1

Hi Ally:

I have Bipolar 1 and I am on many meds and yes, If I want to keep my Bipolar under control I will have to continue to take my meds permanently and I am ok with that because I know the difference in my moods varying from mania to manic are life threatening for me when they are full blown and the only way to prevent them from becoming full blown is to ALWAYS take my meds, or again it can be for me, life threatening. I am aware of this, accept this and I am med compliant due to my awareness.

PLEASE even if you feel better in the days to come because of the meds, DO NOT stop them because you feel better. You feel better because the meds are working. Take away the working meds and you have no safety net for Bipolar cycles and you will trigger a cycle. You don't want that. You know it can be controlled by meds and now you need to come to accept this fact and this will come in time.

A way to keep track of your cycles is to Mood Journal each night of the days moods, then each month you connect the daily dots and you have a graph. This graph is created each month and you can begin to see a possible pattern or even your triggers. I know it works for me and I do recommend that you give it at least a try.

If you want to talk or need info, I have a lifetime of info stored on my pc I will be happy to share with you. Please feel free to contact me any time, my contact information is in my profile. Also, please go to :

www.health.groups.yahoo.com/Bipolar_and_More

It is a support grp I have created and when you become a member you have access to other files and also we meet every Wednesday night at 10PM EST but I am almost always available and you can IM me or email me at anytime.

Be safe and be well

Answer 2

Bipolar, that is like the cool new diagnosis now. I swear, everyone that has any problem it seems is diagnosed as bipolar.
Medication is not permanent, you only need it till you get better, and its a possibility that you might never get better (to the point of not needing medication). You have to do more to better yourself and make yourself not dependant on the medication because medication is only going to help, not fix the problem. And that would include lifestyle changes.
Not saying bipolar is not real but what tests do most doctors perform to find out, when a general practitioner passes of diagnoses instead of looking deeper you should not be satisfied. They are not specialists and not really knowledgeable about these things. At least not at a level they would have us believe. Otherwise that would be an area they would of specialized in.

Answer 3

If the medication makes you feel better and deals with the bipolar, then keep taking it. If you have just started it, don't expect immediate improvements. It can take a couple of weeks. Once you start taking it, don't stop abruptly because your bipolar symptoms could return double-fold. The next time you see your Dr, don't forget to ask how long you need to take the meds or phone the clinic. The chemist where you take your script might also be able to help with any questions you have regarding these meds.

Answer 4

There are numerous theories on what causes bipolar disorder and others like it. The most accepted explanation has to do with neurotransmitter deficiencies and things of the like. Anyway, this is not something that corrects itself with time, you have it and thats pretty much the way life goes. So, yes, you will need to take this medication for a long time. Its also highly recommended that you not stop this medication abruptly as this can cause some serious effects. Good Luck

Answer 5

It is important that your Psychiatrist know your concerns. Talk is good for you, so ask about the medication you get. Abilify has a good reputation from what I have seen and heard with my family members that have this condition. The others writing here are right about not stopping or starting abruptly or on your own. You should have regular appointments so your condition is monitored and the Dr. knows it is the right medication for you. Don't consider not taking it... it is a mild medication. If it fixes your condition thank the Lord!

Answer 6

It is quite likely that you will have to take some form of medication for the rest of your life. It may not neccesarily be this one. It can take a long time (years even) to find the right medication of medications to treat bipolar disorder for each individual person. You have a chronic disease. The medications will not cure you; they will however improve the quality of your life.

Answer 7

for right now..it takes awhile to get the meds right for each person. the dose amount will get changed and then more meds will be added and changed till its right for you.. bipolar is a hard thing to keep under control and to figure out what can control it. it takes time. Yeah it will be a forever thing. When ur meds get perfect for you. you will think im better now. I dont need meds.. please dont go off. its the meds that make you think you r better. I found out i am bipolar 3 years ago and it has been one h*ll of a ride.! good luck to ya

Answer 8

you can learn techniques to help you deal with bipolar, controlling the extreme highs and lows, but for me, if i have to take the medicines for the rest of my life to have some peace and calm in my life, im going to take them!

above everything, dont just up and stop taking our meds because you think you are better and can do without them. they are made to enter your system slowly and to balance you out. an abrupt stop will throw your system into a frenzy and you will be back to where you started before you ever went to the doc.

good luck and read everything you can on bipolar. it is possible to have a good life with proper diet, exercise, therapy and meds.

Answer 9

I dont know if there is a cure yet for bi-pollarism. Putting artificial light in your rooms is said to have helped many become better, & as much sunshine at least 20 minites at a time, will help, just a little walk will help.

i am bi-polar & take Lamictal which has a very dangerous side efect, but it was the only one that workd for me.

Good luck.

Answer 10

Bi-polar is a permenant condition. Medication will never change you having bi-polar. All it's doing is adding harmful chemical's to your body to cover up the problem and not deal with it. Medications will only tell you the short term affects of them because they don't know what putting those things into your body will do long term yet. My gf has bi-polar and doesn't take any medications, she has her ups and downs but I find it very easy to live with and she finds it easy to deal with, without the medications. A good way to deal with bi-polar without medications is by going to a therapist or joining a support group, they can give you other alternative's to taking medication to help with your condition. To find a support group in your area ask your doctor or look online. I have a support group on Yahoo that involves all sorts of different conditions and you can post on there asking questions or just looking for someone to talk to who knows what you're going through. I left you the link in the sources box. I hope this helps. Good luck.