What's the best medication for the manic phase of bipolar disorder with the !
Question: What's the best medication for the manic phase of bipolar disorder with the least side effects!?
lithium
abilify
seroquel
lamictal
zyprexa
trileptal
depakote
others!?Www@Answer-Health@Com
abilify
seroquel
lamictal
zyprexa
trileptal
depakote
others!?Www@Answer-Health@Com
Answers:
If you are talking about stomping on an already occuring manic episode of medium to high significance, Zyprexa or Depakote are probably a good starts!. Both act w/in a couple days, Zyprexa possibly faster!. Seroquel is in the same camp, but can be very sedating, so pros and cons there!. (Depakote would be a better maintenance med, so it might make more sense than Zyprexa!.!?)
Lithium usually takes two weeks more or less to kick in!. It's a great maintenance med, but since it takes awhile, not so good as an emergency one!. Abilify can be activating, so not a good choice for mania!. Lamictal is great for depression, but it can be activating and the titration is like forever (about 2 plus months to get to a stabilizer dose)!. Trileptal!.!.!. hmm, not sure how long that takes to get to a stabilizer dose!. It does deal with mania, so maybe it belongs in the mania stompers above!.
You've named most of the ones to try!. It's true that everyone responds differently! But, there are only a few that can bring you down quickly!. They typically are the antipsychotics, but I know Depakote acts fast!. There also is Haldol and some of the older antipsychotics, but you probably don't want to go there unless necessary!.
I have bipolar and take Lithium, Depakote, Lamictal, a little Seroquel, and have taken Zyprexa, Abilify, and Geodon (another activating antipsychotic)!. I've also done some research on these drugs I swallow as well as talked at length with my pdoc about them!.
A good site for med info from the user perspective is http://www!.crazymeds!.us Just keep in mind that most ppl posting there are having problems with their meds!. The many who don't, don't seek out the Internet!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
Lithium usually takes two weeks more or less to kick in!. It's a great maintenance med, but since it takes awhile, not so good as an emergency one!. Abilify can be activating, so not a good choice for mania!. Lamictal is great for depression, but it can be activating and the titration is like forever (about 2 plus months to get to a stabilizer dose)!. Trileptal!.!.!. hmm, not sure how long that takes to get to a stabilizer dose!. It does deal with mania, so maybe it belongs in the mania stompers above!.
You've named most of the ones to try!. It's true that everyone responds differently! But, there are only a few that can bring you down quickly!. They typically are the antipsychotics, but I know Depakote acts fast!. There also is Haldol and some of the older antipsychotics, but you probably don't want to go there unless necessary!.
I have bipolar and take Lithium, Depakote, Lamictal, a little Seroquel, and have taken Zyprexa, Abilify, and Geodon (another activating antipsychotic)!. I've also done some research on these drugs I swallow as well as talked at length with my pdoc about them!.
A good site for med info from the user perspective is http://www!.crazymeds!.us Just keep in mind that most ppl posting there are having problems with their meds!. The many who don't, don't seek out the Internet!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
This is so individual!. That's why there are so many meds to treat bipolar disorder!. My friend started on one medication and I think had to go through two or three before she hit on the right one!. Find a good psychiatrist (don't mess around with family doctors) and develop a relationship with him/her in which you can trust this person and try some different meds to see what works for you!. Good luck!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
each person is different,so each persons body will react differently to each!.You might want to discuss this with your doc to see what he might recommend!.What you also might want to do is look up each one on the internet to help you better understand how they each work!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
Im on lamictal and it works wonders for me!. I am bipolar ll rapid cycling and this is the first meds i have tried but it works great for me!.!.!.yet everyone is different!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
I'm on both lithium and lamictal and it seems to be doing great for me!. my side effects with lithium stopped within a month after initial use!.!. the headaches with lamictal went away pretty fast too!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
It totally depends on your body!. No one can tell you what will work for you unless it is a doctor!.Www@Answer-Health@Com