Hi,
Hope you’re ok today.
I got home late in the evening last night from my 5 day trip. Or maybe it was a 4 day trip.
Anyway, I wanted to tell you something before I forget, okay?
You know how much I talk about medications and your loved one, and how you need to make sure they stay on their medications, right?
Well, I’ve had so many supporters write me to tell me their loved ones struggle with side effects from their medications that I decided to offer some suggestions on what you can do to help them with some of these side effects.
In my courses/systems below:
SUPPORTING AN ADULT WITH BIPOLAR DISORDER?
Visit:
http://www.bipolarsupporter.com/report11
SUPPORTING A CHILD/TEEN WITH BIPOLAR DISORDER?
Visit:
http://www.bipolarparenting.com
HAVE BIPOLAR DISORDER?
Visit:
I have a whole section on all the side effects of bipolar medications and what to do about them, but here I’ll just go over the most common ones.
DRY MOUTH
This is one of the biggest side effects of bipolar medication. One of the things your loved one can do is to chew gum or suck on hard candy (make sure, if they have diabetes, that it’s sugarless candy, though).
Another thing is that your loved one can o to help with dry mouth is that they can suck or chew on ice chips.
NAUSEA
Another common side effect is nausea, and what they can do about this is to take their medication with food, or to eat a few crackers or a dry piece of toast.
If your loved one takes their medication in the morning or during the day, some doctors even tell their patients to take their medication at night instead if nausea is a bad problem for them.
WEIGHT GAIN
Unfortunately, this is a common problem with bipolar medication. The best way to combat this problem is with a proper diet and a good exercise program.
Other people have changed medications to other types of medications that do not make you gain weight, or at least as much weight as other medications.
However, I am NOT a doctor, and cannot advise you in this regard. All I can tell you is to contact your loved one’s doctor if they are having a problem with their weight because of their medication.
FATIGUE
If this is a problem for your loved one, have them talk to their doctor about it, so that the doctor can have your loved one taketheir medication at night instead of in the morning or during the day.
In most cases, you will find the doctor to be very cooperative, and this will solve the problem.
CONSTIPATION/DIARRHEA
If your loved one experiences either of these problems, over-the-counter medications are probably best. If constipation or diarrhea continue to be a problem, however, it is best to contact their doctor for advice.
DIZZINESS
If your loved one experiences dizziness, This is usually experienced upon standing up too quickly. The solution to this is to get up more slowly.
Have them sit up first on the side of the bed or couch for a few seconds or minutes. Then use their hands to raise themselves slowly the rest of the way into a standing position.
LIGHTHEADEDNESS
This sort of goes along with dizziness, but n reverse. Have your loved one sit down slowly (not too quickly, or they may faint).
Then let them sit for a few short minutes, and the lightheaded should pass.
NOTE: These are just common side effects to bipolar medications.
If your loved one experiences any serious side effects like heart problems or problems breathing, contact their doctor right away, as they may be having a reaction to the medication.
Make sure you talk to your doctor. I don’t know why so many people don’t.
Okay?
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Post responses below
this has been very helpful to me I like finding out my bipolar.It sucks I need to do a lot of work on my self. Reading your e-mails has helpful to me.I can”t buy your books not much money. I need to find a bipolar group in findlay Ohio DO you know of any please let me know. ROBERT
All good advice, I think. To add, I’d suggest Supporters and Survivors note the expected effects if you stop taking the meds, too! And I don’t just mean a recurrence of the worst BP episodes. For example, if you stop taking Lamotrigine/Lamictal overnight, you run the risk of having convulsions. Equally, it is important to follow the doc’s advice when you turn up the dosage, because this must not be done too quickly. Do that with Lamotrigine then you run the risk of developing a Lamotrigine rash. I understand the more severe forms of the rash are quite rare but you are more at reisk of developing a rash, and therefore a dangerous one, if you jump to fast to a higher dose. I believe the “bad guys” are Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN). Some people will develop the rash anyway. I understand in such cases, the treatment is usuallu discontinued. If you Google “Steves-Johnson syndrome” you will find it is life threatening if it is not treated quickly. Indeed, I read on Wikipededia (which isn’t always the most reliable sources, of course) that “SJS” proper has a mortality rate of 5% – well, we folks weith BP have a higher enough mortality rate as it is, thank you very much, so we don’t need to complicate it further, do we! ;oD
So, as they used to say on Hill Street Blues – “be careful out there.”
What a wonderful site this is!
Thank you. I have found your site to be an immense source of inspiration!
Thank you again.
With kind regards and best wishes from lil ol england!
Robert,
Check out this link… http://www.namiohio.org/ That is the website for the national alliance for the mentally ill. they have support groups in Ohio.
Other than that…
Sleepiness can also be a side effect. Of course it is best to take meds that make you sleepy at night, but as Dave says, always talk to your doctor about changing around your medications. This may cause unanticipated problems, and the person taking the meds may become unstable while they are shifting them around. I need to shift my meds around for optimum efficiency, I believe taking some of them at night may help me sleep better. Also I have been taking Klonpin for sleep, but have been told that Bentadryl may work just as well. But I will have to move some of the meds I am taking in the morning at night as well, to help facilitate sleep. But, I know better than to just do this, I see my Pdoc on Dec.4 so I am waiting till then to talk to him about shifting my meds around. That way if I become unstable he will know when I call him that it is because I have tried to shift my meds around. My sleep patterns are very critical to my stability, so doing anything that will effect them needs to be run by my Pdoc. (Pdoc = Psychiatrist)
I also have the dizzy when standing or getting out of bed. I do what Dave says, I sit up first, then wait a few maybe 30 seconds then get up slowly. If I dont I can lose my balance. I have lost balance when maneuvering my body as well, just like when I am avoiding obstacles, so if you feel dizzy when you stand up, just know that it may be easy to lose your balance, standing on one foot for example, or trying to avoid a person who is walking in your path. Being aware of this really helps me to know to be extra careful when maneuvering my body…
Other than that, there are a lot of symptoms that Dave didn’t mention, as always, tell the Pdoc exactly what is happening to you when you take your meds, or your loved one takes their meds. It is critical for you to communicate “EVERY LITTLE DETAIL” with your Pdoc! They can’t know what you don’t tell them is going on, and every med affects everyone differently, so communication is critical!
Thanks for yet another great topic Dave!
Bob
David, this is a very good topic today. I’m sure all b.p. sufferers can relate to side effects of their meds! Mine are: dizziness, clumsiness, weight gain, lethargia. I cannot sleep at night until I take my nighttime med’s, I would lie awake all night (I’ve had to do it one night when I forgot to fill my prescription). But I just take them in stride, because, compared to no med’s at all, the choice is obvious.
This is a wonderful resource! Don’t remember exactly how I got on the mailing list, but boy howdy am I glad that I am!
Anyway, in addition to the recommendations listed for dry-mouth due to meds side-effects, I’ve found great relief in the “OASIS” products!
I use the non-alcohol mouth wash and mouth spray and find great relief from both.
I also have become sort of addicted to sugar-free Ricola, but that’s pretty much my only addiction, so it’s all good!
Thanks and have a Great Day!!!!
it is very important that you discuss any side effects that your are having with your Pdoc. also i belong to a online support group that you can find out how certain meds effect other people by discussing them. I belong to the bipolar group on mdjunction.com. everybody is very supportive there also to the supporters as well.
Thanks will talk to my doctor I thought my weight gain was due to other things.
My problem hasnt been the side effects of the medication I am taking, it is the side effect of the medication I am trying to get off. BP is known to have bad effects when taking antidepressants due to the fact that, that is not the problem, most people need mood stabelizers and then maybe an antidepressant to enhance that. But I wa given an atidepressant at age 14 when i was diagnosed depressed. I have never been able to get off of it. The side effects of the withdrals are worse than anything I have ever gone thru. My Dr. keeps giving me different drugs to counter act the withdrawls but they dont help the withdral effects are too intence. I get dizzy and light headded, my head tingles and my tounge goes numb, I cant focus or function properly, it is hard to talk and many other things thru a normal day. So yes side effects can be BAD but how do you get thru the withdrals from changing meds?
I just read the e-mail on the disgruntled person and responded with a testamonial of my own. I can, however relate to her in part. When something you try and beleive is really going to make a difference fails it can take you down hard emotionally and sometimes physically if you put a lot of time, effort, finance and used up your personal days at work. Since you can’t strike out at the person your trying to help you blame the system, the doctor, the attorney, the judge, etc… The best thing to do is talk it out with someone who is going through similar situation. Then try to step back and examine what went wrong, what might be done differently and was that even the correct step to take? Sometimes things don’t work out as we planned but something good still comes out of it. I myself happen to beleive strongly in prayer and fasting over situations and then giving the results to God to sort out. Anything else would probably push me over the edge!
Before I was switched from Zyprexa (taken for 4 years) to Seroquel, I DID NOT have any weight gain. In fact, on Zyprexa, I went down to 115 (5’9″)! Then, at my insistence, my pdoc put me on Seroquel, which was NOT the medication for me! Once I was put BACK on Zyprexa – I gained 28 pounds in two months!
I am now, arguably, at my “fighting weight” of 136 lbs, but know if my clothes start NOT fitting me, I have to regulate my meds better – or, God forbid – EXERCISE. My shrink does blood work every 3 months for incidence of diabetes, but fortunately, they all come back negative. Having had pancreatitis, I am AFRAID it will come back to haunt me.
As far as the other side effects of meds: I carry with me when I go out on errands, a large University plastic cup of ice tea, which I sip on all day. To be honest, I smoke, so when I “take a drag,” that makes my mouth that much more dry, and I sip on the tea. Sucking on lozenges or hard candy never did much for me.
As far as constipation goes, I take Ex-Lax almost every night. It’s a little harsh, but it gets the job done! I had a MAJOR problem with it about six months ago, and my PCP had to have me take an oral laxative that was VERY uncomfortable. Rather than go through that again, I’m reliant on Ex-Lax.
I don’t have any trouble sleeping at night, but I do have irregular waking times. If I don’t have anything on my schedule for the next day, I admit I’m lazy, and turn over and go back to sleep until the early afternoon.
Because I have “soft bones,” I am ALWAYS afraid of falling, and living alone heightens that fear. Therefore, I am extremely careful about where I’m walking. Of course, sometimes my cats will maneuver around me, or in front of me, throwing me slightly off-balance. This, I have NO control over! As I get older, though, I do have a “fear of fallling!”
Because different people react to meds differently, PLEASE contact your psychiatrist if there are ANY unusual side effects, and DON’T experiment with your meds on your own.
BIG HUGS to all bipolar survivors and those who love us. May God bless you real good. I pray for my country.
I just had an ‘interesting’ discussion with my new psychiatrist. She wants me off ALL the pills, starting tonight. She says they are doing me no good, whatsoever. She said my therapist will help me through this ‘rough period of time,’ but guess what…my therapist was not in today!!
Tonight, I at the point of saying…TO THE HELL WITH PSYCHIATRY, PSYCHOTHERAPY, PSYCHOPHAMACOLOGY….I have been released….I am free….
I followed her instructions and flused the rest of the meds down the drain. I am so done with this!!!!
I don’t even care what happens now. I am so far gone, you would not believe it…..
to the *** with life, too
goodbye all………..forever and ever.
Tried them all, please dont! As an ignorant supporter, I ask you to reconsider. I’ve been the worst supporter ever and I cant take back the things I’ve done to make things worse for the woman I love. I never really knew what was going on with her and took out my frustration on her… after she repeatedly asked me not to take things personally. We’ve known each other for 4 years… 2 pre BP diagnosis and 2 post. The diagnosis was devastating for her and we tried to understand it together. I wasnt prepared… PERIOD! Please dont make your decision based upon what others do to you, how that makes you feel, or even what you percieve that to be. I’ve read the posts here… please talk to the people who have reached out to you. I dont know what she goes through… I only know that I miss her. I love her, and I hate BP!
Dear Tried them All,
First of all I hope your still around to read this… I think your psychiatrist is a bad doctor. Please don’t give up hope, just try another doctor… I gather as your name implies you have tried many, many times to get yourself to feeling better, sometimes it takes more than it takes for others, but I want you to try again, with a different dr. As Dave has said many times, there are good ones and bad ones. It sounds like you came across yet another bad one. Your life is too valuable to throw away just because of a bad doctor’s and bad advice. There is always hope, I can feel your frustration from here. And I don’t mean to say you don’t have a right to feel frustrated, but I can tell you I was once suicidal, and it just took finding the right doctor to stabilize me. Now I could never take my life. I enjoy life… I love life!! And I would hate to die. I used to hate to live and would have loved to die, but it is unstable brain chemistry that is causing you problems and to feel that way, life is worth living… Please stick around with us, we are all pulling for you, I am praying for you… Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. I know you can get this thing under control. I did, but not without finding a good dr. Can you please correspond with me… I will check the board before I go to bed tonight and in the morning…
God bless You! I know it is tough and I know you see no alternatives right now, but they are there! Live is worth living for, You are worth living for… People have died to give you freedom, maybe you can move, maybe you can try another dr. maybe you can just hang in there and just take things one day at a time. One hour at a time. What ever it takes. You will find the peace you are looking for, just keep on trying, coorespond with me and I will help you problem solve… you shall succeed! I did, and I know you can too…
Your Understanding Brother,
Bob
Tried them all,
Forgive the bad language but your pDoc must be a complete tosser or ill her/his self to suggest someone with BP should stop medication and switch to just therapy!! I cannot imagine any sane doc who would even hint that BP is better treated without meds. (Save perhaps for Patch Adams and he’s … not exactly … ummm … conventional!!!)
Get yourself a new doc – give that option a chance before you check out.
This mailing was very helpful. It reminded me of what to do. I take a bunch of supplements, every morning; especially get on a multiple vitamin and mineral supplement, along w/ magnesium and Inositol. One may fast, as long as they eat w/ their med. Fish Oil capsules are very beneficial to the mind; it decreases memory loss and dimensia; all of us could use some of that! A hot, foot bath is a plus, also; relaxing and soothing. Also, a warm bath. Have a blessed New Year, Sara