Hi, how’s it going? I hope things are going well for you today.<\/p>\n
I was just reading on a blog about a person with bipolar disorder who claims to be “just fine” without their meds. To tell you the truth, I find that hard to believe. I believe it’s the medication<\/p>\n
that makes you feel “just fine” when you have bipolar disorder.<\/p>\n
But I was also bothered by some of the responses to this person as well. They got some actual support for stopping their medications! That is so dangerous.<\/p>\n
I would never tell someone who is truly diagnosed with bipolar disorder (and not misdiagnosed) to go off their medications. Like I said, it’s the medications that make you feel better, but if you<\/p>\n
stop them, you’ll go back to the way you felt before!<\/p>\n
I hope this person doesn’t listen to the people advising him to go off his medications, because that can be very dangerous for him.<\/p>\n
Does your loved one do this? Are you struggling with keeping them on their medications? Are they reading blogs like this one that tells you it’s ok to go off your medications without a doctor’s advice?<\/p>\n
First of all, find out why they want to stop taking their meds. Are they experiencing side effects?<\/p>\n
Tell them that the usual side effects from bipolar drugs can be dealt with.<\/p>\n
For example, for dry mouth, just suck on some ice cubes or hard, sugarless candy. For nausea, eat something when you take your medications, and\/or drink something carbonated. For lightheadedness (dizziness), stand up or sit down slowly, and it will usually pass.<\/p>\n
For drowsiness from medications that you’re taking during the day, you need to tell your doctor, as they may have you take them at night (bedtime) instead, and this will resolve the side effect.<\/p>\n
If you have any side effects that are really bothering you, you do need to check with your doctor.<\/p>\n
The answer is probably easier than you think. But most often, the answer will NOT be to go off your medication.<\/p>\n
Your doctor can help you get through the side effects, but you have to tell them about them. It may be that just a dosage change is all that is required to make you feel better. It could be that an additional drug can help stop the side effects. It could be that just changing when you take the medication will solve the problem.<\/p>\n
But it is never the right answer to just go off your medication without working with your doctor on it. Never. It could be life-threatening if you do. If you stop your medications without a doctor’s advice or tapering, it could cause you to go into a bipolar episode, and you might commit suicide. So you really need to report all side effects to your doctor, and let him\/her help you work things out, rather than going off your medications on your own.<\/p>\n
Well, I have to go!<\/p>\n
Your Friend,<\/p>\n
Dave<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Hi, how’s it going? I hope things are going well for you today.<\/p>\n
I was just reading on a blog about a person with bipolar disorder who claims to be “just fine” without their meds. To tell you the truth, I find that hard to believe. I believe it’s the medication<\/p>\n
that makes you feel “just fine” when you have bipolar disorder.<\/p>\n
But I was also bothered by some of the responses to this person as well.<\/p>\n