Hi,<\/p>\n
I was at a bipolar support group meeting the other day and volunteering. A lady came up to me and said that she knew someone who had bipolar disorder for sure and only had to take an antidepressant and she has been stable for years. The lady said that she was going to tell<\/p>\n
everyone at the meeting so they could “save money.”<\/p>\n
I begged her not to do this. I’ll tell you why. First of all, I don’t even know if this lady’s story is true or not. And even if it is, it would be the exception, and not the rule. With bipolar disorder, you want to follow the rule, and not the exception.<\/p>\n
One of the problems with support groups is that one person will say that this medication or that medication was a miracle drug for them, and that everyone should take it and it will work wonders for them, too. But if you listen to that, well, it might not work as good for you. In fact, it might be deadly for you, you never know. That’s why I don’t discuss medications on here. I’m not a doctor, for one thing. And for another thing, it’s like I said: Follow the rules, not the exception.<\/p>\n
Even so, antidepressants are for what they say \u2013 for depression. And depression is only one part of the equation when it comes to bipolar disorder. What about the mania? That\u2019s the other part.<\/p>\n
See what I mean?<\/p>\n
And most people with bipolar disorder are on more than one medication, for another thing.<\/p>\n
This woman, even if her story is true, is NOT a doctor! So who is she to say that her friend’s medication is going to work for everyone at the meeting?<\/p>\n
Listen, you and your loved one have to do what’s right for you. And what’s right, especially when you’re talking about medications, is what\u2019s right for YOU, not someone else and what THEY say is right for you. Besides, what’s right for one person isn’t necessarily what\u2019s right for another person. Everybody is different. Even the same person is different when it comes to different medications. They might respond well to one medication, but have many side effects with another medication.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s why they (or you or your loved one) have to work with their doctor or psychiatrist to find<\/p>\n
the right medication or combination of medications that is right for them (or you).<\/p>\n
Be careful out there \u2013 There are what I call cookie cutter doctors. These are doctors who diagnose people with bipolar disorder and then prescribe the same medication to everyone they diagnose as having bipolar. These are the worst doctors to go to. But they are out there. You don\u2019t want that. But at least they are the exception rather than the rule.<\/p>\n
You want a doctor who is going to take each of their patients with bipolar disorder differently<\/p>\n
and prescribe what\u2019s best for each of them, according to their needs. You want to stick to the rule.<\/p>\n
Well, I have to go!<\/p>\n
Your Friend,<\/p>\n
Dave<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Hi,<\/p>\n
I was at a bipolar support group meeting the other day and volunteering. A lady came up to me and said that she knew someone who had bipolar disorder for sure and only had to take an antidepressant and she has been stable for years. The lady said that she was going to tell<\/p>\n
everyone at the meeting so they could “save money.”<\/p>\n
I begged her not to do this.<\/p>\n