Bipolar Beat

Side Effects Articles

Increased Risk for Wide Range of Health Problems

Tuesday, July 28th, 2009
I just read a press release entitled "Patients With Bipolar Disorder at Increased Risk for Wide Range of Health Problems." The ...

Bipolar Disorder Q&A: Why do I suddenly have lithium toxicity?

Friday, May 22nd, 2009
Sandra C. Asks... I have been diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder for 3 years. I spent one month and many drugs on a psych unit at the hospital where I was an RN on staff. After approximately one year, I got rid of oh so many drugs down to Lithium Carbonate and Ambien for sleep.

Bipolar Disorder Q&A: How quickly should my dose of Lamictal be increased?

Friday, March 13th, 2009
Janine Asks... I was recently prescribed Lamictal and just started today. I've been online doing some research and noticed that a lot of people start off on 25 mg and slowly increase that dose. I currently started today on 100 mg. I'm supposed to take 100 mg a day for a week and then start on 200 mg next week. Is that too much too soon?

Managing Bipolar Medication Side Effects

Tuesday, December 2nd, 2008
Syndicated from the Bipolar Blog Sometimes, you may begin to wonder what’s worse—the depression and mania or the side effects from the medications used to control the depression and mania. In fact, one of the main reasons that people with bipolar disorder stop taking their medications is because they simply can no longer tolerate the negative side effects. And who can blame them? Nobody likes to gain 30 pounds, feel groggy all day, become forgetful, walk around feeling dizzy, shake, twitch, feel nauseous, or have an anxiety attack. Yet, all of these side effects and more are possible with one medication or another used to treat bipolar symptoms.

Preventing and Reversing Weight Gain Associated with Psychiatric Medications

Wednesday, October 22nd, 2008
Many people who carry the bipolar diagnosis also carry something else – extra pounds – primarily due to the medications used to treat mania or depression. Atypical antipsychotics, including Zyprexa and Seroquel; anti-manics, including lithium and Depakote; and even some antidepressants have been known to pack on the pounds, despite a person's best efforts to stay fit and trim.

Bipolar Disorder Q&A: Can My Bipolar Medication Be Increasing My Anxiety?

Tuesday, October 14th, 2008
Question “Do some medications used to treat bipolar disorder actually cause anxiety attacks as a side effect?”

Are You a Victim of Bipolar Diagnosis by Prescription?

Wednesday, August 20th, 2008
Bipolar disorder can be and often is misdiagnosed as unipolar depression (see "52 Percent of Bipolar Patients Receiving Antidepressants as First-Line Treatment?"). This could be a very dangerous misdiagnosis, because many antidepressants used to treat depression can trigger (or "unmask") mania, especially in people who really have Bipolar I. In other words, you could go into your doctor's office feeling depressed and as a result of the anti-depressants experience a manic episode.

Feeling Like a Guinea Pig?

Tuesday, August 5th, 2008
Syndicated from the Bipolar Blog When you begin seeing a psychiatrist (or any physician who manages your bipolar medication), you may begin to feel like a guinea pig. Your doctor tries one medication after another to see which one works and which one doesn't, which one produces the least annoying side effects, and which medications seem to get along best with one another when you're taking multiple medications. You may begin to wonder whether you are the first person on the planet who's been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Shouldn't the medical community know by now what works and what doesn't?!

Candida Fink, M.D. and Joe Kraynak are authors of Bipolar Disorder for Dummies. Pick up the book today!
Best of the Web - Blog 2008

Recent Comments
  • Anonymous: I am a 53 year old woman who has tried many of the anti-depressants menioned here for my depression....
  • Becky: I have bipolar with sleep issues. I have been seesawing back and forth between Ambien CR and Lunesta, mostly...
  • N/A: My mom is bipolar and refuses to get treatment. In her manic state she has rage fits that last several hours of...
  • BipolarII?: I have the exact same symptoms that your husband has. I am 27 years old have only recently discovered...
  • Anna: Oh, one more thing - I encourage those who have a loved one with a mental illness to find a support group,...
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