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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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What Is The Medication For Bipolar Disorder?

Hi I am a 28 year old male who is bipolar, I have been on many medications for this and now I am haveing bad depression. Let me first say that I have had now thought of hurting myself or others but I miss the feeling of being happy and not sleeping all the time. I recently tried the bath salts that are being sold as a drug in tobacco shops and this significally helped my situation. I am not useing these anymore but was wondering if there was a medication that would give me the happy feelings and energy that they gave me without the risks involved.
Wed, 23 Jul 2014
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Psychiatrist 's  Response
Hi, thanks for the query; If you are a diagnosed case of bipolar disorder; what you need is a mood stabilizer type medication which shall prevent cycling from depression to mania & help you maintain a normal (euthymic) state. There are various mood stabilizers available & depending upon your clinical profile, your history of response to previous medications & whether you have any substance use (alcohol, tobacco, cannabis etc.) habits etc. In my opinion, Lithium & Sodium valproate (divalproate sodium) are best amongst the available mood stabilizer medications & lithium is typically effective to prevent depressive relapses. There are others like quetiapine, olanzapine+ fluoxetine combination, lamotrigine which are approved for bipolar depression. You should consult your Psychiatrist for which of these are suitable for you to relieve your depressive symptoms. Also, try to maintain a balanced lifestyle in form of fixed sleeping & waking times, avoiding substance use, daily physical exercise, sharing any stressful event with friends, close confidants. This will also help you prevent relapses. Good Luck
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What Is The Medication For Bipolar Disorder?

Hi, thanks for the query; If you are a diagnosed case of bipolar disorder; what you need is a mood stabilizer type medication which shall prevent cycling from depression to mania & help you maintain a normal (euthymic) state. There are various mood stabilizers available & depending upon your clinical profile, your history of response to previous medications & whether you have any substance use (alcohol, tobacco, cannabis etc.) habits etc. In my opinion, Lithium & Sodium valproate (divalproate sodium) are best amongst the available mood stabilizer medications & lithium is typically effective to prevent depressive relapses. There are others like quetiapine, olanzapine+ fluoxetine combination, lamotrigine which are approved for bipolar depression. You should consult your Psychiatrist for which of these are suitable for you to relieve your depressive symptoms. Also, try to maintain a balanced lifestyle in form of fixed sleeping & waking times, avoiding substance use, daily physical exercise, sharing any stressful event with friends, close confidants. This will also help you prevent relapses. Good Luck