7 Questions You Need To Ask About Bipolar Medication
By David Oliver, Thu Dec 8th
One of the most critical parts of bipolar treatment ismedication. Without the correct medication, you or your lovedone may go in and out of episodes without long periods ofstability in between. However, even once your doctor has helpedyou find the right medication for you, there are still someimportant questions you need to ask about that drug. 1. Is a small overdose dangerous? Sometimes individuals taketheir medications incorrectly by accident. They may take thepills too close together or take too many pills at one time.With many medications, these small overdoses don't pose a threatto your system. Other drugs are more powerful and can causeserious harm to your body if you take more than prescribed.While it's never a good idea to deliberately overdo medication,you need to know what might happen if it accidentally occurs. 2. Will there be withdrawal or rebound effects from the previousmedication? Generally, if you are trying a new medication, thenyou'll need to be taken off of the previous medication you wereusing. In some cases, something as simple as switching drugs canbe quite difficult for the patient. Prescription medications canbe addictive and quitting "cold turkey" can sometimes result inserious withdrawal effects, including rebound symptoms (meaningthe treated condition
comes back with greater intensity). Yourdoctor should advise you about the potential for withdrawaland/or rebound effects.
3. Is there a major FDA warning about the drug? When you takeany type of prescription medication, it's a good idea to payattention to the news. As we've seen in recent months, a fewdrugs that are being sold can cause significant problems forpatients. If the FDA puts out a warning about your medication,you want to know about it so you can speak to your doctor aboutthe potential dangers. By paying attention to the news, you canensure that you won't be the last one to find out about thesetype of developments. 4. Does the drug interact with any other medications/supplementsyou are taking? Problems with drug interaction should be takenvery seriously by you, your doctor, and your pharmacist becauseit can cause serious health problems and even death. When youtalk to your doctor or pharmacist about your prescription, makesure you tell them the names of all the medications you arecurrently taking, including both prescription andover-the-counter types. You should also ask about potential druginteraction difficulties between the medication and any vitaminsor herbal supplements that you take regularly. 5. Do you need to take the medication at a specific time eachday? What happens if you don't? In many cases, the effects ofyour medication are determined by the time of day when you takethem. For example, if you take some types of drugs too late inthe evening they may interfere with your ability to sleep or towake up in the morning easily. Make sure you talk to your doctorabout exactly how you should be taking your medication, as wellas the ramifications for deviating from that schedule. 6. Will the drug alter your motor vehicle skills, mood, orbehavior? Medications are used to treat certain problems butthat doesn't mean there aren't sometimes unforeseen consequencesof taking the drug. Many prescriptions come with warnings aboutnot using heavy machinery or driving a motor vehicle whiletaking the drugs. Doctors may also alert patients that the drugmay cause them to be grumpy or to have other mood changes. Takethese warnings seriously and let those around you know of thepotential changes. 7. What side effects should I watch for? What if the sideeffects worsen? Today, medications often cause mild side effectsin patients, such as nausea or sleepiness. Your doctor andpharmacist should tell you what those side effects are. If theydon't, you need to ask so you'll know what to expect. You shouldalso find out about potential serious side effects, such as anincrease in heart attack risk or the possibility of liverdamage. If you experience intense side effects after staring adrug, you should talk to your doctor immediately. About the author:David Oliver is the founder of BipolarCentral.com, a one-stopsource of information on how to cope and deal with bipolardisorder. Sign up for one of his FREE Mini Courses on bipolar byvisiting FreeBipolarCourse.com
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