trileptal bipolar
Treatment for bipolar disorder usually consists of bipolar medications. Often, drugs are used in combination to achieve effective results, and may take a period of trying different medications before the proper medication or drug combination is bipolar to accommodate the person.
Due to bipolar mood swings often move between periods of mania and depression, mood stabilizers may be needed along with antidepressants, but caution should be exercised as for some there is a real risk of depression change a mood elevation, and this change may have negative consequences in the treatment long term.
Some of the most common medications for bipolar disorder * include —
Mood Stabilizers
The most common and used to be —
Lithium
Valproate or valproate (Epilim or Depakote),
Lamotrigine (Lamictal or Lamictin)
Olanzapine (Zyprexa )
Quetiapine (Seroquel)
Carbamazepine (Tegretol)
There is some evidence for the use of oxcarbazapine (Trileptal), whereas topiramate (Topamax) and gabapentin are not listed value.
Antipsychotics
Most commonly used are —
Olanzapine (Zyprexa)
Risperidone (Risperdal)
Quetiapine (Seroquel)
Aripiprazole (Abilify)
Ziprasidone (Zeldox)
Antipsychotic drugs are used in the treatment of mania and some have also been effective in treating depression and preventing recurrence of episodes. Sometimes they are used to relieve anxiety and difficulty sleeping.
* All medications have a generic name – this is related to its chemical composition. All medications also have a mark or trade name that is given by the pharmaceutical company. Generic names are consistent across countries, however, the brand name varies, we have included some familiar brand names on this list in brackets ().
For more articles on bipolar disorder and a bipolar Online Self Help Moodswings visit program.
Sue Lauder is a psychologist who has worked in the area of bipolar disorder for the past 6 years.
She has worked on the development and implementation of a group program for bipolar disorder and is a co-author of Living with Bipolar published by Allen and Unwin.
MoodSwings adapts the effective group program to an online format and is the basis for her PhD.
Abilify for Bipolar Disorder
