Can Prozac Help Bipolar Disorder

What Are The 4 Types Of Bipolar

Bipolar Disorder – When Not To Take Antidepressants

Manic depression is a mental disorder characterized by cycles of mania and depression. These cycles are typically linked to the season. The term bipolar disorder is typically preferred over manic depression because it more accurately reflects the nature of the disorder, which is characterized more by extreme highs and lows in mood rather than by any specific type of mood. There are four types of bipolar disorder: * Bipolar I Disorder: Characterized by both manic episodes and depressive episodes, * Bipolar II Disorder: Characterized by both hypomanic episodes and depressive episodes, * Cyclothymia: Characterized by numerous periods of hypomania and major depression, and * Bipolar Disorder, Not Otherwise Specified : Characterized by multiple periods of hypomania and depression that dont meet the diagnostic criteria for a specific type of bipolar disorder..

Types Of Mood Stabilizing Medication

The oldest and most studied of mood stabilizers is lithium. However, many drugs that were first developed as anticonvulsants to treat epilepsy also act as mood stabilizers. These include carbamazepine, divalproex and lamotrigine. Gabapentin and topiramate are also anticonvulsants that may act as mood stabilizers, but they are usually given in addition to other medications.

Lithium

Lithium is found in nature in some mineral waters and is also present in small amounts in the human body.

Lithium is used to treat mania and to prevent further episodes of mania and depression.

Common side-effects of lithium include increased thirst and urination, nausea, weight gain and a fine trembling of the hands. Less common side-effects can include tiredness, vomiting and diarrhea, blurred vision, impaired memory, difficulty concentrating, skin changes and slight muscle weakness. These effects are generally mild and fade as treatment continues. If, however, any of these effects are severe, they should be reported to your doctor immediately. Thyroid and kidney function can be affected by lithium in some people and must be monitored regularly by your doctor.

Changing the amount of salt you use can also affect lithium levels: avoid switching to low- or no-salt diets.

Signs that the amount of lithium in the body is higher than it should be include severe nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, shaking and twitching, loss of balance, slurred speech, double vision and weakness.

Carbamazepine

Lamotrigine

Learning To Recognise Triggers

If you have bipolar disorder, you can learn to recognise the warning signs of an approaching episode of mania or depression.

A community mental health worker, such as a psychiatric nurse, may be able to help you identify your early signs of relapse from your history.

This will not prevent the episode occurring, but itll allow you to get help in time.

This may mean making some changes to your treatment, perhaps by adding an antidepressant or antipsychotic medicine to the mood-stabilising medication youre already taking.

Your GP or specialist can advise you on this.

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Efficacy Of Lamotrigine: Dysfunction Of Neural Network In Bipolar Depression

The detailed investigations in the study showed that anticonvulsant activity of the antiepileptic drugs such as lamotrigine and valproic acid is conferred to the inhibition of the brain activation caused by the reduced excitability of the motor cortex induced by TMS stimulation. However, lamotrigine exerts a different action in the prefrontal corticolimbic system on TMS stimulation which shows that lamotrigine differs from valproic acid in molecular mechanisms of action as increased TMS-induced BOLD response was observed in corticolimbic circuits when TMS was applied over the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex . This contrasting neurological effects of lamotrigine on the excitability of prefrontal and motor circuits shows some relevance to the drugs efficacy in the treatment of bipolar disorder and epilepsy respectively . Thus, lamotrigine, anticonvulsant drug, was found to exert a positive effect on the activity of the corticolimbic circuits in patients with bipolar disorder.

Prozac is used to treat depression , obsessive-compulsive disorder and chronic pain. In addition, it is used to treat eating disorders such as bulimia nervosa and binge-eating disorder . Prozac is in a class of medications called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors . This medication works by restoring the balance of serotonin, a natural substance in the brain that helps maintain mental stability..

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Prozac And Herbs And Supplements

Prozac can interact with several herbs and supplements.

Prozac and St. Johns wort

Doctors will typically advise that you do not take St. Johns wort with Prozac. St. Johns wort is an herb thought to have antidepressant effects. Some people may refer to it as a natural Prozac.

Taking St. Johns wort in combination with Prozac can increase the risk of a serious side effect called serotonin syndrome. This is a rare, dangerous condition caused by a buildup of a chemical called serotonin in your body. Both St. Johns wort and Prozac can raise your serotonin levels.

Additionally, taking St. Johns wort with Prozac could increase the level of Prozac in your body. This could further increase your risk of side effects of the drug.

Your doctor can help answer any questions you have about Prozac and St. Johns wort.

Prozac and tryptophan

Taking tryptophan supplements with Prozac can increase the risk of a serious side effect called serotonin syndrome. This is a rare, dangerous condition caused by a buildup of a chemical called serotonin in your body. Both tryptophan and Prozac can raise your serotonin levels.

If youre interested in taking tryptophan with Prozac, discuss this with your doctor.

Prozac and melatonin

Prozac hasnt been studied with melatonin, so its not known if its safe to take it with Prozac.

If youre interested in taking melatonin with Prozac, be sure to discuss this with your doctor first.

Trouble Controlling Body Temperature

Olanzapine , like all antipsychotics, can make it harder for your body to cool down once your body temperature gets high. This makes it more likely for you to become dehydrated. Let your healthcare provider know if you notice a change in the amount of sweat or urine you make or if you notice very dark-colored urine.

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Accessible Labels And Containers

If your prescription label is hard to read, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. Some pharmacies offer labels that have large print, braille, or a code you scan with a smartphone to convert text to speech. If your local pharmacy doesnt have these options, your doctor or pharmacist may be able to direct you to one that does.

If you have trouble opening medication bottles, ask your pharmacist if they can put Prozac in an easy-open container. They also may be able to recommend tools that can make it simpler to open lids.

How Quickly Does Prozac Work For Anxiety

What Is Bipolar Disorder?

Like other antidepressant medications, you have to take Prozac for some time before you begin to feel better. While some patients report a decrease in their anxiety symptoms after just a few weeks of regularly taking the medication, most do not experience relief until 6 to 8 weeks into their treatment.

What Are The Side Effects Of Olanzapine

With any medication, there are risks and benefits. Even if the medication is working, you may experience some unwanted side effects.

Contact your doctor immediately if you experience any of the following:

Severe allergic reactions: swelling of the face, tongue, or throat, difficulty breathing
Stroke: numbness or weakness typically on one side of the body, loss of balance, headache, blurred vision, difficulty speaking
Serious brain and nerves reaction: high fever, muscle stiffness, confusion, sweating, changes in pulse, heart rate, and blood pressure
Uncontrollable movements of the face, tongue, or other body parts that may not go away or start after you stop taking olanzapine
Extremely high blood sugar levels: increased hunger or thirst, urination problems
Low white blood cell count: flu-like symptoms or infections

voice change

vomiting

Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.

Does Prozac Help With Mood Swings

Yes, having a long term treatment with Prozac helps with mood swings. Prozac is a popular antidepressant medication which also boasts of great results in treating mood swings. It comes in various forms like tablets, liquid, injection and even patches. You need to get the prescription for this medicine from your doctor or rather a Psychiatrist. Usually, this medication is the first line of treatment for those with mood swings. Continued medication for atleast six months to one year is required for you to see the clinical improvement..

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Does Lamotrigine Interact With Any Medications Or Other Substances

Certain other drugs can affect the way lamotrigine works in your body by decreasing its effectiveness or delaying its excretion from your body. These include hormonal birth control methods, estrogen-containing contraceptives, hormone treatments, the antibiotic rifampin, seizure medications such as phenobarbital, and valproic acid, which is also used to treat bipolar disorder.

Your doctor will carefully prescribe and monitor your dosage when lamotrigine is taken with other treatments. Avoid alcohol, cannabis, and other substances that can increase dizziness or drowsiness while taking lamotrigine. To rule out dangerous side effects, discuss all other medications or mind-altering substances you consume with your doctor before taking lamotrigine.

One recent British study found that folic acid supplements can cancel out lamotrigines benefits . “No one expected that result, as folic acid usually helps depression, and other medications, like valproate ,” says Dr. Aiken. “More research is needed before we can fully trust this result, but until then, we recommend taking lamotrigine without any folic acid supplements, including those found in multivitamins. Once youre doing well on lamotrigine, if you decided to add folic acid, watch out for a potential loss of benefits.”

What Happens If You Are Bipolar And Take Antidepressants

The Role Of Benzodiazepines In The Treatment Of Anxiety

Antidepressants can trigger mania in people with bipolar disorder. If antidepressants are used at all, they should be combined with a mood stabilizer such as lithium or valproic acid. Taking an antidepressant without a mood stabilizer is likely to trigger a manic episode. Antidepressants can increase mood cycling.

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Why Is Prozac So Bad

Prozac is bad for many reasons. First of all, its basically just a placebo. The chemical in it doesnt even work on most people, so its basically just a chemical imbalance placebo drug. Secondly, it has lots of side effects, including death. Thirdly, it doesnt even work as a placebo. People taking it tend to be more annoyed and irritable instead of less. No wonder there are so many mass shootings by people on Prozac..

The Importance Of Regular Blood Tests

If you take lithium, its important to have regular blood tests to make sure your dose is in the effective range. Doses that are too high can be toxic. When you first start taking it, your doctor may check your blood levels once or twice a week. When the right dose has been determined and your levels are steady, its still important to get blood tests every two to three months, since many things can cause your lithium levels to change. Even taking a different brand of lithium can lead to different blood levels.

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Bottom Line From Practical Anxiety Solutions

Bipolar disorder is a widespread mental illness that should need medical attention immediately it is considered two episodes of manic and depression people will continue ongoing both in different periods the drug Prozac will be effective in treating bipolar disorder.

It belongs to the antidepressant medication. It has the properties of reabsorbing the natural substance and allowing you to feel calm and relaxed.

Before taking medicine, consult your doctor about any other medications you currently use inform your doctor about your health history. To avoid prior side effects.

Can You Use Lamictal And Prozac For Bipolar Disorder

An Update on Treatment of Bipolar Depression

The Optimistminds editorial team is made up of psychologists, psychiatrists and mental health professionals. Each article is written by a team member with exposure to and experience in the subject matter. The article then gets reviewed by a more senior editorial member. This is someone with extensive knowledge of the

In this blog post, we are going to answer the question, Can you use Lamictal and Prozac for bipolar disorder?. Lamictal is a mood stabiliser and Prozac is an antidepressant. Both of these meds are approved for the management and treatment of Bipolar disorder.

In fact, the combination of Lamictal and Prozac can be used for the better management and treatment of this mental health illness. However, these meds may cause some side effects. Lets discuss these two in detail.

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Study To Check The Efficacy Of Prozac For Bipolar Disorder:

Jay D Amsterdam and Justine Shults conducted a study to compare the efficacy of Prozac and Lithium therapy on people suffering from Bipolar disorder II.

The study was conducted on people recovering from a major depressive episode and was medicated with 10-40 mg Prozac, 300-1200 mg Lithium, and Placebo daily for 50 weeks. This procedure aimed to measure the time to relapse and frequency of hypomanic symptoms.

The number of people assigned Prozac, Lithium, and Placebo was 28,26 and 27, respectively. After conducting the study, it was observed that the meantime of relapse for the medications was as follows:

Prozac/ Fluoxetine: 249.9 days
Lithium: 156.4 days
Placebo: 186.9 days.

Also, the hazard of relapse due to Lithium was about 2.5 times greater than that of Prozac. Thus, the result of the study showed that long-term Prozac monotherapy could be beneficial and provide better relapse prevention than other lithium monotherapy after bipolar disorder.

How Much Prozac Should I Take For Bipolar

Prozac is one of the most prescribed medicines for depression, as well as for anxiety and other conditions. With other antidepressants, Prozac has been found helpful in the treatment of panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, PTSD and social phobia, as well as premenstrual dysphoric disorder. Prozac is not approved for the treatment of any medical condition but is widely prescribed for mental conditions. Prozac does not cure these mental conditions. It restores the chemical balance in the brain that is responsible for the symptoms of each disorder. While Prozac can cause many side effects, most of them are minor and will go away in time. There is always a chance that taking Prozac could trigger a manic episode. This is a very rare but serious occurrence. If you are taking Prozac and have experienced this reaction, stop taking Prozac and contact your physician..

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What Should I Know About Storage And Disposal Of This Medication

Keep this medication in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of reach of children. Store it at room temperature and away from light, excess heat, and moisture .

It is important to keep all medication out of sight and reach of children as many containers are not child-resistant and young children can open them easily. To protect young children from poisoning, always lock safety caps and immediately place the medication in a safe location â one that is up and away and out of their sight and reach.

Unneeded medications should be disposed of in special ways to ensure that pets, children, and other people cannot consume them. However, you should not flush this medication down the toilet. Instead, the best way to dispose of your medication is through a medicine take-back program. Talk to your pharmacist or contact your local garbage/recycling department to learn about take-back programs in your community. See the FDA’s Safe Disposal of Medicines website for more information if you do not have access to a take-back program.

Is Prozac For Bipolar 2

Depression is a serious mental health disorder for which psychiatric care should be sought. The term bipolar disorder is used to describe a condition in which the person alternates between periods of depressed mood, lethargy and the inability to function and periods of elevated mood, where the individual feels hyperactive, excessively happy and very self-confident. In technical terms, it is described as cyclothymic disorder. The commonest form of bipolar disorder is bipolar I disorder, which is characterized by the presence of at least one manic episode, that is, an abnormally elevated mood that may last for a few days. The person may also suffer from depressive episode in which he/she experiences a depressed mood. Sometimes, there may be more than one manic/depressive episode within a year. This is sometimes described as bipolar II disorder. Sometimes, the disorder may be typified by severe depressive symptoms without any manic episodes. In such cases, the condition may be described as major depressive disorder with psychotic features..

Can You Live With Bipolar Without Medication

Yes, you can live with bipolar without medication. Medication is only one of the treatment options available for bipolar disorder and it is not the only one that can prove effective. However, meds can be quite helpful if you dont want to go through the struggle of dealing with bipolar disorder. Also, some people are resistant to meds and prefer holistic treatment options instead..

Tips For Getting The Most Out Of Medication For Bipolar Disorder

Avoid antidepressants. The treatment for bipolar depression is different than for regular depression. In fact, antidepressants can actually make bipolar disorder worse or trigger a manic episode. Try mood stabilizers first and never take antidepressants without them.

Take advantage of natural mood stabilizers. Your lifestyle can have a huge impact on your symptoms. If you make healthy daily choices, you may be able to reduce the amount of medication you need. Mood stabilizers that don’t require a prescription include keeping a strict sleep schedule, exercising regularly, practicing relaxation techniques, and developing a solid support system.

Add therapy to your treatment plan. Research shows that people who take medication for bipolar disorder tend to recover much faster and control their moods better if they also get therapy. Therapy gives you the tools to cope with life’s difficulties, monitor your progress, and deal with the problems bipolar disorder is causing in your personal and professional life.

Continue taking medication, even after you feel better. The likelihood of having a relapse is very high if you stop taking your bipolar medication. Suddenly stopping medication is especially dangerous. Talk to your doctor before you make any changes, even if you believe you no longer need medication. Your doctor can help you make any adjustments safely.

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