I have Bi-Polar Disorder but hate taking my meds. what alernatives are there?
139140
there are no alternatives to meds that i know of. if your meds help you mentally then you need them. the problem with you stomach is possibly due to the fact that the dosage is to high. or maybe you have developed a stomach ulcer that your medication is a irritant to. i would suggest consulting you dr. asap because it can only get worse. ask him to possible give you a sample of previcid it is a med. for all sorts of stomach irritants. or ask him to switch you to another brand of meds.
157521
I haven't been diagnosed with anything but I myself suffer from bi-polar disorder and depression.  I think that medication to doctor who you are, is stupid.  I manage to be myself, to live my life, to hold a job and an apartment and I do it all alone.  I'm not into taking medication and altering who I am.  I was dealt this hand in life and I'm just trying to stay in the game.  It sucks but hey, I smoke lots of weed.  That helps.
399410
i have bi-polar and had odd. i am only 20 years old and completely in control. The best thing to do is to start medication even if it is for just a short time to help her get in control to where she can help herself. The medicine doctor will also suggest counsiling and since you daughter is under age you will be in the room with them and you can talk about things together.
832500
crystal-hun i believe u need to c your doc asap these meds r serious and they know how to dispense them just b upfront with him and tell him all u feel dont hide nuttin from him dont think theres to many folks that are not on any antidepressant's drugs in this day and age...good luck happy holidays
476338
I'm surprised that your doctor can't provide any answers. Is this a your primary care doctor or a psychiatrist? Your primary care doc may not have the best information, but if it's your psychiatrist, geez... \n\nGo back and get more specific. Ask for options or reading material. Do a Web search (www.webmd.com is a good place to start), and get your own information. Sometimes you have to take charge of your own care. \n\nYou also should ask the school about adaptive teaching for you. This is a disability and they can make accommodations. My son has ADHD and needs extra time to complete papers becuase he has trouble focusing. He also takes his exams with a headphone playing classical music. It helps keep him from getting distracted by other things in the classroom. \n\nGood luck, and I wish I could offer more insight. I know there are medications for this, but you already may be taking them. One key is to take them all the time. People with bi-polar disorder tend to drop the meds when they're in the "good mood" phase.
252096
I wish i knew, i need to know, but i don't want to take any meds.
784244
I don't know anything about you, including your diagnosis and I"m not a doctor, BUT neither of those medications is clinically proven effective at treating Type I Bipolar (specifically manic episodes).  The med noncompliance is also complicating the picture of how your meds are helping you.\n\nTopamax has cognitive dulling/flattening as a common side effect and anxiety is a withdrawal symptom of going off zoloft. I think you need a second opinion on your meds (find something more effective, like Lamictal for Bipolar Type II?  when it levels you out, it prevents you from getting depressed as a result). Then, a good therapist will help you come up with strategies for keeping compliant with your meds.\n\nMy personal experience? Going on and off meds is BAD news. It's as bad a roller coaster ride as mood swings themselves. Finding the right doc and the right meds is the most important thing in the world and it makes the effort to stay on them worth it, even if it requires therapy.\n\nSee link--Topamax isn't labeled for treatment of mania. No docs I know will use it for such. If you have type II AND a weight problem it might make sense, but otherwise I'd get a second opinion.
687746
I know alot of people that are bi-polar. I am an addict and I go to NA meetings every night. I have now been clean for 15 months and counting. a lot of the addict there are bi-polar. they do take prescriptions for bi-polar and they really seem to help ALONG WITH THE MEETINGS. Maybe your friend should try meetings. you can look them up on-line. some also welcome supporting family and friends.
1144373
This is only a suggestion.  Get away from the psychiatrists and psychiatric drugs.  Read the book, "Dianetics, The Modern Science of Mental Health".  It is available in all the major bookstores and only costs about $6 in paperback.  Reading it may give you some insights on why you have these reactions.  It worked for me :)
711564
Yeah you should check with your doctor.  Bipolar is a very severe illness and you shouldn't ingest anything without knowing what affect it will have on your mood
996526
This could be several things.  Most likely it is anxiety disorder.  You should see your physician and explain your symptoms to your doctor.  There is medications out that will help you to control the jitters and control the mood swings.  There may be some underlying depression as well.  There are medications that can control the anxiety and depression. There is also a possiblity that you could suffer from Bi-Polar Disorder.  Bi-Polar tendancies tend to suffer from ups and downs in mood.  One minute you will be happy and in 5 minutes you could be angry or sad.  Bi-Polar Disorder is a very serious disorder and you should seek medical attention immediately.  Many cases of Bi-polar disorder have suicidal thoughts.  With Bi-Polar disorder, it is very difficult for the person to "get ahold" of their emotions and will sometimes act out in a violent manner, causing harm to themselves or others.  You should really check with your physician.
1060205
I seriously am the same way and I have no idea how to control it naturally, I'm beginning to think we can't. I REFUSE to take any medicine and I just wish there was something else.
782157
Nooo, don't do it. Lamictal is an anticonvulsant and technically Lithium is an antpsychotic, but both are used as mood satbilisers. Hwever, Lamictal is also a fairly effective antidepressant.\n\nI presume you are talking about St John's Wort, which is a natural antidepressant. You are right to be concerned, because there is no control over the concentration or purity of non-regulated supplements, and this could play havoc with your meds and put you at risk of serotonin syndrome. If you need a lift, then talk to your doc about adding an antidepressant to your mix.
1030430
you can alter your neurochemistry with drugs for things like depression or anxiety, but it sounds more like you are asking for a "cool pill". there are illegal drugs which lower your inhibitions, but taking them has terrible consequences, like potentially dying!\n\nif you are not comfortable with yourself, i'd recommend psychotherapy.
508461
You can try this one.\n\nwww.BipolarSupporter.com
1075928
First off, don't stop taking medicine. It's easy to feel like you don't need it -- when things are going good -- but if you look back over your life, you will see that the worst times usually coincide with times when you didn't have your meds (at least this is true for me). \n\nAs for alternative things, my doctor and I collaborated and I tried including Flax seed oil in my diet, which has really worked. Over the past ten years, I've been able to greatly reduce my dependence on meds and get really solid control. Since then, both of my daughters have tried it and it's helped them to. My understanding is that it helps balance your lipid system (which carries the lithium you have -- however much that is -- around your body). \n\nStill, don't just quit your meds. Consult your doc, add the flax seed (2 TBSP twice a day), wait a couple of weeks (takes about two weeks to really work), then see if your doc thinks you can back down your meds.\n\nMore info: http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.com/elleth/adbb/forums/showthread.php?t=7576\n\nGood luck!\n~Tia~\nLive from the big, purple brain\nhttp://advision.webevents.yahoo.com/asktheplanet/brain.html
420895
I am bi-polar. I take my medication daily and have learned to relate to life without abnormal depression, as in my past. I now own my own business and am very lucrative. Happily married, and life is good now. It took years of Doctor's misdiagnosis' to find the right med for me, but am fine now and proud that I faced it after 9 years of wondering why I felt "different".\n\n"Bi-polar" disease is actually a chemical deficiency in the brain It Is Not A Mental Illness Like People Think..., actually it's a chemical problem and nothing to be ashamed of, I'm not. I do NOT see a psychiatrist, it's maintained by my regular family doctor.\nThe general public is not well educated on this chemical imbalance-it's not mental illness. It's physiological.