Effects Of Lithium And Lamotrigine On Pregnant Bipolar Women

Not taking medicine at all or taking the wrong medication will increase mood swings, lower the performance in school, work, and other activities, effect one’s social life. Medicines usually include mood stabilizer such as risperidone, anticonvulsant like lamictal. Some patients who is diagnosed with bipolar II may need antidepressant. The patient has to give the medicine time to work it may take four to six weeks. Along with medication, the patient needs psychotherapy. Therapy is constant help and support for the patients, which may help influence and help cope as well.

Medication is the first line of defense in treating bipolar disorder. Traditionally, lithium was the drug of choice for bipolar patients. Though lithium is still used

According www.HealthyPlace.com to the efficacy of LATUDA was established in a 6-week monotherapy study and a 6-week adjunctive therapy study with lithium or valproate in adult patients with bipolar depression.

There was one time that bipolar patients were treated with lithium. According to Whitaker, Guy Goodwin, a Scottish psychiatrist concluded “… if patients were exposed to lithium and then quit taking it within the first two years, the risk of relapse was so great that the drug

Antipsychotic drugs such lithium is one that is commonly prescribed to help reduce anger, threatening behavior, outbursts, and combativeness in ASPD. It alters sodium transport and inhibits neuronal signaling that dials down the activity of hyperactive circuits involved in producing mania (Vallerand, Sanoski, & Deglin, 2017). Lithium dosage is PO in tablets or capsules at 300-600mg TID for adults but precise dosing is based on serum lithium levels. Side effects include polyuria, polydipsia, diarrhea, mild ataxia, leukocytosis, renal toxicity, drowsiness, and weight gain.

Bipolar Disorder is a mental illness in which a person's mood alternates between extreme mania and depression. Bipolar disorder is also called manic-depressive illness. In a related disorder called cyclothymic disorder (sometimes called Bipolar III), a person's mood alternates between mild depression and mild mania. Some people with cyclothymic disorder later develop full-blown bipolar disorder. Rates of bipolar disorder are similar throughout the world. At least fifteen percent of people with bipolar disorder commit suicide. Bipolar disorder is much less common than depression. Many people with bipolar disorder function normally between episodes. Medications known as "mood stabilizers" are usually prescribed by

Lithium Carbonate is the most commonly drug that is prescribed for treating bipolar disorder (May, Hickey, Triantis, Palazidou, & Kyriacou, 2015). It works as a mood stabilizer that significantly reduces excessive behaviors and suicidal tendencies. However, the way that lithium exerts its impact on mood is still unknown. One study suggests that key of lithium therapeutic actions are the neuroprotective effects (Malhi, Tanious, Das, Coulston, & Berk 2013). For instance, lithium has been demonstrated to decrease the oxidative stress that involves in multiple episodes of mania and depression. Other study recommends that lithium stabilize electrical

The association between Wnt and bipolar disorder has recently been supported by biological evidence that increasing the levels of GSk-3β reverses the effects of lithium in the body. This is a direct explanation of how lithium and other drugs are effective in the treatment of bipolar patients.

As stated in the article "Bipolar Disorder: Myths and Facts", for a treatment plan, "an individual cannot just snap out of [bipolar disorder]". As with other conditions, treatment for bipolar disorder may need to be changed or modified if a woman is pregnant or planning to become pregnant because of the complications that medications can cause for the fetus ("Bipolar Disorder Health Center"). A "combination of medication, therapy, lifestyle changes, and social support" is recommended for the treatment of bipolar disorder (Smith and Segal). For the medication part of a treatment plan, a few medications that can be used are Lithium, anti-convulsants, anti-psychotics, Symbyax, or Benzodiazepine. Lithium and anti-convulsants are mood stabilizers and they try to prevent the highs and lows of episodes from occurring in an individual. Anti-psychotics can assist people who aren't helped by anti-convulsants or anti-depressants. A downside to this type of medication is the individual may go into a manic episode, but this effect may be halted if taken with a mood stabilizer. Symbyax is a medication that combines an anti-depressant and anti-psychotic together to work as a treatment for depression and mood stabilization ("Bipolar Disorder" Mayoclinic). Several therapies have been used for

There are multiple different types of medications that have been used to help patients that face bipolar disorder, however the most popular of these medications is lamotrigine or also known as lamictal. Lamotrigine, a chemically produced drug, is within the class of anticonvulsants (drugs that are used for epileptic seizures), with its chemical name being 3,5-diamino-6-(2,3-dichlorophenyl)-as-triazine. Lamotrigine is described as white or a cream colored powder that can be induced through oral or chewable tablets. These tablets can be taken with or without at the discretion of the person (RxList., 2017).

There are not nearly as many treatments for bipolar disorder. In fact, there is only one treatment that seems to have lasting effects. This treatment uses therapy with a professional coupled with medications. “Antibipolar drugs, also called mood stabilizers, help steady the mood of those with a bipolar disorder” (Chapter 2, 2009). The advances in treatment are due to the discovery of lithium as a medication. This drug works extremely well to eliminate manic episodes and even help with the depression. The drugs

1. Lithobid also known as lithium carbonate is used for the treatment of manic episodes associated with Bipolar Disorder. Each extended release tablet contains 300mg of lithium carbonate. Due to its formulation, the lithium carbonate is slowly released into the bloodstream over a period of time with the ultimate goal of reaching serum concentrations between 1.0 and 1.5 mEq/L. It is important to understand the drug formulation because if toxicity occurs, activated charcoal will not bind to an ionic compound like lithium carbonate.

Lithium is a top choice for acute mania and for maintenance in ‘classic’ bipolar disorder. Because of its narrow therapeutic range, blood levels must be monitored; also heart and kidney function (EKG, blood and urine tests). Medications such as diuretics, that block its excretion require caution.