Living With Bipolar Disorder
Page Highlights
- Work with your doctor
- Follow your treatment plan
- Reduce stress and stay on a routine
When symptoms of bipolar disorder take control, looking beyond a single day may
sometimes seem too much to handle. Remember, bipolar disorder is a lifelong
illness. To be able to manage it, you have to make good decisions over the long
term.
Work With Your Doctor
No two people with bipolar disorder are exactly alike. In order to best help you
manage this illness, your health care team (doctor, therapist, etc.) needs to
understand how the illness affects you and how you respond to prescribed
bipolar disorder medications.1 Here are some tips:
- Be prepared for medical appointments and show up on time
- Tell your doctor if you want to stop taking your medication
- Tell your doctor about any side effects you may experience
- Tell your doctor if you are having eating or sleeping problems
- Tell your doctor about mood changes you or others have noticed
Follow Your Bipolar Disorder Treatment Plan
Many people with bipolar disorder end up sicker than they need to be. This is
often because they choose not to take their medicine or choose not to undergo
therapy.1 Here are some reasons why:
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People with bipolar disorder may experience side effects from a medication1
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People who are in the high of a mania state may not want a bipolar disorder
medication to “bring them down,” because they like the way they are feeling1
and don’t recognize the problems mania is causing
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People with bipolar disorder may not see themselves as ill. Or, they do not
think they are sick enough to need medicine1 or to seek therapy
If you have concerns about bipolar disorder medication side effects, talk to
your doctor. Maybe he or she can change your medication or change the dose.
If you often forget to take your medicine, ask a family member or a close friend
to remind you.
Reduce Stress
Life is full of things that can cause stress. People with bipolar disorder may
find that an episode of depression or mania might start right after they have
been under more stress than usual.1
Talk to your doctor about different kinds of stress and ask for suggestions
about how to cope.1
Major life changes can be stressful, whether they are positive (good) or
negative (bad) changes. For example:
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Positive major life changes or events—a move to a new
home, a marriage, a promotion or a new job, the birth of a child, a sudden
windfall of money, vacations
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Negative major life changes or events—the death of a loved one
or pet, a failed relationship, a medical illness in yourself or a loved one,
loss of money, or injury or accident
Follow a Regular Routine
Getting regular sleep is important for people with bipolar disorder. Disturbed
sleep is known to be a trigger of mania.1 Do your best to go to bed
at the same time each night and rise at the same time each morning. Make sure
you eat regular meals and get regular exercise. If you take medicine, try to
take it at the same time every day. And make sure to make time in your life for
things you enjoy!1
Avoid Substance Abuse
People with bipolar disorder may be more likely to engage in substance abuse. This
kind of behavior is always unhealthy and especially bad for people with bipolar
disorder. Among other things, substance abuse may trigger episodes of illness
and make episodes last longer or cause a person to have a worse outcome.1,2
It’s not easy to admit that you have a problem with alcohol or other drugs, but
if you do, the sooner you get help, the sooner you may get better.
Treatment for Bipolar Disorder
This is not a complete summary of safety information. Please discuss the full
Prescribing Information with your health care provider.
SEROQUEL is approved for depressive episodes and acute manic episodes in bipolar
disorder; long-term maintenance treatment of bipolar disorder in combination
with lithium or divalproex; and schizophrenia.
Elderly patients with dementia-related psychosis (having lost touch with
reality due to confusion and memory loss) treated with this type of medicine
are at an increased risk of death, compared to placebo (sugar pill). SEROQUEL
is not approved for treating these patients.
Antidepressants have increased the risk of suicidal thoughts and actions in
some children, teenagers, and young adults. Patients of all ages starting
treatment should be watched closely for worsening of depression, suicidal
thoughts or actions, unusual changes in behavior, agitation, and irritability.
Families and caregivers should watch patients daily and report these symptoms
immediately to the physician. SEROQUEL is not approved for patients under the
age of 18 years.
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High blood sugar and diabetes have been reported with SEROQUEL and medicines
like it. If you have diabetes or risk factors such as obesity or a family
history of diabetes, ask your doctor about checking your blood sugar before
starting SEROQUEL and regularly throughout treatment. If you develop symptoms
of high blood sugar or diabetes, such as excessive thirst or hunger, increased
urination, or weakness, contact your doctor. Complications from diabetes can be
serious and even life threatening
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A rare, but potentially fatal, side effect reported with SEROQUEL and medicines
like it is neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS). Tell your doctor if you have
very high fever; rigid muscles; shaking; confusion; sweating; changes in pulse,
heart rate, or blood pressure; or muscle pain and weakness because treatment
should be stopped if you have NMS
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Another serious side effect reported with SEROQUEL and medicines like it is
tardive dyskinesia (TD)—uncontrollable movements of the face, tongue, or other
parts of the body. TD may become permanent, and the risk of TD is believed to
increase as the length of time on and the amount of these medications increase.
While TD can develop in patients taking low doses for short periods, this is
much less common. There is no known treatment for TD, but it may go away
partially or completely if treatment is stopped
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Before starting treatment, tell your doctor if you have high cholesterol or
have a history of, or are at risk for, seizures or a low white blood cell (WBC)
count. An eye exam for cataracts is recommended at the beginning of treatment
and every 6 months thereafter. Suicidal thoughts or actions may occur in
bipolar disorder and schizophrenia; tell your doctor if you have thoughts about
death or suicide. During treatment, tell your doctor if you feel dizzy or
lightheaded upon standing. Since drowsiness has been reported with SEROQUEL,
you should not participate in activities such as driving or operating machinery
until you know that you can do so safely. Avoid drinking alcohol while taking
SEROQUEL because SEROQUEL increases the effects of alcohol. Avoid becoming
overheated or dehydrated while taking SEROQUEL
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Common side effects: The most common side effects are dry mouth, sedation,
drowsiness, dizziness, constipation, weakness, abdominal pain, sudden drop in
blood pressure upon standing, sore throat, weight gain, sluggishness, high
blood sugar, nasal congestion, abnormal liver tests, and upset stomach
Talk to your doctor about prescription SEROQUEL.
Click here for full Prescribing Information, including Boxed Warnings.
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the
FDA. Visit www.FDA.gov/medwatch
or call 1-800-FDA-1088.