Bipolar Survivor

Hey, y’all –

I recently went through a bipolar medication change, and I wanted you to know that no matter how long you’ve been stable, you may still need medication adjustments.

Whether it’s when you are first diagnosed and are put on medication, or whether it’s been awhile, the same “rules” should apply.

For example, watch for medication side effects.  The normal ones for bipolar medications are drowsiness, dizziness, nausea, dry mouth, and constipation. 

One of the lesser known side effects that I didn’t know about was hair loss.  Yes, there are some bipolar medications that can cause hair loss — I know, because I have been experiencing this.

That’s why I went to my psychiatrist for a med change.  He identified which meds could be causing this side effect, and he made adjustments in my BP meds.

If you experience what you consider to be abnormal side effects, contact your doctor right away.  They are not a mind-reader.  They only know what you tell them, otherwise they assume everything is ok.

Even so, you are the greatest indicator of whether your medication is working or not.  Like I spoke of in my last post, you should have bipolar episode safeguards in place.  You should always be monitoring your moods.

So if you have to go through a medication adjustment, watch your moods, thoughts, feelings, and behavior.  Watch for anything out of the ordinary.  It could be because of the medication.

Of course there is an adjustment period when you go on a new medication, but if you don’t notice a change for the better, you need to notify your doctor.

Unfortunately, many people with bipolar disorder “play doctor” for themselves, and mess around with their meds.  Don’t be one of those people! 

If you feel like something is wrong, if you don’t feel like “yourself,” you are in a particularly stressful period, etc., you may need some help in order to avoid a full-fledged bipolar episode.

Your doctor or psychiatrist should already be a part of your bipolar support system.  You need to turn to them when you feel “funny” or when you don’t feel like your medication is working properly.

When I noticed my hair start to fall out, I knew it was not a normal thing.  I had been on the same medications for awhile, so at first I didn’t say anything. 

When I told my psychiatrist I was losing my hair, that’s when he changed my medications.  Still, he relies on me for feedback as to how well things are working.

You are as much a part of your own treatment as anything else.  You need to watch for signs and report them, like I did.  Otherwise I never would have known that hair loss is another side effect of medication.

Have any of you experienced hair loss from your bipolar medications?

Wishing you peace and stability,

Remember God loves you and so do I,

Michele

Related posts:

1. Sleep and Bipolar Disorder
2. Bipolar Depression Because of Dropping Medication
3. Chantix Side Effects
4. ECT Blues
5. Medication Merry-Go-Round

This entry was posted on Monday, July 27th, 2009 at 11:49 am and is filed under Opening Post. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.