Tuesday, August 17, 2010

A Close Look at Trileptal for Bipolar Disorder

"There is a solution to every problem."

When you or a loved one is inflicted with bipolar disorder, you think that there is no end to keeping things in order. It seems that answers to your dilemma have far-fetched solutions. Yet, there is a key to every faced dilemma, it may not be too soon but there is.

These days, common symptoms such as excessive and uncontrollable moods can be prevented with Trileptal.

Scientifically, Trileptal is referred to as "oxcarbazepine." Trileptal is a medication suited to stabilize the mood. It is also an "anticonvulsant" drug. This medication is principally utilized to treat epilepsy and bipolar disorder.

Physical Characteristics of Trileptal

There are four types of Trileptal depending on the patient's dosage need. Among the different types of Trileptal, three are tablets. All tablets have a line in the middle which is commonly referred to as "breakline." All tablets come in Blister pack.

The least tablet dosage is Trileptal 150 mg. This type of tablet can be distinguished by its pale gray green tablet with initials T D on one side and C G on the other side.

Three hundred (300) mg is the next dosage after Trileptal 150. It is a yellow tablet with initials TE TE on one side and CG CG on the other.

The highest Trileptal dosage is 600 mg. The tablet is notable by its light pink color. It also has CG CG initials on one side and TF TF on the other side.

Another type of Trileptal is the oral suspension. It is stored in an amber glass bottle wherein the suspension is off-white to reddish brown in color.

Side Effects of Trileptal

Like any other medications, Trileptal also have side effects. Some common side effects are giddiness, sleepiness, double and irregular vision, exhaustion, vomiting, lose of balance, stomach pains and indigestion, and shivering.

Pregnant women must be cautious in taking Trileptal since studies show that there is a possibility for the unborn child to develop birth defects.

There are individuals taking Trileptal who reports that they experience a "sedative effect" when this medication is taken with alcohol and painkillers. In addition, some patients also observe weight gain.

Some uncommon side effect of Trileptal is decrease in blood sodium wherein you may experience less passing of urine, headache, puzzlement, weakness and on extreme cases convulsions and coma.

There are those who may experience the following rare side effects of Trileptal:
- Angioedema ñ this is a condition wherein the skin and voice box swells due to an allergic reaction.
- Encephalopathy ñ this is a brain disorder which causes perplexity, loss of memory and on some extreme cases, personality alteration.
- Erythema multiforme ñ this is a condition where the skin develops red and purple patches due to inflammation.
- Lymphadenopathy ñ this causes the lymph glands to swell which is visible under the arms, in the jaw and groin area.
- Stevens Johnson syndrome ñ this is a very uncommon side effect wherein the blisters develop in the eyes. On some cases, bleeding occurs in the eyes.

When Not To Use Trileptal

Not all individuals can be relieved by Trileptal. There are those who are sensitive to this type of medication such as individuals:

- With kidney problems
- With heart problems
- With liver problems
- With intolerance to fructose
- Allergic to "carbamazepine"
- With very low level of sodium in the blood

Hence it is wise to consult your physician before taking Trileptal to prevent other uneventful things to happen.

How to Store Trileptal

Proper storage is important since it will help your medicines to be kept in its best condition. You need to read instructions on the label of your Trileptal medicine before you use it.

You are required to keep the medication in a place away from children's reach. A locked medicine cabinet is a good place to store this medicine. The oral suspension should be utilized within seven weeks after first usage.

Equally important is using the drug before its expiration date.

Trileptal may be the solution you are seeking to give you or a loved one temporary relief from bipolar disorder. In your hands is the responsibility when you take this medication. No harm is done when you know how to properly use the medicines you are taking, especially if it is a medication to stabilize your mood.

Learn The Real Truth About How To Cope, Manage And Control Bipolar Disorder And Live The High Quality, Fulfilling Life you Deserve!

Monday, August 16, 2010

Trastorno Bipolar: You and Your Mental Health

Your mental health is an important factor that affects the way you live your daily life. You have to realize that the brain is one of the most important organs of the human body and it is needed in order to live a normal and productive life. However, there are some cases where the brain suffers from disorders and in turn, it can affect some aspects of your daily activity, such as your motor skills.

One kind of brain disorder is called Trastorno bipolar or bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder is a mental illness that can affect your way of thinking, your emotions and your different moods. What bipolar disorder does is it cycles your manic and depressive moods. Normally people experience moments of mania and depression because of their environment. It is a normal body behavior and reaction to their environment. However, bipolar disorder is a form of mental illness that will render your moods out of control. A person suffering from bipolar disorder will experience excessive mania where they feel that they are very powerful and energetic and they will also feel excessive depression, where in some cases, some thinks about death and suicide.

The manic and depressive cycles occur at intervals and one affected will feel energetic or depressed for no reason at all. During the manic episodes of bipolar disorder, the person affected will feel as if they are on top of the world, they have ideas popping out of their head and they will often experience racing thoughts. The racing thoughts is not just all about thinking very fast, but it is also comprised of not stopping to think. You will your own voice repeating something you said in the past, you will hear fragments of music, see fragments of movies you saw, and you will also hear conversations you had over and over again.

One will also feel very energetic and thinks that they don't need sleep at all.

When the depressive episode occurs in bipolar disorder, the person affected will experience a depressive mood. They will feel excessively sad, and they will also feel loneliness and hopelessness. They will also feel tired and constantly in need of sleep and in severe cases of bipolar disorder, some people will even think about death and suicide and often attempts the latter.

Because of the symptoms associated with this mental disorder, the person affected cannot concentrate on their daily activities. It can negatively affect performance at work or at school and can cause relationship problems. People with bipolar disorder find it hard to make and keep friends and relationships because of their unusual behavior.

As you can see, bipolar disorder is a very serious illness that needs to be carefully managed and treated. You have to consider that there is no known cure for this disorder and the theories regarding the causes of bipolar disorder are not entirely solid. Some theories suggest that bipolar disorder is genetic while others have claimed that it is caused by drug and alcohol abuse. This is a lifetime illness that needs long term treatment.

The treatment will include psychotherapy combined with special medications that can reduce the signs and symptoms of bipolar disorder. During therapy, the psychiatrist will teach the person affected with the disorder ways to control their emotions and moods. The family members of the affected individual will also be informed about the disorder and will be taught on how to cope with it. Usually, there are certain drugs prescribed that can help in reducing the signs and symptoms of bipolar disorder.

As you can see, the treatment for bipolar disorder will also require the family members of the affected individual to participate. They will be able to contribute a lot on the treatment process and family support is often the key to controlling the illness.

In time, with the patient as well as the family actively participating in the treatment process, the individual affected with bipolar disorder can cope with the illness effectively. They will be able to lead a normal and productive life where they can control their emotions and moods effectively.

Always remember that treatment for bipolar disorder is not often easy. It requires patience and dedication in order for the person affected to effectively manage their mental disorder.

Learn The Real Truth About How To Cope, Manage And Control Bipolar Disorder And Live The High Quality, Fulfilling Life you Deserve!

Sunday, August 15, 2010

Enraged Kid: Common Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder in a Child

No one will imagine that a healthy, active and intelligent child will have a series of unexplainable tantrums and mood swings. Some would think that such type of child is inflicted with Attention Deficit Disorder while others may think that the child is bratty and undisciplined by his parents.

Before you jump into different conclusions, take a look at one aspect such as Bipolar Disorder. Bipolar disorder is a condition wherein an individual undergoes persistent incidents of combined depression and mania. The common term for bipolar disorder is "manic depression."

You can gauge if your child has bipolar disorder with the following symptoms:

Noticeable mood and energy changes

A child with bipolar disorder usually has a constant and incessant mood interruption. The mood swings usually lasts for hours or it can last for days. Some psychologists say that the mood disorder is commonly a combination of depression and mania.

Separation anxiety

A child with this type of disorder also experiences "separation anxiety." Separation anxiety is a condition wherein a child is apprehensive being left from the individual taking good care of him.

Defiance to authority

Severe disobedience is another symptom that should be taken into account. No figure of authority especially the parents or caregiver is being respected by a child with dipolar disorder.

Hyperactivity

A child with dipolar disorder is usually agitated by different things around him. You should be on the look out when your child is strangely overactive. He seems to struggle in concentrating at a specified activity such as sitting still, eating, and doing school work.

Sleeping Problems

Your child may experience difficulty in sleeping. He may sleep too much or too little. During his slumber, "night terrors" can occur. Night terror is sometimes referred to as "pavor nocturnus" wherein a child usually is abruptly awakened during his sleep yet cannot retain information from his dream. Along with night terror that can occur is bed wetting wherein your child spontaneously urinates.

Another sleeping problem which can be encountered by your child is not being able to easily wake up in the morning. You must have a "waking-up strategy" so that your child will not be late for classes or any appointment in the morning.

Food cravings

Foods high in carbohydrates and sugar are the most craved by children with dipolar disorder. The cravings are somewhat strange since it is usually robust and repeated.

Ill behavior

Mischievous sprite behavior is another common symptom of dipolar disorder. Your child will usually do strange things such as getting out of a moving vehicle, fighting with the caregiver with no apparent reason or to some, bullying other kids.

Unhealthy sexual behavior

It is common for a child with dipolar disorder to have unacceptable sexual behavior. Studies show that there are healthy and unhealthy sexual behaviors for children. Children are not commonly openly sexual since in their age they are more likely to explore and be playful. Additionally, they are not preoccupied with interactions concerning sex.

Hallucination

Hallucinations can be experienced by a child with dipolar disorder. Hallucination is defined as unusual "sensory perceptions" which happen when your child is wide awake and aware of the things happening around him. When your child is telling you that he is hearing voices but he is not speaking with anyone, then you must be alert and extend help as soon as possible.

Grandiosity

A sign of grandiosity is present for children with dipolar disorder. Grandiosity is referred to as exaggerated assessment of one's value, authority, understanding, significance and individuality.

In your child's belief, he is magnificent and all-knowing. With this attitude, you will have difficulty in competing with him. Most of the time, you will end up having a fight with him.

Speedy and strained speech

There are kids who really talk fast, however when "speedy and strained speech" is a continuous incident with your child then he may be experiencing dipolar disorder. It is not normal for a kid to talk fast yet talking with so much anxiety.

Indeed, a child undergoes tantrums and mood swings. However, you as the parent or caregiver should be cautious about these things. There is what you call a "healthy tantrums and mood swings." When these things begin to become unhealthy, then it is time to closely examine your child and his actions.

Learn The Real Truth About How To Cope, Manage And Control Bipolar Disorder And Live The High Quality, Fulfilling Life you Deserve!

Saturday, August 14, 2010

Episodes Symptom of Bipolar Disorder

Not all illnesses are easily detected. Though for some people this might not sound alarming, those individuals who want to secure their lives as well as their families are constantly searching for the right answers. They don’t hesitate to seek medical help to ensure that they get the proper treatment and/or medication.

One of the prevailing disorders that many people suffer from is manic depression. But today, this is popularly called bipolar disorder. The patient, family, relatives, or friends may not be aware of this disorder, as it is not detected easily. During the early stages, the symptoms can be manifested with the use of drugs, alcohol intake, and poor work/school performance. If the disorder remains untreated, it can lead to full-blown bipolar disorder with minor or major episodes.

Usually, the early sign which shows that a person has bipolar disorder may be a hypomania state. The person exhibits high levels of energy, irritability, excessive moodiness, and recklessness or impulsiveness; and that person feels good about it. Though family members and friends may notice these behaviors, the person will only deny that something's wrong.

A person diagnosed with bipolar disorder oftentimes has episodes. These episodes are divided into four types: depression, mania, hypomania, and mixed mood. Each episode exhibits different symptoms. Below is the detailed information about the symptoms of bipolar disorder based on episodes.

Depression Symptoms

· Always feeling sad
· Sleeps too much or too little
· Feels hopeless, guilty, and worthless
· Loses interest in certain things like sex
· Change in appetite or weight
· Feels restless and tired
· Can't make effective decisions
· Can't concentrate
· Thinks about suicide or death

These symptoms happen consistently for about two weeks. The moods exhibited should represent an actual change in the individual's normal mood. The depressed mood happens in most time of the day, and the loss of interest in the usual things is strongly marked. All the other symptoms usually occur every single day. Psychomotor retardation or agitation is also noted everyday. The person's social, educational, or occupational functioning is impaired because of the symptoms.

Mania Symptoms

· Increased levels of energy
· Thoughts jump or race
· Sleeps less
· Talkative and self-confident unlike before
· Accomplishes very little
· Easily distracted
· Does extreme or risky activities

These symptoms are easily noted and the feelings are too severe that all aspects like emotional and social are greatly affected. The person will have difficulty in coping with his or her situation that oftentimes, his or her personal life is sacrificed. Not only is the patient affected, but also the family members, friends, and co-workers.

Aside from the depression and manic symptoms, there are still two other episode types. The hypomania is usually characterized by a persistently expansive, elevated, and irritable mood. This can last for a couple of days, four days at the most, and the change in mood is very different form his usual mood. This is not a severe episode and therefore can't cause impairment to a person's life although some of the symptoms will come as a shock to friends and co-workers.

The mixed episode is characterized by both depressive and manic episode every day. And this usually happens for a week.

Since bipolar disorder cannot be detected easily, you must be observant of the things happening around you. A lot of people are not aware that they have the illness, or are afraid to accept such fact. What the person should do is to take action. He must consult a medical professional or a specialist that can diagnose his condition accurately.

Only a specialist in the medical field can give you the right diagnosis, as well as the right medication or treatment. Don’t hesitate or be ashamed of your condition. Bipolar disorder can't be cured, but there are ways to control it. After you've found the best medication or treatment that will work for you, then you can reclaim your normal life back.

Remember, if you or a family member remains untreated, the condition will only become worse. So why wait until things worsen? Act now and with the help of your loving family members and friends, you can easily cope up with the situation and live a happy and normal life.

Learn The Real Truth About How To Cope, Manage And Control Bipolar Disorder And Live The High Quality, Fulfilling Life you Deserve!

Friday, August 13, 2010

Different Scenarios of Bipolar Disease Symptom

If someone asks you to describe a bipolar disorder, you should manage to explain to him or her without any confusion. Bipolar disorder is always associated with mood alterations from depression to mania or vice versa. But the truth is that the main characteristic and symptoms of a bipolar disorder lies in its ability to bend times in ways wherein even Einstein never comprehends.

The scenario of such mental disorder is similar to a traffic situation wherein cars are stuck bumper to bumper. The world becomes slow moving and people are dull-witted from accommodating you. If another person takes advantage of the situation, you might feel very frustrated and burst out an occasional rage.

At the beginning, you are sure to experience getting in and out of the traffic as you manage to leave the cars behind you. However, you can see more cars so close with each other on the other end also having difficulty to move. Although you are starting your engine so hard, still you end up banging your head on the dashboard in desperation because you cannot run the highway freely.

The situation can also be the exact opposite. You are currently standing still. Then your mind becomes occupied with a particular activity, later on you will find out that switching off to another activity became very impossible. You can see yourself standing under a shower and waiting till the waters run cold or just staring off into space. In some cases, leaving your bed when you wake up is very difficult.

The ratio of the time between the affected and normal person is 1:2, provided that everything is right. A person with bipolar disorder can produce faster, and react faster. If you were the battler facing the pitcher, you can picture out in your mind the ball that is approaching you, from there, you can already calculate the ball's trajectory. Then during the actual batting, you can successfully give the ball a rewarding smack.

However, these things don't stay constant. Certainly, the clock will speed up or wind down. During the speedy mode, you swing towards the ball too early, but still you have time to cope up with missed bats doing the batting over and over again. Then you burst out your rage thinking that the ball is taking so long to approach you. Now, your focus is not anymore on the ball but on your anger. You can release it on the bat, on the ground, and worse on the person closest to you.

Nothing is going right into your mind. Every tree, every rock, and every thing God has put on earth have completely turned against you. People around you have plot something in making your life miserable. Computers already developed new methods of throwing up numbers, error codes, and changes its values right before your eyes. And because you cannot get hold of what you think is happening you end up just crying.

You still never forget those moments of standing still, those times under your covers and showers as well as during your most energetic activity. In your mind everything is possible, thus space are not enough to accommodate everything you have planned to do. The sun may take its leave, hot coffee may turn stone cold, or booming music may turn mute. Thus you could experience a new world you completely owned.

These characteristics or symptoms can be specifically called as bichronicity instead of bipolar disorder or manic depression. A bichronic person can experience time in its full spectrum from standing still to warp speed. Time never moves in a directed path making the life of a person very unpredictable. There are instances that you can outsmart even the slickest person in town but in some situation failed to answer even a simple question. You can become the star one day and on the next day a total embarrassment. Sometimes you are hyper productive then becomes too lazy. You can start something big then later dropped it.

No matter how worse the scenes may become, don't lose hope because treatment can alleviate symptoms of a bipolar disorder. However, it is a slow process that needs your cooperation. You need to adjust so that alarming warp speed and standing still times can be reduced.

Learn The Real Truth About How To Cope, Manage And Control Bipolar Disorder And Live The High Quality, Fulfilling Life you Deserve!

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Code Signs for Bipolar Disorder Patients: What You Need To Know

Most of the time, there are people who are caught off-guard by written notes from a physician since they can barely understand the writings. On some occasions, unless you ask, your physician will not explain in detail what you or your caregiver should know. There are even instances when physicians only inscribe codes. This is true when you are a patient with bipolar disorder. Commonly, mental health experts use codes to interpret their findings.

Psychiatrists habitually scribble codes in your records. Knowing the codes by heart will help you or your caregiver to understand and gauge the pertinent actions to undertake.

Codes are arranged by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). DSM is the typical categorization of mental disorders utilized by psychiatrists or other mental health experts.

For bipolar disorder, there are chiefly three important codes such as codes for mood disorders, codes for substance induced mood disorders and code extensions for psychotic features.

Codes for Mood Disorders

There are several code categories under "codes for mood disorders."

If a patient has a sole "manic episode" and there is no history of major depressive episodes then mental health experts usually interpret in under code 296.0x (F30.x).

A patient with bipolar disorder who experiences a "hypomanic episode" in progress and had at least one incident of manic or mixed episode then it is categorized as code 296.40 (F31.0).

The code 296.4x (F31.x) is characterized in patients who suffers from a current manic episode who have undergone major depressive, manic or mixed episodes.

A patient with Bipolar I Disorder and have occurrences of mixed episodes and experienced any of major depressive, manic or mixed episodes falls into code 296.6x (F31.6).

If a patient has major depressive episode and has a history of having manic or mixed episodes then mental health experts categorize this under code 296.5x (F31.x).

The code 296.7 (F31.9) is being written down for patients who experience any of the following: mixed, manic, hypomanic or major depressive episodes. Along with the criteria, the patient suffered from at least one mixed or manic episode.

Bipolar II Disorder can either be hypomania or depressed, has a code of 296.89 (F31.8) wherein the patient has more than one attack of major depressive episodes or at least one episode of hypomanic. Under this category, you must take note that there was never an attack of manic or mixed episode.

Codes for Substance Induced Mood Disorder

Mental health experts came up with codes to gauge measurable substances which heighten mood disorder.

If a patient has alcohol intake which can stimulate mood disorder, then mental health experts interpret this as code 291.8 (F10.8). Ingestion of cocaine, on the other hand have code 292.84 (F14.8).

Inhalants can also incite mood disorder, when this happens it is being regarded as code 292.84 (F18.8). Aside from inhalants, some sedatives can also stir up mood disorder. Mental health experts code sedatives as 292.84 (F13.8).

For further information on codes for substance-induced mood disorder, you can check with your physician. It is important for patients as well as caregivers to know what substance triggers their temper so that preventive ways can be sought.

Code Extensions for Psychotic Features

On this type of code, it will be regarded into two categories (1) severe without psychotic episodes; and (2) severe with psychotic episodes.

A patient with Bipolar I Disorder having the most current manic episode has codes 296.43 (F31.1) and 296.44 (F31.2) for severe without and severe with psychotic episodes respectively.

The code 296.63 is for regarded for patients with severe disorder without psychotic episodes for patients with Bipolar I Disorder who have current experience of mixed episodes. On the other hand, 296.64 is the code for patients with severe disorder having psychotic episodes.

A patient who have depressed episodes with Bipolar I Disorder has a code 296.53 (F31.4) if he has severe disorder with no psychotic episodes while 296.54 (F31.5) is the code for patients have severe disorder but with psychotic episodes.

The meanings of codes are not simply for the medical practitioners to know. The patient should be knowledgeable of such codes for him to understand the course of his illness. Equally important is for caregivers to also acquire information with regards to different Bipolar Disorder codes so that they will properly take good care of their patients.

Learn The Real Truth About How To Cope, Manage And Control Bipolar Disorder And Live The High Quality, Fulfilling Life you Deserve!

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Tough yet Rewarding Ways on Loving Someone with Bipolar Disorder

Giving unconditional love for bipolar disorder patients is a tough job. It is not easy to express love when you are being turned away from, disrespected or even ill-treated. It is never easy to lend a hand to those who think grandiosely of himself. Most importantly, it is never simple to care and understand someone who has disorganized thoughts and feelings.

In-depth understanding of the illness is the primary aspect you need to undertake. If you do not understand what is happening to your loved one, then you will have difficulty relating to them.

After you have gone through the understanding and assessing specifics of bipolar disorder of your loved one, then it is time to devise a plan wherein you should workout the problems.

You need to recognize symptoms.

It is not the fault of your loved one why he is inflicted with bipolar disorder that is the one thing you should take into account. He does not have control of his actions or of his feelings.

You need learn to recognize the many symptoms of bipolar disorder. Does he have sleeping problems? Why is he getting too much or too little sleep?

It is important to observe his moods, his actions and the way he relates to people. Jot it down so you know when and where it occurred so you have a basis to present.

When you perceive that the symptoms can be most likely bipolar disorder, do not be embarrassed.

Do not think of the illness as humiliation.

To love someone knows no illness. Bipolar disorder is not an illness where you should cast off or put your loved one into shame. This type of disorder can be treated just like any other diseases.

If you will feel ashamed of your loved one because he is inflicted with such illness, then you are not helping him restore his good health, instead you are letting him do worse than expected.

Build trust.

Trust is essential to individuals with bipolar disorder. They need you to trust them, not entrust them to other people or institutions such as the psychiatrists or an asylum.

There will be times that you will feel that you cannot deal with your loved one anymore that you will be tempted to call the doctor for him to be fetched because you do not want to take care of them. Never let them hear you say those words because it will just aggravate the situation.

To build up trust, an open and honest communication is needed.

Keep the communication line open.

Once you acknowledged the symptoms, and then ask yourself what you can do. However thinking of good ways to help your loved ones is not always the best way. You may think it is good but it may not really be helpful to the patient. Hence, it is needed that you communicate with the patient.

An open and honest communication is vital. Encourage your loved one to talk about what he thinks and feels. Let him suggest ways on how you are supposed to relate to him.

Do not suppress what you feel. However, there are positive ways to let your loved know how you feel. It is recommended that you avoid nagging, preaching or lecturing an individual with bipolar disorder. Such negative actions will drive him to detach. If you are concerned about him, let him see how concerned you are in a gentle and encouraging manner.

Let him do his way.

Family members or friends usually ends up wanting to serve his loved one afflicted with bipolar disorder. You begin to do every work he intends to do. You start to make things he is supposed to construct. Do not do such things.

Along with trust and communication, let the person experience what he can do for himself. Let him solve problems he can find solutions. Let him live the way he is supposed to live. By that, he will feel that he is important and has a good reason why he lives.

Be there.
Although you allow him to do his own way, it does not mean that you will not be there when he needs you to. Let him do his way but make sure that you are around to give assistance when needed.

Most importantly, apart from assistance, you need to offer your love, understanding and support.

Learn The Real Truth About How To Cope, Manage And Control Bipolar Disorder And Live The High Quality, Fulfilling Life you Deserve!