Here’s an amazing story. A long, long time ago there was a princess..
Just joking. A long time ago, drug companies created drugs to treat epilepsy – when they gave them to people with the illness, an amazing thing happened- their moods got better. The makers of these drugs had NO idea this would happen. They then tested them on people with bipolar disorder and they worked. Thus, the drugs that were created to treat epilepsy became drugs to help people with bipolar disorder. You probably know these drugs – known as anticonvulsants:
Depakote (Divalproex)
Tegretol (Carbamazepine)
Lamictal (Lamotrigine)
Topamax (Topiramate)
Trileptal (Oxcarbazepine)
Neurontin (Gabapentin)
If you have bipolar disorder, you certainly know about Tegretol and Depakote. They are often used to treat mania. I take Lamictal. I call it my miracle drug. I wrote a lot about it last year when I stupidly reduced my dose and got really sick.
Gabapentin is not considered a treatment for bipolar disorder any more- though some people still take it. It’s often used for nerve pain.
Tegretol and Depakote can cause a lot of weight gain. Lamictal can cause neck pain. Gabapentin made me suicidal. Yes, these side effects are rotten. But I know that I’m willing to have a stiff neck for the rest of my life so that I can keep taking Lamictal. The side effects often end once you’ve been on the drug for awhile.
Are you on an anticonvulsant? Do you know why you’re taking it? It’s important to know why certain drugs are prescribed and how they are supposed to help you.
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