Posted by Corike on July 7, 1999, at 17:30:03
My sister has been taking Valproic Acid since November 1997. She was depressed then and got over that. Did OK in the summer and pretty good in the winter.
She was slowly recovering but is now getting close to mania and psychosis. Her first psychosis in the summer of 1996 occurred after heavy drinking (she
still does not recognize alcohol as a drug). Anyway, since she's been taking valproic acid she's been doing better. So much better that she's been drinking again.
I wonder if alcohol can have a negative effect on the working of valproic acid? She is not an alcoholic but I guess she drinks 3-5 drinks about 3 days a week.
Besides that she also smokes and drinks cafeine. Right now she quit alcohol, cafeine and smokes half a cigarette a day because she can tell these things are not
good for her right now. But I guess she is planning on doing all that again as soon as the threat of mania and psychosis is gone (it seems to be a seasonal thing).I hope someone can tell me if alcohol, nicotine and/or cafeine can affect the course of bipolar people and if they can affect the effectiveness of medications (valproic acid).
Thanks and take care!
Corike.
poster:Corike
thread:8398
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/19990914/msgs/8398.html