Posted by med_empowered on August 10, 2007, at 22:15:42
In reply to Riserdal Dosage, posted by twinch on August 10, 2007, at 18:35:44
OK, here's the thing: antipsychotics aren't really good for your brain. They block D2 receptors (and the "atypicals," like risperdal, also block some serotonin) which can help calm you down but...long-term, its not going to do your intellect any good.
The good thing is that with bipolar, you can usually avoid (and should avoid, if at all possible) long-term antipsychotic use. Its like this: bipolar treatment centers on a mood-stabilizer which *can* be an antipsychotic, but could also be something safer, like lithium, depakote, trileptal, tegretol, lamictal (a combo of any of the above...). This helps control mania, and the dosage can be lowered after a manic episode to keep everything even without making you stupid.
When problems pop up (depression, anxiety, hypomania/mania, agitation, insomnia, whatever) other meds can be added. So, you might be on 1200mgs/trileptal and start feeling manic: THEN your doc could add in Risperdal, calm you down, and then taper off the antipsychotic. See what I'm saying?
Personally, I'd ditch the antipsychotic and see about a more standard mood stabilizer long-term. If you start having psychosis or something, you can add in an antipsychotic for a little while and then when it simmers down you can get off of it but..there's no reason if you're bipolar to rely on an antipsychotic, when you can use other drugs w/o the risk of tardive dyskinesia.Good luck.
poster:med_empowered
thread:775356
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20070808/msgs/775413.html