Medications for bipolar medication side effect relief

I hope this topic isn't too broad. I thought I'd create a thread about people's experiences with medications that are prescribed specifically to fight side effects from bipolar medications. Please share which ones you've taken and how well they worked, or even side effects from the side effect relief medication(s).

* Synthroid (Levothyroxine) - I developed hypothyroidism from Lithium. The longer I took Lithium, the higher my Levothryoxine dose became. I, personally, never noticed any side effects from Levothyroxine. It only did me good. I currently take 150 mcg

* Inderal (Propranolol) - I initally started a beta blocker to calm tachycardia (fast heart beat). It helped great with that. I also had the added benefit of it later helping ease hand tremor from Lithium. Again, worked well. It is supposed to also help some people at easing akathisia. It did not help my akathisia much at all. I have zero side effects from 40 mg per day (20 morn/20 evening). I usually have perfect blood pressure. I'm not sure if this medication is partly responsible. Seems all good, to me!

* Cogentin (Benztropine) - I was prescribed this to ease past akathisia. It actually did work well, but I had to stop it because it caused me severe constipation. I know others don't get that side effect, though.

* Provigil (Modafinil) - This was prescribed to me when I was struggling with hypersomnia (excess sleepiness). It definitely helped with that, but too much. It made me manic. This medication was attempted on three different occasions (at different times), and all times it eventually made me at least hypomanic. My psychiatrist won't prescribe it for me anymore. I've read that it doesn't make many people hypomanic/manic, so some may consider it. I had no other side effects.

* Ativan (Lorazepam) - Though I used it for anxiety and sleep, at times. My psychiatrist also advised me to take it for akathisia relief. I did for quite a while. It helped, but not all day. It was not an ideal treatment for akathisia, in my view. Also, I became dependent on it and had a hard time being weaned off because of withdrawals. Sometimes I had side effects like sedation or even maybe disinhibition, but they weren't major.

I think that's all of them that I took.

Thank you, Birdie, for posting this group of meds. I think it's very important and helpful to includes these in BD treatment.

I had an alarming experience with akathesia from Abilify a couple of night ago. My pdoc has prescribed Cogentin. I also have a fairly severe hand tremor...if Cogentin helps with that I would be very pleased.

I'm taking the first Cogentin tonight, so I'll see how it goes.

Thanks, BethRags! I hope the Cogentin works well for you. I have read accounts of others using it, but I seem to be the only person I know of that had constipation issues on it. I hope you don't.

I do recall yet another medication someone has taken for akathisia, but I don't remember the name. Maybe someone will mention that here in the future.

I know there are yet other meds used for other side effects. I haven't taken them, so am not mentioning them.

Nice post, BirdDancer!

I don't have any side effects that warrant "side effect meds," but I personally think this should be stickied so that new (and old) members can easily search for meds that might help with their side effects. It's nice to have a "mega thread" for all of this. Just my 2 cents though.

Thanks bluebicycle! I agree with you. I was surprised that this post had zero responses yesterday until BethRags kindly responded, bumping it up. I appreciate your feedback and suggestion on this.

I was a little surprised that no one responded to my thread about ECT yesterday, either. I was sort of thinking an ECT thread would get at least one response, but it didn't. I know for sure that at least a few people here have had it or considered it. I know for sure someone currently having it. I might send them a PM asking if they might respond to that thread. I hope my detailed description of my ECT didn't deter people. I went into detail because many may have no clue what the actual procedure is like.

Yeah. I think you should "report" your post to have it stickied. That's what I did with mine (although I have to make a fix to it).

I do agree that you should contact some people about ECT. I know that Donnachd (I think that's how you spell it?) has been doing ECT for years and is a strong advocate for it, so I think his opinion/experience/insight would be very useful. It's always good to have positive and negative opinions. I also think HALLIEBETH87 has done ECT (although I think forcefully in IP).

I'm so glad you mentioned the names above. I was mistaken about one and didn't know about the other.

As for potentially having this thread as a sticky, I'll wait a bit to see if it gets some more posts.

I've taken:

Levo-thyroxine for hypothyroidism caused by lithium

amelioride- a diuretic that helps the body hang on to electrolytes when I developed a side effect from lithium called diabetes insipidus (basically you pee out all the things your body needs to hang onto)

Nuvigil/Provigil-to help me wake up and attend to tasks better. It was really helpful when I was still working. I did sometimes have my mood go up from it but I carried ativan and if I took it as soon as I felt the shift it sort of undid the effects of the drug. The worst part was the price; I paid $400/month out of pocket.

Cogentin-I was on it for akathesia and I think something else. I also have a new bottle of it that I can't remember why it was prescribed or why I didn't end up taking it. I need to try it to see if it helps my hand tremors; my writing it nearly illegible.

Propanolol-to help with lithium tremors. Worked pretty well but my blood pressure is too low to use it now (one of my meds lowers my BP as a side effect)

Amitiza-for chronic constipation from meds.

Thyroxine for Lithium related hypothyroidism. Now that I’m off Lithium I have subclinical HYPERthyroidism.

I take synthroid for exactly that reason.

Lithium caused hypothyroidism so I take Levothyroxine everyday for the rest of my
Life.

Several meds have warranted the used of cogentin. I still take that currently

It's interesting (and unfortunate) how many of us have had to take these types of medications. Thanks for sharing, everyone!

Beyondtherainbow, I had never heard about amelioride, but had heard some meds cause diabetes insipidus.

Weight Gain Issue??? Please help.
I am on Lithium and have gained a lot of weight. I feel hungry 24/7 yet never feel full or satiated no matter how much I eat. I have a pre-existing stomach issue which allows me to only eat 2-4 oz at a time. This contradiction in my body feeling hungry yet unable to accept more food is making me utterly miserable!

Does anyone have ANY suggestions of medications to either switch to for BP or a medication that counteracts the side effect of hunger?

Lithium 900 mg Seroquel 100mg for BP
(On several other meds for other issues but they never caused this effect, it only started with the Lithium)

Cogentin is helping me. Very little akathesia and my hand tremor is much less - hurray! The only slightly off thing is that while my right hand is almost without a tremor now, my left hand is still a bit shaky.

[QUOTE=MentalRealityandMe;6626253

Does anyone have ANY suggestions of medications to either switch to for BP or a medication that counteracts the side effect of hunger?

Lithium 900 mg Seroquel 100mg for BP
(On several other meds for other issues but they never caused this effect, it only started with the Lithium)[/QUOTE]

Sorry but there isn't an easy answer. What is weight neutral for one person isn't for another. I gained a lot of weight on it too in the first months and then it leveled off and I stopped gaining.

I wish I had an answer for you.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BeyondtheRainbow Sorry but there isn't an easy answer. What is weight neutral for one person isn't for another. I gained a lot of weight on it too in the first months and then it leveled off and I stopped gaining. I wish I had an answer for you.

I wish I had an answer, too.

You could try topamax or metformin. Topamax is a mood stabilizer that causes appetite loss and metformin is used for diabetes and although I don't know how it works a lot of people take it for weight loss too. There's also zonegran, an anticonvulsant. I tried it as a mood stabilizer but it didn't work and I didn't eat for three days because I just had no appetite.


As for me, I'm on cogentin to counteract akathisia from haldol. It doesn't work too well but it's better than nothing.