At normal doses, side effects include thirst, frequent urination, trembling hands and weight gain. Patients must be monitored for evidence of long-term kidney and thyroid problems. Side effects are different so patients who don't tolerate one drug can be tried on another or on a combination. Now being studied are two newer anti-seizure drugs, lamotrigine and gabapenin. Early reports indicate these drugs may be useful in treating cases that are resistant to other medications and with fewer side effects.
Combination therapy is often preferred so that the patient can be given a lower dose of each drug.
Most bipolar patients have to take medications for an indefinite period, often for the rest of their lives. Adjuncts to Medication During a manic phase, a patient is unlikely to be helped by talk, but once the mood is stabilized a supportive therapist can help a patient understand the illness and its symptoms, learn to deal with every-day situations and relationship problems, and stay compliant with treatment over the long haul. It is usually reserved for patients who do not respond well to medication, have trouble with side effects, or prefer ECT to long-term drug therapy. It works by using an electrical stimulus to induce a seizure, thereby altering the patient's response to neurotransmitters in the central nervous system. Muscle relaxants and anesthetic agents are used so that convulsions and muscle spasms are barely noticeable, but the procedure may cause transient short-term memory loss.