My daughter is diagnosed with bipolar 2, for the past two years. For the past 6 months she is on lithium 750 mg, qutipin 300 mg and lamotrigine started with 25 mg gradually increased to 200 mg. According to the psychiatrist she is having lamotrigine induced switch now with decreased sleep, flight of ideas and restlessness. Lamotrigine has been tapered to 75 mg. Serum lithium 8. Psychiatrist told this switch is rare and we will wait for more time for improvement. kindly advice regarding further course of action. How long it will take for her to get better.

Mr. Saul PereiraPsychologist51yrs exp

94% (49707 ratings)

Ask Free Question

More than the length of time of recovery, she needs good counseling in addiction to the medication. So kindly seek the help of a therapist immediately. Comply with all the medical prescriptions and work in tandem with a counselor for a long time and learn coping skills and techniques to handle the daily challenges she will face. There are certain adaptations that will suit her during the elation phase and there are certain behaviors that are required during the depressed phases. In the meantime she can do certain things that will give you benefits anyway. Emotional therapy will alleviate a lot of the problems faced in this condition because it is a mood disorder. She needs to particularly look at her levels of anger both for its reasonableness and to express it in appropriate manner. I suspect that much of this anger may have origins in early childhood that she may never be aware of it now. You parents will know and this angle needs to be explored. This information will help the counselor too. Also you will need to check whether there is any genetic factor involved. She must exercise regularly, eat healthily and sleep normally too. If her motivation and cooperation is good much can be achieved. She should have a time-structured schedule filled with interesting and reasonable activities and it must be monitored for compliance and delivery. The reason I say this is that many times she will be inclined to have grandiose notions and confidently believe that she can do without the medication. This will set her back many months in the treatment and delay and sabotage the recovery: forewarned you are forearmed. If this combination of medication with therapy is maintained for at least three years without any episodes or breakdowns, it is possible to taper the medication in consonance with the doctor.  

0 person found this helpful