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Suggest Treatment For Bipolar Disorder And Depression Despite Medication

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Posted on Thu, 6 Aug 2015
Question: My daughter has been diagnosed with Bi Polar disorder. the doctor has her on Cymbalta, Lamictal, and Lithium. Serroquel for sleep. alprazalom for anxiety. She feels horrible. she can barely function. she cannot get out of bed. she is not motivated and finds XXXXXXX in nothing. The doctor increased the Cymbalta to 120mg per day on XXXXXXX 30, 2015. she has seen no improvement. this has literally been going on for over a year. I need to know how to help her. she is in bed most days.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Shubham Mehta (1 hour later)
Brief Answer:
ECT, thyroid evaluation.

Detailed Answer:
Hello
Welcome to HCM.
I can understand your concerns for your daughter.

From the drug history which you have given, I think she has been tried almost all the first line and second line drugs for bipolar depression. But there has been no response in her symptoms.

Such cases, who have difficult-to-treat depression with drugs, I would advise you to go for electroconvulsive therapy for her.

It is always a wise decision to go for ECT then to subject a person to unnecessary high doses of drugs which cause side effects.

Also, get her thyroid and vitamin B12 levels checked as these can be a cause for non-response.

Kindly discuss this with her psychiatrist.

Hope this helps.

Feel free to ask further.
Take care.
Thanks.
Note: For further guidance on mental health, Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
Dr.
Dr. Shubham Mehta

Psychiatrist

Practicing since :2008

Answered : 2144 Questions

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Suggest Treatment For Bipolar Disorder And Depression Despite Medication

Brief Answer: ECT, thyroid evaluation. Detailed Answer: Hello Welcome to HCM. I can understand your concerns for your daughter. From the drug history which you have given, I think she has been tried almost all the first line and second line drugs for bipolar depression. But there has been no response in her symptoms. Such cases, who have difficult-to-treat depression with drugs, I would advise you to go for electroconvulsive therapy for her. It is always a wise decision to go for ECT then to subject a person to unnecessary high doses of drugs which cause side effects. Also, get her thyroid and vitamin B12 levels checked as these can be a cause for non-response. Kindly discuss this with her psychiatrist. Hope this helps. Feel free to ask further. Take care. Thanks.