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Living with Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder is a lifelong condition that can affect every part of your life. Take part in your treatment. You may feel better at home, at work, in social situations, and with your family.

Balance your lifestyle
Patients with bipolar disorder may benefit from regular patterns of daily activities, including sleeping, eating, and physical and social activities.

Try to go to sleep and wake up at about the same time each day. Changes in sleep patterns can be a sign or a trigger of a mood episode. Pay attention to these changes, and make sure your healthcare provider knows about these changes.
Try avoiding coffee, tea, or soft drinks containing caffeine in the evening. Avoid heavy meals late in the day.

Coping in the workplace
Of course you want to do your best at work. But managing the stresses that can trigger symptoms can help in the long run.

Try to keep regular hours that let you get enough sleep every day.
You may have access to special support programs available as part of your employee health benefits package. Find out what services are available.
If mood symptoms interfere with your ability to work, discuss your options with your healthcare provider or therapist.
Regular exercise has many benefits. Schedule your walk, swim, or gym time so exercise becomes part of your regular week. Consult with your healthcare provider before starting any exercise program.
Be aware of changes in appetite. Be especially careful about skipping meals or overeating. An increase or decrease in appetite could be a symptom of a mood episode.
How much you discuss openly with employers and coworkers is up to you.

Understand the impact of alcohol or drug use
As many as 60% of people with bipolar disorder have alcohol or drug problems. People with bipolar disorder who misuse alcohol and drugs have an increased risk of suicide.

Educate yourself and make an informed choice about alcohol and drugs and how they can affect you.
Drugs of abuse can be street drugs or prescription medications that are used improperly. Drugs and alcohol may interfere with medications for bipolar disorder, so talk to your healthcare provider.
Ask your healthcare provider if it’s okay to have an occasional drink.
Avoid ALL street drugs and talk with your healthcare provider about ANY prescription medications you use.

Enjoy your leisure time
Doing activities you enjoy with people you like can make for a rich social life. For example:

Go to the movies, play cards, dine out, go for walks, visit museums or galleries, see a play, or participate in sports.
Schedule time for quiet pleasures like reading, listening to music, watching TV, or just relaxing.
Set aside time for social activities you enjoy, such as a regular movie date or a weekly game.

Build relationships
The people you love, and who love you, will see you at your best. When symptoms reappear, they may see you at your worst. For those with whom you feel comfortable talking about your illness:

Help by giving them pamphlets, articles, and books about bipolar disorder so they’ll understand that your behavior is not always under your control.
Enlist their help to keep you on track, including:
– Keeping healthcare provider appointments
– Attending support group meetings
– Taking medications as prescribed
Take them seriously when they suggest you might want to see a healthcare provider. They may notice symptoms before you do.

Create a support system
With a support system, you do not have to deal with bipolar disorder alone.

Build a support system that could include your healthcare provider, trusted family members and friends, clergy, therapist, and support group. They may help you avoid problems when symptoms return and help you find ways to cope with problems. They can remind you to keep your healthcare provider appointments and take your medication.
Consider sitting down with a family member and drawing up a written plan of whom to call for specific situations. Include names and telephone numbers. Keep a copy with you.

Visit www.bipolar.com for more detailed information about living with bipolar disorder.

Important Safety Information about LAMICTAL

Prescription LAMICTAL Tablets are not for everyone. Most people who take LAMICTAL tolerate it well. Common side effects with LAMICTAL include dizziness, headache, blurred or double vision, lack of coordination, sleepiness, nausea, vomiting, insomnia, tremor, and rash. LAMICTAL may cause other side effects not listed here. If you develop any side effects or symptoms you are concerned about, or if you need more information, call your doctor.

Although most patients who develop a rash while receiving LAMICTAL have mild to moderate symptoms, some individuals may develop a serious skin reaction that requires hospitalization. It is not possible to predict whether a mild rash will develop into a more serious one. Rarely, deaths have been reported. These serious skin reactions are most likely to happen within the first 8 weeks of treatment with LAMICTAL. Serious skin reactions occur more often in children than in adults.

Rashes may be more likely to occur if you: take LAMICTAL in combination with valproate (brand names are Depakene® (valproic acid)* and Depakote® (divalproex sodium)*), take a higher starting dose of LAMICTAL than your doctor prescribed, or increase your dose of LAMICTAL faster than prescribed.

If you experience any of the following with or without a skin rash, tell your doctor immediately: hives, fever, swollen lymph glands, painful sores in the mouth or around the eyes, or swelling of lips or tongue. These symptoms may be the first signs of a serious reaction. A doctor should evaluate your condition and determine if you should continue taking LAMICTAL.

Serious blood problems or liver problems have been reported with LAMICTAL, so tell your doctor if you develop symptoms such as unusual bruising or bleeding, severe muscle pain, weakness, fatigue, yellowing of the eyes or skin, and/or frequent infections.

You should not take LAMICTAL if you had an allergic reaction to it in the past.

LAMICTAL is indicated for the maintenance treatment of bipolar I disorder to delay the time to occurrence of mood episodes (depression, mania, hypomania, mixed episodes) in adults treated for acute mood episodes with standard therapy. The effectiveness of LAMICTAL in the acute treatment of mood episodes has not been established.

*Depakene (valproic acid) and Depakote (divalproex sodium) are registered trademarks of Abbott Laboratories.

Patient Information Leaflet for LAMICTAL® (lamotrigine)

Complete Prescribing Information for LAMICTAL

Complete Prescribing Information is provided in Adobe’s Portable Document Format (PDF). To view these documents, you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader. If you do not have it and you are unable to or do not wish to download Acrobat Reader, but still wish to receive complete Prescribing Information, please click here.

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