While some manic depressives are able to only use one antipsychotic medication such as lithium, others will need to take a cocktail of drugs. If you are one of these people, it is important to practice safety when mixing drugs.
The first thing you should not do, is to take what seem to be over the counter remedies, such as herbal supplements. One notable example would be St. John’s wort, which will cause a manic episode if not balanced with another drug. That is not to say that you cannot take alternative remedies, but you should run them by your doctor first, in order to make sure that there are not going to be any harmful interactions with your other medications.
Another dangerous combination is lithium and weight control drugs, which speed up the body’s metabolism and can cause an individual to become manic.
When you are taking a cocktail of drugs prescribed by psychiatrist, it is important to note any strange side effects that may occur. You should have a notebook or journal, in which you write your symptoms during the day, as well as your level of mood, so that you are able to check your mood history over a long period of time. This will prevent a mood episode from sneaking up on you, as you are able to see if you are becoming manic or depressive over time.
It will also be necessary at times to increase or decrease the dosage of the medication, in order to reduce side effects or to improve symptoms. The reason for this is that body chemistry changes with age, and the environmental conditions that you are in also change. It is a good idea to talk with your psychiatrist if you notice that your medication is becoming less effective.
There are certainly many risks with psychotropic drugs, so it is best to use caution and monitor your condition, in order to avoid side effects and long-term health problems.