How to Treat Bipolar Disorder With Hormone Therapy
Bipolar disorder is a treatable mental illness that affects many people across the globe. It's characterized by periods of depression alternating with periods of mania. Several traditional treatment options are available depending on which type of the disorder you have, and hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is being researched to study its effect on female patients with bipolar disorder.
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Instructions
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Use other treatments first. Lithium is the most popular treatment choice for those with bipolar disorder. Some patients use lithium in conjunction with other drugs, or simply use other drugs alone, for example, mood stabilizers in the benzodiazepine group or antiseizure medications like Klonopin or Depakote. These are the most commonly prescribed treatments and are effective for most patients.
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Talk to your doctor if you feel your treatment is not working. Share your concerns with your doctor and see if he's willing to give HRT a test run with you. Since it's not an approved therapy for bipolar disorder, your doctor may not feel comfortable starting you on it. If you're postmenopausal or have hypothyroidism, you're a better candidate for HRT.
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Find a research group that's conducting clinical trials of HRT for treatment of bipolar disorder. You may qualify to do a study and if the study is helpful, your doctor might be more likely to prescribe the treatment for you once the study has ended. Make sure to clear it with your doctor before starting any experimental drugs.
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Continue with psychotherapy. Even if you do respond to HRT, seeing a psychologist for talk therapy is important.
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Tips & Warnings
For some women, hormone replacement therapy can worsen depression. If you're approved to receive HRT, track your symptoms carefully and alert your doctor or trial director of any changes.
