I have heard from a couple of people that when they went through menopause they no longer needed to be on
Lithium. Is there any truth in that? My mother has been manic in the past, but now that she is going through menopause she is very depressed. Is there anything I can do to help her?
Dr. Pies' Answer
I have bipolar I and ADD (attention deficit disorder). I am no longer able to take any of the current medications for ADD (stimulants,
antidepressants) because they have induced mania. Will the
recently approved Stratera be appropriate for people with
bipolar disorder? How do norepinephrine reuptake
inhibitors differ from serotonin reuptake inhibitors in
terms of inducing mania?
Dr. Pies' Answer
I have a daughter that is 20 years old. She has always been immature and was diagnosed with ADD (attention deficit disorder) when she was 7 years old. She has been treated by numerous psychologists in her younger years, taking Ritalin on and off until her junior year of high school. She has never had any "real" friends and never had a boyfriend but she seems reasonably content. She took Ritalin again her first semester in college, but is no longer attending school. She does work full-time (with me pushing all the way)...
Dr. Pies' Answer
