Any time you start taking a new medication, you must be on the lookout for side effects. A side effect is any unwanted, nontherapeutic effect caused by a drug. Most psychiatric medications have side effects of one kind or another. Some people are prone to experience side effects from a particular medicine, while others do not experience any side effects from the same medicine.  Be wary because some side effects are more serious than others. Some can actually kill you!  Your psychiatrist should inform you of the possible side effects when prescribing medication. If he or she doesn’t warn you of the possible side effects of the medication, then get a new psychiatrist.

Side effects lie in wait like a lion stalking its prey until the medicine reaches a certain threshold in your bloodstream. Side effects may happen quickly or may occur several days after you begin taking the medicine; some may not show up until much later, when you have increased the dosage to a certain level. Take heed because this could be weeks or months after you start taking the medication. Everything may be going along smoothly, and then BAM! Things turn bad—and very quickly. If something is going wrong physically or mentally, always look to the medicine as the possible culprit.

You may be taking more than one medicine at the same time and are not sure which medicine is causing the side effect. Very likely the side effect is a result of the most recent medicine you added to your regime or a change (increase) in the dosage of a medication. However, this is not always the case. Either way, take immediate action if something strange or unusual is going on.

I recently experienced side effects from a new medicine my psychiatrist prescribed to treat my bipolar.  The reason for adding the new med was to counteract sedation I was experiencing.  It took about a month to ramp up the medicine to the target dosage for someone my weight and I definitely felt positive effects.  However, after another month went by I had gained over 10 lbs. I also began having a noticeable tremor in my hands.  Both of these side effects are unacceptable, so I made an appointment with my psychiatrist and modified my medications.

Generic Side Effects from Bipolar Medications Include:

 • severe anxiety                            • sedation

• insomnia                                     • sexual dysfunction

• tremor                                         • excessive thirst/dry mouth

• increased urination                     • stomach pain

• agitation                                      • muscle stiffness/pain

• loss of coordination                     • vomiting

• weight gain/increased appetite   • hallucinations

• weight loss                                  • drowsiness

• constipation                                 • blackouts

• rashes or itching                          • sensitivity to the sun

• headaches