Supporting Your Loved One

People with bipolar disorder will have times when their mood is “normal” and balanced or close to that. But they will also have times of extreme mood. These are called “episodes.”¹

Although it may sound strange, your loved one could be experiencing an episode of depression or mania and not even realize it. But you probably know the warning signs of a depressed “low” or manic “high” and can help by letting your loved one’s doctor know right away.²

Whether you are the spouse, a significant other, a family member or a close friend of someone with bipolar disorder, your support is important. There are a few basic things you may be able to do to help your loved one manage bipolar disorder.

Help With Medical Appointments

It’s important for your loved one to keep scheduled medical appointments. This is true during episodes of illness and even when your loved one isn’t having symptoms (remission).

• If you are a spouse or significant other, you should attend medical appointments to get information firsthand from the doctor
• Remind your loved one about medical appointments, offer to give him or her support during the appointment or provide transportation, as needed

Help With Bipolar Disorder Medication

Your loved one may not want to take prescribed medicine. Side effects may be a concern. Or he or she may not want to come down from the “high” of a manic episode.

• Do what you can, within reason, to help your loved one see the need for medication. Medicine is needed for nearly all patients when they are having an episode of depression or mania. Medicine may also be needed at other times, depending on the individual patient³
• If your loved one is complaining about side effects, the doctor should be told about these concerns
• If your loved doesn’t think a medicine is working the way it should, the doctor should be told about these concerns
• If your loved one stops or is thinking about stopping taking a prescribed medicine, the doctor needs to know about this as soon as possible. Symptoms that come back after stopping medicine are sometimes much harder to treat³

Plan for Future Bipolar Disorder Episodes

Having a plan in place may help you and your loved one feel a little more in control. Make arrangements with your loved one during stable periods to help reduce problems during future episodes of illness. Talk about the possible need to put certain safeguards in place. These safeguards might include: taking away credit cards, banking privileges, and car keys, and having a plan about when to go to the hospital.³

Make sure you know where to find the following things:

• Contact information for your loved one’s health care providers and pharmacy
• A list of your loved one’s medicine(s) and dosage(s)
• Your loved one’s insurance information, such as plans, coverage, and approved providers
• Contact information for bipolar disorder support groups or crisis lines

Dealing With Bipolar Disorder

This is not a complete summary of safety information. Please discuss the full Prescribing Information with your health care provider.

SEROQUEL is approved for depressive episodes and acute manic episodes in bipolar disorder; long-term maintenance treatment of bipolar disorder in combination with lithium or divalproex; and schizophrenia.

Elderly patients with dementia-related psychosis (having lost touch with reality due to confusion and memory loss) treated with this type of medicine are at an increased risk of death, compared to placebo (sugar pill). SEROQUEL is not approved for treating these patients.

Antidepressants have increased the risk of suicidal thoughts and actions in some children, teenagers, and young adults. Patients of all ages starting treatment should be watched closely for worsening of depression, suicidal thoughts or actions, unusual changes in behavior, agitation, and irritability. Families and caregivers should watch patients daily and report these symptoms immediately to the physician. SEROQUEL is not approved for patients under the age of 18 years.

• High blood sugar and diabetes have been reported with SEROQUEL and medicines like it. If you have diabetes or risk factors such as obesity or a family history of diabetes, ask your doctor about checking your blood sugar before starting SEROQUEL and regularly throughout treatment. If you develop symptoms of high blood sugar or diabetes, such as excessive thirst or hunger, increased urination, or weakness, contact your doctor. Complications from diabetes can be serious and even life threatening
• A rare, but potentially fatal, side effect reported with SEROQUEL and medicines like it is neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS). Tell your doctor if you have very high fever; rigid muscles; shaking; confusion; sweating; changes in pulse, heart rate, or blood pressure; or muscle pain and weakness because treatment should be stopped if you have NMS
• Another serious side effect reported with SEROQUEL and medicines like it is tardive dyskinesia (TD)—uncontrollable movements of the face, tongue, or other parts of the body. TD may become permanent, and the risk of TD is believed to increase as the length of time on and the amount of these medications increase. While TD can develop in patients taking low doses for short periods, this is much less common. There is no known treatment for TD, but it may go away partially or completely if treatment is stopped
• Before starting treatment, tell your doctor if you have high cholesterol or have a history of, or are at risk for, seizures or a low white blood cell (WBC) count. An eye exam for cataracts is recommended at the beginning of treatment and every 6 months thereafter. Suicidal thoughts or actions may occur in bipolar disorder and schizophrenia; tell your doctor if you have thoughts about death or suicide. During treatment, tell your doctor if you feel dizzy or lightheaded upon standing. Since drowsiness has been reported with SEROQUEL, you should not participate in activities such as driving or operating machinery until you know that you can do so safely. Avoid drinking alcohol while taking SEROQUEL because SEROQUEL increases the effects of alcohol. Avoid becoming overheated or dehydrated while taking SEROQUEL
• Common side effects: The most common side effects are dry mouth, sedation, drowsiness, dizziness, constipation, weakness, abdominal pain, sudden drop in blood pressure upon standing, sore throat, weight gain, sluggishness, high blood sugar, nasal congestion, abnormal liver tests, and upset stomach

Talk to your doctor about prescription SEROQUEL.
Click here for full Prescribing Information, including Boxed Warnings.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.FDA.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

 

REFERENCES:

1. American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association; 2000.
2. American Psychiatric Association. Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Patients with Bipolar Disorder, Second Edition. American Psychiatric Association; 2002.
3. Keck PE, Perlis RH, Otto MW, Carpenter D, Ross R, Docherty JP.The Expert Consensus Guideline Series: Treatment of Bipolar Disorder 2004. A Postgraduate Medicine Special Report. The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.; December 2004.

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  •    Dealing With Bipolar      Disorder
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This product information is intended for US audiences only.
SEROQUEL is a registered trademark of the AstraZeneca group of companies.
©2008 AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP.  All rights reserved.  270758 11/08