Dec 22 2008
Being Bipolar: Why some people refuse their meds
People are wondering why someone with bipolar disorder would refuse to take their medication. We all know that you can’t get better without it. So why aren’t we happy to take those lovely little pills every day? I’ll tell you why.
Aside from physical side effects, there are many of us who do not like feeling dependent upon anything. This includes our prescribed medications. It’s also a daily reminder of our illness.
The physical side effects are certainly the biggest deterrent. Try these on for size:
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Dizziness
- Insomnia
- Drowsiness
- Vivid or frightening dreams
- Tremors
- Nervousness
- Listlessness
- Lack of concentration
- Heart palpitations
- Dry mouth
- Increased thirst
- Weight gain
- Weight loss
- Increased risk of diabetes
That’s just the beginning of them. There are way too many for me to list them all, but these are the most common ones with any of the medications.
So, imagine starting on a medication and feeling as if you are going to crawl out of your skin, finding yourself so out of it that you are pretty sure the dog is smarter then you are, being unable to eat because of severe nausea but gaining ten pounds anyway, and suddenly realizing that your hand is now a creature from a horror movie complete with twitches and spasms. Does this sound like fun to you? These are the joys of being bipolar.
Please keep this in mind when you wonder why someone doesn’t like to take his or her medication. It’s difficult at times to swallow those pills knowing the side effects they cause.
Thank God I thought I was going nuts! Lol…I’m extremely nervous about leaving the house, losing things, everything in general. I’m so nervous I drive me crazy sometimes. Never thought of it as a med side effect. Good to know.
Sometimes the side effects go away after you have taken a medication for awhile. If they don’t or they become really bothersome, you need to let your doc know. Isn’t it loads of fun? lol