LIVING WITH BIPOLAR DISORDER

LIVING WITH BIPOLAR DISORDER

Healthy Routines—Positive First Step

Get regular sleep. Do your best to go to sleep and wake up at the same time each day
Eat regular meals and get regular exercise
Reduce stress. People with bipolar disorder may find that an episode of depression or mania might start after they have been under more stress than usual
Take medication regularly. If your health care professional has prescribed medication for you as part of your treatment plan, be sure to take it at the same time every day. Having a routine may help make it easier to take your medication as prescribed
Get help for substance abuse, if needed. People with bipolar disorder may be more likely to use and abuse alcohol and other drugs. This can trigger episodes of illness or make your episodes last longer. If you think you may have a problem with drugs or alcohol, talk to your health care professional about options for dealing with these issues

Track your progress. You may find it helpful to keep a Mood Tracking Diary.

Work with your health care professional to develop a plan to manage your bipolar disorder and its symptoms and to follow your treatment plan closely. Here are a few more resources that are designed to help someone living with bipolar disorder.

Helpful tools that may help you gain prespective, track your moods, and work with your health care professional
Support and resources or organizations, advocacy groups, and support groups, as well as prescription savings programs.
Thinking Forward, a patient support program that offers free information, resources, and practical advice designed to help you work with your health care professional and move forward with your treatment plan.

The information on this Web site should not take the place of talking with your doctor or health care professional. If you have any questions about your condition, or if you would like more information about SEROQUEL XR, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. Only you and your health care professional can decide if SEROQUEL XR is right for you.

Important Safety Information for SEROQUEL XR

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

SEROQUEL XR is a once-daily tablet approved to treat acute depressive episodes in bipolar disorder; acute manic or mixed episodes in bipolar disorder alone or when added to lithium or divalproex; long-term maintenance of bipolar disorder when added to 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 XR 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 irratibility. Families and caregivers should watch patients daily and report these symptoms immediately to the physician. SEROQUEL XR is not approved for patients under the age of 18 years.

High blood sugar and diabetes have been reported with SEROQUEL XR and medicines like it. If you have diabetes or risk factors as obesity or a family history of diabetes, ask your doctor about checking your blood sugar before starting SEROQUEL XR 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.
Increases in cholesterol and triglycerides, and weight gain have been reported with SEROQUEL XR.
A rare, but potentially fatal, side effect reported with SERIOQUEL XR and medicine 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 XR and medicines like it is tardive dyskinesia (TD)--unconatrollable 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 prolactin levels or have a history of, or 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. During treatment, tell your doctor if you feel dizzy or lightheaded upon standing. Suicidal thoughts or actions may occur; tell your doctor if you have thoughts about death or suicide. Since drowsiness has been reported with SEROQUEL XR, 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 XR because SEROQUEL XR increases the effects of alcohol. Avoid become overheated or dehydrated while taking SEROQUEL XR
Common side effects: The most common side effects are drowsiness, dry mouth, increases in cholesterol and triglycerides, constipation, upset stomach, dizziness, a sudden drop in blood pressure upon standing, weight gain, increased hunger, tiredness, increases in blood sugar, difficulty speaking and stuffy nosel

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