Bipolar Disorder/rapid cycling

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Expert: - 2/16/2010


Question
I am a rapid cycling bipolar along with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
my doc has put me on 1gm divalproate along with 200mg quetiapine(currently manic).
is this right for me, do you have a better suggestion?

Answer
Hi Pratik . . .

According to the medical literature, and because of my experience as a consulting psychiatrist, I would not prescribe quetiapine for an individuals with type 2 diabetes. This because quetiapine use is often associated with increases in both body weight and blood sugar. The best drug for people who need a neuroleptic and have diabetes is Sulperide ( a drug not available in the USA) and of the ones available in the USA, ziprasidone (Geodon). I have no idea about the availability of these medications in India.

Best regards . . .

Ivan
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Ivan Goldberg, M.D.

Expertise

I am a psychiatrist/psychopharmacologist with many years of expereince in treating individuals with depressions, manic-depression (Bipolar Disorder), other mood disorders,. I am especially interested in the psychopharmacologic treatment of individuals with so called "treatment-resistant" syndromes.

Experience

I have been on the staff of the National Institute of Mental Health, Columbia's College of Physicians and Surgeons, and the Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center. I am currently in full-time private practice in New York City.

A.B. Johns Hopkins University
M.D. N.Y.U. College of Medicine

I am the creator of Depression Central:http://www.psycom.net/depression.central.html

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