About Bipolar Disorder: Mood Stabilizers - Women's Issues for Men, Too

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Bipolar Disorder Bipolar Disorder Symptoms/Diagnosis Treatment Coping/Support From Marcia Purse, your Guide to Bipolar Disorder You don't have to be a woman to need the information below. A man whose spouse or girlfriend is taking bipolar medications will also want to be aware of the possibilities regarding birth control failure and potential birth defects. Can Your Mood Stabilizer Interfere With Birth Control? The answer is yes, some of them can. Carbamazepine (sold as Tegretol and other brand names) is especially known for causing contraceptive failures and also has a higher than normal risk for causing birth defects. There are other mood stabilizers that can affect contraceptives as well. Mood Stabilizers and Birth Defects Obviously clinical studies aren't done where some pregnant women are assigned to take an anticonvulsant like Depakote and others are not. But by looking at records of a mother's medications and the health of her newborn, researchers know that some mood stabilizers have a high risk of causing birth defects. Search Related Topics:  bipolar disorder and pregnancy  birth defects  spina bifida Genetic Risk of Suicide in Bipolar Disorder Researchers at Johns Hopkins university say they've identified a gene variant that makes people with bipolar disorder more likely to attempt suicide. It's a discovery that has the potential to save lives. Coping & Support Resources for Bipolar Disorder Bipolar disorder (manic depression) for the diagnosed individual as well as family and friends so often creates a sense of isolation and can seem quite overwhelming. People feel like they are alone with nowhere to turn. Well, you are not alone! Found here are resources and links highlighting venues of support and advocacy as well as those to add a little inspiration and laughter. Related Searches Bipolar Disorder Bipolar Mania Bipolar Symptoms Bipolar Side Effect Bipolar Depression Featured Articles Forms of Bipolar Disorder Treatment Options for Bipolar Disorder Impact on Life Personal Stories & Literature About Bipolar Disorder About Bipolar Disorder on Facebook Follow on Twitter   More from About.com 10 Easy Ways to Look Thinner Don't wait until you've lost those first pounds to make these simple, slimming changes. Read more...> Create a Shared Photo Stream Sharing your photo stream with friends and family is a great way to keep in touch. Read more...> This newsletter is written by: Marcia Purse Bipolar Disorder Guide Email Me | My Blog | My Forum   Sign up for more free newsletters on your favorite topics You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the About.com Bipolar Disorder newsletter. If you wish to change your email address or unsubscribe, please click here. About.com respects your privacy: Our Privacy Policy Contact Information: 1500 Broadway, 6th Floor New York, NY, 10036 © 2012 About.com   Must Reads What Is Bipolar Disorder? Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder Diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder Treatment of Bipolar Disorder Our Community for Bipolar Disorder   Follow me on: Advertisement