Question:
My friend is now out of control. He gets very little sleep, and he's
constantly talking (at 100 miles per hour) about religion, when he's not at
the race track losing all his hard earned money, and his friends don't want
to be around him. He stopped taking lithium about a year ago. From what
I've heard about lithium, I don't blame him. He dosen't want to try to take
other medications, but he says he is willing to try herbal remidies. Any comments about herbal treatment or experience with using herbs for
manic states will be greatly appreciated?
Answer:
Mania - it's mania - he needs drugs and
a doctor pronto. (lithium would stop it; if he does not like
this drug later he could go onto something else) The Omega 3 Fatty Acids have been used in BP Disorder...there is info
attached. However, for acute manic state, there really are no effective
herbal preparartions. That said, there are many med options besides Lithium:
Depakote
Tegretol
lamictal
Neurontin
Topomax
trileptal
From:
http://cbshealthwatch.medscape.com/cx/viewarticle/150618
Herbs and Alternatives - Caution Needed
When traditional medicine fails to provide an answer, more and more
distraught patients are turning to alternative medicine. Diet
supplements and herbal remedies fill the shelves in supermarkets,
pharmacies, health food stores, and offices of herbal practitioners.
Testimonials as well as advertisements in health and nutrition magazines
promote the use of herbs without explaining the dangers. Just because
these are natural preparations from plants that doesn't mean they are
safe. Herbal remedies are unregulated by any state or federal agency,
and the safety and effectiveness have not been tested.
It has been documented for centuries that some plant substances are
toxic to the liver. Doctors are concerned that many herbal related liver
injuries go unrecognized because patients are not questioned about their
use of herbs and diet supplements. A wide variety of herbal remedies
contain multiple ingredients, and the labeled and actual contents of a
product may differ. This makes it impossible to identify attack rates
for specific herbs. Flaxseed oil is rich in a type of fat called alpha-linolenic acid (ALA),
an essential fatty acid used as a source of energy by the body. It also
serves as the parent substance to compounds that regulate blood
pressure, blood clotting, heart rate, blood vessel dilation, the immune
response, and the breakdown of fats. Essential fatty acids are also used
to make brain and nerve tissue. Here is a partial list of illnesses that may be prevented or treated
with flaxseed oil:
* Skin disorders. Flaxseed oil may reduce the itching, swelling,
and redness associated with certain skin disorders such as psoriasis and
eczema.
* Hypertension. One tablespoon of flaxseed oil per day appears to
be effective in lowering blood pressure.
* Heart disease. ALA may reduce the risk of heart disease by
improving the function and integrity of arteries that carry blood
throughout the body and to the brain. High doses of ALA may reduce blood
cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
* Autoimmune disorders. These disorders, such as rheumatoid
arthritis, cause immune cells to attack healthy tissue in the body.
Flaxseed oil is converted to a substance in the body that can inhibit
this autoimmune reaction.
