Interpreting the Relationship Between Bipolar Disorder and Fluctuating Hormones

Bipolar disorders manifest differently in all patients apart from the fact that these patients have identical subset diagnoses. Some patients may have one or more symptoms, and these observed symptoms are very closely related to some other disorders like schizophrenia or simply depression.

For this disorder, there is no clinical test available, but instead of it, to filter out the other possibilities, a diagnosis is made in terms of observed behaviour. Due to all of these factors and many other reasons, it might be impossible for Physicians to diagnose this disease reliably when there is a risk that symptoms might be caused by something else.

Doubtful Basis of Bipolar Disorder

According to psychological health experts, bipolar disorder is caused by a combination of both external and internal causes, which also includes the following factors:

• Neurological Differences
• Genetics
• The Family History

Since this disorder is thought to be caused by various causes, several factors may influence symptoms. Hormones have a big impact on how you react, both physically and mentally, and they can help you control your bipolar disorder.

Bipolar Disorder and Fluctuating Levels Of Hormone

Although hormones have not been reported as a potential cause of bipolar illness, medical experts believe that fluctuating hormone levels are likely to play a role in this disease. It is classified as a mood spectrum disorder, which means that it induces mood swings from one extreme to another. Hormone levels can also trigger mood swings, which can be serious or abrupt.

In addition to this, someone having unbalanced hormones with bipolar disorder can also cause a bipolar interlude who may otherwise be able to control their condition to be better. In certain cases, all other conditions may have been in place for an incident to occur, and varying hormone levels were the catalyst for the disturbance.

Hormonal Issues or Bipolar Disorder In Women?

Changes in hormone levels have a greater impact on women than on men. Some women’s hormones fluctuate to the extreme point that they develop conditions like depression or experience severe mood swings. The effect may be so extreme that their mood swings mimic those induced by bipolar disorder.

This may make diagnosis difficult because a doctor can mistakenly believe a patient has bipolar illness when they have a severe hormonal imbalance. Furthermore, a woman with bipolar Illness who experiences mood swings due to hormonal fluctuations is more likely to experience regular and severe bipolar episodes.

Women and Bipolar Disorder 

Bipolar is a mood disorder distinguished by prolonged euphoria and excitement (mania) followed by periods of despair or hopelessness (depression). Manic depression, or manic depressive disorder. Bipolar illness strikes both men and women with equal frequency. However, there are several variations in how men and women view the illness. A woman, for example, is more likely to experience depression symptoms than mania. Female hormones and reproductive factors can also affect the disorder and how it is treated.

According to one study, it has been found that in women, hormones can play a role in the modification and severity of the bipolar disorder. According to another study, late-onset is linked to menopause. Almost one-fifth of women with this condition are reported to have extreme emotional disturbances during the menopause phase. The relationship between bipolar disorder and premenstrual symptoms has been studied. According to these findings, women with mood-related complications, have greater chances of serious PMS, i.e., Premenstrual syndrome symptoms.

Another scientific study has shown that women who receive proper treatment for their conditions experience fewer mood swings during the menstrual cycle. During pregnancy and the postpartum period, physicians can find the strongest evidence of a hormonal connection to this disorder. Women with bipolar disorder and who are pregnant or who just have given birth to an infant are eight times more credible to be hospitalized than other women. A symptom recurrence is nearly twice as likely in these women.

Therapeutic Treatment

While there is no cure for bipolar disorder, drugs can help treat the disease. Some lifestyle improvements, such as lessening stress as much as possible and having enough sleep, can also be beneficial. Bipolar illness strikes both men and women with equal frequency. However, there are several variations in how men and women view the illness. The goal of bipolar disorder treatment is to stabilize mood to prevent the negative effects of both manic and depressed states. To relieve and avoid bipolar disorder symptoms, most people need long-term care.

The goal of treatment is to stabilize mood to prevent the negative effects of both manic and depressed states. To relieve and avoid these symptoms, most people need long-term treatment. Medication and talk therapy are sometimes used in treatment.

The Following are Examples of Drug Treatments:

• Asenapine
• Aripiprazole
• Cariprazine
• Carbatrol
• Tegretol
• Equetrol
• Lamotrigine
• Lithium
• Depakote
• Symbyax
• Lurasidone
• Valproic acid
• Risperidone
• Quetiapine
• Olanzapine
• Latuda
• Zyprexa
• Risperdal

Some of these medications come with a warning that they can raise the risk of suicidal actions and feelings in young adults and children on rare occasions. Suicidal thoughts or behavior, as well as new or deteriorating symptoms, should all be closely monitored.

Treatment During Pregnancy

It’s difficult to treat pregnant and breastfeeding women with bipolar disorder. Mood stabilizers, which doctors often use to treat bipolar disorder, may harm an unborn child or infant. According to one research, pregnancy does not prevent this disorder, but it also does not make it worse. Females who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant should talk to their doctor about their medication. Some women may need to take medicine during their pregnancy, but this has drawbacks. Any medications used to treat this disorder, for example, have been linked to congenital abnormalities.

The treatment for Bipolar disorder is usually similar for both males and females. For some women, however, special considerations are required, especially during pregnancy. Although women need to continue care while pregnant, the risks to the baby must also be taken into account. As a result, treatment regimens can be altered to reduce risk.

During pregnancy, doctors favour lithium and older medications like haloperidol (Haldol) and many other antidepressants. These treatments are probably because they have a higher track record and more safety-proof than newer drugs. Doctors also use these medications if care must be resumed and if women chose to avoid treatment during pregnancy. Several newer atypical antipsychotic treatments have been examined in pregnant women with no documented risks of congenital disabilities or developmental anomalies as of yet.

Some medicines have been linked to congenital disabilities in children, such as Carbamazepine and valproic acid. If you are pregnant, your doctor can alter your medication and prescribe folic acid to help prevent congenital disabilities that affect your baby’s brain and spinal cord.

According to most doctors, drugs like Carbamazepine should not be used during pregnancy unless there are no other alternatives. Carbamazepine not only endangers the unborn child, but it may also cause complications in the mother, such as liver failure or rare blood conditions if taken after conception.

Certain drugs used late an pregnancy can cause the infant to be irregular in its muscular movement or withdrawal symptoms at birth, known as extrapyramidal signs. Risperidone (Risperdal), olanzapine quetiapine (Seroquel), Aripiprazole (Abilify), and haloperidol (Haldol) are examples of antipsychotics.

The Symptoms for the Infant May Consist of:

• Anxiety
• Drowsiness
• Difficulty in breathing 
• Twitching or spontaneous muscle contractions
• Difficulty in feeding

Some babies’ signs go away on their own after a few hours or days. Other babies can need hospitalization for observation. Generally, physicians aim to reduce the exposure of a pregnant woman to medicines during her pregnancy. Even among the medicines without known risk for the fetus, unknown risks still exist, which can be reduced through adherence to existing medications instead of adding new medications when possible.

Misdiagnosis

People living with Bipolar disorder may be given the wrong diagnosis. According to some studies, women are more likely than men to be diagnosed with depression due to the generality of depressive symptoms.

Relationship Among Sleep And Bipolar Disorder

For men and women, the sleep patterns vary, and in people with bipolar disorders, sleep problems are common. Deprivation of sleep and bipolar disorder seem to exacerbate one another. For example, poor sleep was a predictor of a bad mood in a two-year study conducted for women but not for men in 2014.

Take Away

The disorder affects both men and women in different ways. According to some researchers, women with Bipolar disorders have a greater risk of major depressive symptoms than men with Bipolar, and they may experience it at a later age. Women with Bipolar disorder face special challenges during pregnancy. Since the drugs can harm the fetus or newborn child, In women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, a doctor must consider the risks of treating or not treating Bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder is debilitating and needs medical attention regardless of a person’s sex.

Treatment

Please call us, our 24-hour helpline service, at 615-490-9376 for assistance if you need help seeking care or have concerns about bipolar disorder and treatment. We want to help you in your search for better health and to get rid of bipolar disorder.

Sources

“Bipolar Disorder.” National Institute on Mental Health. April 2016