Bipolar disorder and school problems in a 21 year old

Hi Dr. Dave,

My daughter is suffering from Bipolar disorder since 2007. She is 21 yrs. old has been on several meds. since then, is taking tegretol, zyprexa, seroquel right now.Always C/O thoughts, mostly euphoric, and lack of focus, concectration.Always has to break the semester and take medical leave in order to finish the course. Do you have any suggestions or references. Thanks.

Hi,

Sorry for the delay in responding. First, I would suggest getting a second opinion on her medication regimen. She's taking two atypical antipsychotics (Zyprexa and Seroquel) which can have a lot of side effects (weight gain, fatigue). She's also taking a relatively old-line anticonvulsant (Tegretol). There may be good reasons for this regimen, of course, but you might get a reevaluation by a psychiatrist who specializes in mood disorders, if she's not already seeing one.

Given the lack of focus and poor concentration, I would also wonder about comorbid ADHD. Also, is she getting any therapy to go with her medications? Any contact with the school guidance or disability office? They may be able to grant her some accommodations (e.g., longer time to finish exams or assignments) given her illness. Good luck.