Hello Customer (name blocked for privacy),

As you probably already know, bipolar disorder is a serious psychiatric illness that requires regular care from a trained professional, a psychiatrist. Unfortunately we do not know of any over-the-counter or herbal substances that will help you.

In addition, you must remember that studies have confirmed that individuals with bipolar disorder who are not treated properly and continue to have cycles of mania and depression become harder and harder to treat. Over time, the medications we do have start to become less and less effective and the episodes take longer and longer to resolve.

The only answer is to obtain proper treatment and stay with it. Keep taking medication that is working every single day, not just to keep yourself well in the present but because it will help you avoid episodes in the future. If you do have episodes in the future, they will be easier to control and last a shorter time by taking your medication every single day now.

These days nearly all of the drug companies that make medications used to treat bipolar disorder have Patient Assistance Programs (PAP). A PAP will provide you with free medication for as long as you need it and cannot afford it - even if it is for the rest of your life. Your doctor needs to fill out the paperwork, and if he/she refuses to do it I would report them to the Board of Medicine in Pennsylvania and find another psychiatrist. Your health depends on it.

Pennsylvania also has a Health Insurance Premium Assistance Program (HIPP) which can help pay for health insurance when you cannot. So please contact the State and get the assistance you need to see a psychiatrist. Then get the medication you need without having to pay for it. (See http://www.rxassist.org/)

Please let me know if you have any more questions about this topic. Otherwise, kindly hit "Accept" so that I know that your questions has been answered completely and to your satisfaction.

Good luck,

Dr. Michael