If you or someone you know is experiencing these mood disturbances and changes in behavior it is imperative to get to a physician for proper evaluation. Once your medical provider evaluates your symptoms, he/she may perform some laboratory work so that the appropriate medical illnesses can be ruled out. A detailed history and physical will be performed to ensure that the mood disturbances and changes in behavior are not secondary to drugs, alcohol or other medical conditions that may require treatment. Once drugs, alcohol and other medical conditions have been ruled out then your physician may refer you to a Psychiatrist. A Psychiatrist will be able to evaluate the patient’s signs/symptoms and utilize the DSM-5 to provide an appropriate diagnosis. Once an appropriate diagnosis has been made then appropriate management can be initiated. It is imperative to remember that patients who present with Bipolar I Disorder will experience episodes of mania and episodes of depression and it is essential to make sure the patient is not suicidal or homicidal. It is also imperative to make sure that the patient is not experiencing any acute and/or chronic psychosis so that the patient is not a danger to himself or others. The therapeutic treatment of Bipolar I Disorder will depend on which part of the disorder the patient is currently in; there is different management for the patient who is experiencing the manic episodes as compared to those patients who are currently experiencing a depressive episode.

Bipolar disorder is a type of mental disorder. As with any new diagnosis, the diagnosis of Bipolar disease can come as a shock and even be overwhelming. Therefore, it is essential that the patient is educated on the different signs and symptoms associated with the mania, hypomania and depressive episodes. By providing patient education, patients and their families will be able to appropriately cope and provide support to one another. Having the knowledge of what Bipolar disorders are and how they are diagnosed and managed can provide empowerment to the patient and family members. It is important for patients with Bipolar disorder to stay focused on short term achievable goals. Having a focused schedule and specific goals with a daily routine can provide an environment that allows for patients with this disorder to succeed. Finding healthy ways to express your energy is imperative. Such activities as hobbies, exercise, and recreational activities are productive methods of coping with bipolar and staying focused. Having a support group to provide an outlet for the individual the ability to connect with others who are going through the same thing is also effective. Bipolar disorder is a diagnosis of exclusion. If you or someone you know is experiencing signs and symptoms of mania, hypomania or depression please speak with a healthcare provider today.

Even though chemotherapy is most often associated with drugs used in cancer treatment, “chemo” is actually characterized as the use of any drug to treat almost any disease. Chemotherapy works to kill cancer cells throughout the entire body when cancer has metastasized (or spread) from the original tumor to other parts of the body. Chemo is often used in collaboration with radiation, which eradicates cancer cells in a particular area, and surgery. The primary goal of chemotherapy treatment is to cure, control, and lessen the disease and symptoms (known as palliative care). Before a patient undergoes chemotherapy, doctors will decide on a treatment plan based on the following: Chemotherapy drugs To determine the drug to use for treatment (chemo), doctors will consider your type of cancer, stage of cancer, as well as patient age, and overall health (i.e., other existing health conditions, like kidney disease). They’ll also consider whether or not you’ve had chemo before in the past. Chemotherapy scheduling Chemotherapy is given by dose per cycle (i.e., several days) followed by several days or weeks with no treatment to allow healthy cells adequate recovery time from side effects. Your doctor will schedule your chemo based on the number of cycles needed, based on the type and stage of cancer you have.

Immunotherapy, or biologic therapy, utilizes substances, either made in a lab or naturally made by the body, to boost the body’s natural defences and fight cancer. Immunotherapy is meant to optimize immune system function so that the body is strong enough to do the following: Strengthen the immune system enough to eradicate existing cancer cells.Cease or stall cancer cell growth altogether. Prevent cancer from spreading to other areas of the body. Immunotherapy comes in four distinctly different types: Non-specific immunotherapies Non-specific immunotherapies-—such as interleukins and interferons—encourage the immune system kill cancer cells in collaboration with other cancer treatments (i.e., radiation, chemo) or on their own. Interleukins are typically used for melanoma (skin cancer) and kidney cancer. While interferons are the more common type to treat all other cancers. T-cell therapy T-cells exist in our immune system cells to fight infection. However, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy removes T-cells are from a cancer patient’s blood, alters them in a lab so they contain specific proteins known as receptors so they can seek out and kill cancer cells. The changed T cells are grown in large numbers in the laboratory and returned to the patient’s body. Once there, they seek out and destroy cancer cells.

Radiation therapy employs high doses of radiation therapy to kill cancer cells. The primary aim of radiation is to eradicate as many tumor cells as necessary without causing harm to healthy cells. However, adverse side effects can occur due to the fact that radiation therapy can harm healthy cells and tissues in the areas nearby the tumor site. Although modern radiation technology is very precise, side effects still typically occur within the first few weeks or month of treatment, lasting several weeks following treatment. As with any disease-fighting treatment or cancer therapy, side effects differ in patients depending on health, age, type of radiation, type of cancer, and how much radiation is given. While there are no absolutes when it comes to how you will react to radiation therapy, these are the most common side effects of treatment: Fatigue Fatigue is perhaps the most common side effect of radiation therapy. Learning to cope with fatigue is important during cancer treatment, and a combination of cancer treatments (i.e., radiation and chemotherapy) can leave patients extremely tired and exhausted. Skin issues Radiation patients often report skin issues such as peeling or blistering skin, as well as dryness, flaky skin, and itchiness in the area receiving radiation therapy.