Priority 33 from the Bipolar PSP

UNCERTAINTY:How often should medication plans be reviewed, and should dosage change? (JLA PSP Priority 33)
Overall ranking	33
JLA question ID	0041/33
Explanatory note	Not available for this PSP.
Evidence	None identified
Health Research Classification System category	Mental Health

Extra information provided by this PSP
Original uncertainty examples	For full examples, see Category ID T3 on spreadsheet. Do bipolar medications that work continue to work over a lifetime - particularly in women considering hormone changes what effect do life events such as having children, marrying or trauma have on the course of the illness? ~ How long should someone wait before asking their GP to change meds? ~ Will I have to come off Lithium in older age? ~ How can someone under treatment explore whether or not continued medication is needed - in a safe way? ~ I always have to ask my GP surgery for my blood tests, now that I've been discharged back to primary care. I wonder if others experience the same and if so are some people on drugs like lithium being monitored. ~ How often should a psychiatrist see you to monitor your medication etc or is it okay to just see your GP?
Submitted by	Patients x 57 ~ Carers x 24 ~ Health Professionals x 6 ~ others x 3

Extra information provided by this PSP

Original uncertainty examples

For full examples, see Category ID T3 on spreadsheet. Do bipolar medications that work continue to work over a lifetime - particularly in women considering hormone changes what effect do life events such as having children, marrying or trauma have on the course of the illness? ~ How long should someone wait before asking their GP to change meds? ~ Will I have to come off Lithium in older age? ~ How can someone under treatment explore whether or not continued medication is needed - in a safe way? ~ I always have to ask my GP surgery for my blood tests, now that I've been discharged back to primary care. I wonder if others experience the same and if so are some people on drugs like lithium being monitored. ~ How often should a psychiatrist see you to monitor your medication etc or is it okay to just see your GP?

Submitted by

Patients x 57 ~ Carers x 24 ~ Health Professionals x 6 ~ others x 3

PSP information
PSP unique ID	0041
PSP name	Bipolar
Total number of uncertainties identified by this PSP.	363 (To see a full list of all uncertainties identified, please see the detailed spreadsheet held on the JLA website)
Date of priority setting workshop	14 June 2016