Bipolar disorder-why only lithium?

Question

Why is lithium the only drug of choice for bipolar patients? It's just for the treatment of manic episodes, right? What about the depression episodes? We don't treat it at all?

Please refer me to a site that may explain this.Thanks.

Answer 1

lithium is far from the only medication used to treat bipolar disorder. The list of mood stabilizers is endless but to name a few carbamazepine, depakote, seroquel, topomax etc etc. Lithium not only helps with mania but also with depressive episodes. The site below gives you some of the one available but there is a lot more and always new ones being found. take care good luck

Answer 2

Hi Keane:

Well, Lithium is not the only drug of choice for the treatment of Bipolar Disorder. At one point yes, it used to be but in time many new medicines have come on the market made specifically for the treatment of Bipolar.

Usually the newer meds are tried first and as with all illnesses and each person is different, the meds react differently with all of us. So really finding the right med for the right person is all trial and error. There is just no getting around that.

Lithium is an old med, I believe 1st generation and it works well for most people. But it is usually used as a last resort as it is a very potent medication that needs to be followed up with the treating physician constantly including monthly blood draw to check the Lithium levels and make changes accordingly.

Here are some web sites that may help you understand Lithium and it's uses a little better:

http://www.bipolarhappens.com/hc.php?source=adwords&gclid=CJjEjpe5qo4CFQGnPAodkFeraA

http://www.understanding-bipolardisorder.com/page.cfm/id/6766?keywords=bipolar+disorder+medication&referrer=Adwords&camp=Understanding-BipolarDisorder&group=bipolar+disorder+medication&keyword=lithium&traffictype=search&sourcesite=&creativeid=824362830

http://www.medicinenet.com/lithium/article.htm

I hope this helps with the answer and information that you are searching for.

Be safe and be well

Answer 3

Lithium is no longer the only drug of choice for bipolar patients. There are many meds that are given first.

Lithium treats both mania and depressive episodes. So whoever told you that lithium only works on mania is incorrect.

Mood stabilizers are given for bipolar. When a depression still lingers, a doc will prescribe an antidepressant too. It's treated.

Also some mood stabilizers address the depressive end of bipolar better than others. The same way some mood stabilizers are better for mania. But all, are mood stabilizers and help both states.

If you have other questions, send me a message, and I will answer them.

Answer 4

There are quite a few other meds. In the anticonvulsant category, Lamictal is by far the best for depression. Depakote is good for overall BP control, as are Trileptal and Tegretol. In the antipsychotic drug class, Abilify and Geodon have antidepressant qualities. There also is Seroquel which has some as well. Zyprexa is the 'best' at shutting down a mania immediately. There are a couple others in the classes, but you get the picture. Lithium is considered the gold standard because it manages mania, has some antidepressant qualities, augments anti-d's nicely, AND it is being show more and more as having the potential to rejuvenate some of the damage caused by BP. That last fact is it's biggest selling quality in my book.

You are right, though. There isn't much in the way of depression tx. Which sucks since many can't take antidepressants or don't get much good out of them even on stabilizers.

Good BP med site: http://www.crazymeds.org

~bipolar

Answer 5

I like that you asked about Biploar Disorder even if the question is a little misdirected...

I am Biploar ...lithium is not a "drug of choice" for me ...it is however (with a combination of Paxil the drug the works best for me.)

While doing your research I hope you take the time to learn about the many entertainers ...musicans , movie stars, comics ect. that have Bipolar.

I get pretty upset when I read about someone using the fact that they are Bipolar as an excuse for the reason that they have committed a crime. It couldn't be because they have a criminal nature now could it.

But I digress ...Lith isn't a "Drug of choice it is just one that seems to work...in combination with others ..for me at least of course everyone is different.

I happen to be a bit manic at this moment as a matter of fact ...

Answer 6

As a former Lithium user, for the life of me I can't understand why this is the doctor's drug of choice. Maybe it is because you have to go in every 2 weeks to get your Lithium levels checked which means more money for the doctor. Or maybe the doctor is getting kick backs from the drug company. Personally, I hated Lithium because it made me feel like a zombie.I was not manic and they weren't even sure if I was bi-polar (which later I find out that I am not) so I don't know why they put me on it to begain with. I had depression and generalized anxiety disorder!


http://itech.fgcu.edu/&/issues/vol2/issue1/bipolar.htm

Answer 7

Just google bipolar disorder and you'll have a bunch of sites to look at. It's not the only drug given for the manic episodes. And, there are some patients who are given antidepressants as well.

Answer 8

Bipolar disorder is very complicated - I was reading an article on this exact thing yesterday. In 50 years thay have not found anything that works as well as Lithium

Answer 9

Doctors do not know anything. You know yourself better than any person in the world.

Answer 10

http://www.psycheducation.org/depression/03_treatment_app.html