Lithium & Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder, also known as manic-depressive illness, is a chronic disorder of the brain characterized by extreme shifts in behavior and mood. The cause of bipolar disorder is not known, though scientists believe a combination of biological, genetic and environmental factors are at play. While there is no cure, treatment options, including lithium medication, exist and can help most people. Ongoing care with a health care professional is crucial in order to evaluate the patient's changing needs over time.

Symptoms

• Patients with bipolar disorder experience what are known as mood states that will last at least one to two weeks, and symptoms are severe. In a manic mood state a person may have high energy and feel overly happy and self-confident. Other symptoms of mania include talking fast, sleeping little and impulsive or risky behavior. Depressive mood state symptoms consist of periods of feeling worried or empty, feeling tired, restlessness, changes in appetite and suicidal thoughts. According to the National Institutes of Mental Health, a person in a severe mood state of either mania or depression may also experience psychotic symptoms including hallucinations.

Lithium

• Episodes of mania rarely exist on their own; they are usually preceded or followed by episodes of depression. Lithium is used to treat both manic and depressive episodes and has been shown to be effective in stabilizing moods. According to Psychology Information Online, patients will begin to show improvement one to two weeks after starting lithium therapy, but it can take weeks to several months before the episode is fully controlled. For this reason many patients are prescribed ongoing maintenance doses of lithium in an attempt to control episodes more quickly and reduce their severity.

Side Effects

• Side effects common in patients starting lithium include drowsiness, thirst, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, tremors and weakness. These are usually manageable by lowering dosages. Doctors must regularly check blood levels of lithium and adjust dosages to ensure that enough medication is present to be effective, yet is low enough to avoid side effects. Thyroid function may also be affected; in this case a doctor may prescribe thyroid hormone in combination with lithium.

Other Medications

• While lithium is the first line of treatment for bipolar disorder it does not benefit all patients. Anticonvulsant medications such as Tegretol and Depakote, normally used to treat seizures, are also effective mood stabilizers. Doctors have also use antipsychotic medications including Zyprexa, Abilify and Seroquel to treat some symptoms. Antidepressant medications such as Prozac and Zoloft have also served to treat episodes of depression in bipolar disorder, according to the National Institutes of Mental Health.

Coexisting Conditions

• Anxiety disorders such as social phobia and attention disorders such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder often coexist with bipolar disorder, with all these illnesses having some overlapping symptoms. The National Institutes of Mental Health recognizes that people with bipolar disorder are at higher risk for substance abuse although the reasons are as yet unclear. Other physical illnesses such as heart disease, obesity, diabetes and migraine headaches occur more commonly in people with bipolar disorder; although these may result from medication side effects and not the disease itself.