What else would they give Lithium for?

Alisonlg

New Member
Just since we never DID get any idea what diagnosis the psychiatrist at the psychiatric hospital was leaning towards other than the consideration of ADD (which, yeah...we ALL know it's more than ADD and ODD folks! LMAO)....

The psychiatrist listed off her 3 next choice drugs and other than the 2 ADD medications, one of them was Lithium. Now other than treating BiPolar, what would Lithium treat?

I'm just trying to figure out what she was thinking, if not Early Onset Bi-Polar (EOBP). Or, if it was Early Onset Bi-Polar (EOBP) she was basically narrowing it down to. She NEVER ONCE mentioned a diagnosis. Which I get...heck they didn't do any testing there and they're bigger on treating symptoms there....but I'm just dying to know what she thought she was looking at.

She seems incompetent when it comes to paperwork...won't sign the releases so I can get copies of his files. grrrrrr....
 

smallworld

Moderator
From http://www.crazymeds.org:

What is lithium carbonate: Officially lithium is classified as an antipsychotic. Really it's one of two true mood stabilizers. All the other medications that people call "mood stabilizers" are really anticonvulsants and are best used as anti-manics. The exception being Lamictal (lamotrigine), which is the other true mood stabilizer.

FDA Approved Uses of lithium: Acute and chronic bipolar mania, approved by the FDA to treat bipolar disorder in 1970. For thirty years the lithium medications were the only medications with FDA approval to treat mania that lasted longer than six months. As of early 2004 Zyprexa (olanzapine) just received approval to also treat chronic mania. We’re supposed to stay on our medications but there are only two medications approved for use long than six months. Isn’t that crazy?

Off-Label Uses of lithium. Some of the other uses of lithium that don't have FDA approval, but it will be prescribed for anyway include:

Cluster Headaches (although it still appears over the years not to be that effective)
Augmenting antidepressants to treat refractory depression
Graves’ Disease (hyperthyroidism)
 

Alisonlg

New Member
Ok...so, seeing as he has no cluster headaches, Graves' Disease, and is not on any antidepressants for refractory depression...that leaves BiPolar. LOL
 

Alisonlg

New Member
I basically told her on his first admit that I suspected BiPolar (BP) (again, I've NEVER claimed to be a Dr) and she was very surprised...so, I find it interesting to know that she was "coming over to my side"

I have to say though, I think the Seroquel is holding down the "mania"...granted, it's only been 5 days. I haven't seen him have any highs, but interestingly, he's seemed pretty low. I've never though of him as "depressed" before. Boy can he RAGE...yes. Chronically irritable, yes. But, never sad. The past couple of days he seems sad. :frown: Gotta keep an eye on that.

On a side note...even if the Strattera is a temporary fixture, it very well may be helping him think a bit more clearly. He's been talking to me a little more here and there about some things. Things that will help me give the psychiatrists more info, which is good. Drives up the anxiety vote a few notches though. Gosh I can't wait to get a neuropsychologist done on this kid! I sort of wish I could get a neuropsychologist done on all of us! LOL
 

Sara PA

New Member
Many people whose kids have tried Strattera have been pleased with the improvement in concentration but they still had to discontinue because of the aggression.
 

oceans

New Member
It sounds like she really has no clue what is going on, and just trying different classes of medications to see what works on certain symptoms that are being noticed. So far he has been on several AP's, stimulants, and at one time wasn't he given an antidepressant? Seems that she is thinking if nothing else works, the next step to try might be a mood stabilizer.
 

BusynMember

Well-Known Member
I'm wondering if they didn't try to rule other things out first before saying "bipolar." It's common to rule out ADHD before saying the "b" word. Lithium's use is almost always as a mood stabilizer for bipolar, and it's a very good one. in my opinion I'd give it the eight weeks or more it takes to see if it helps. He'll need to be at therapeutic levels, but it can be a lifesaver.
 

Alisonlg

New Member
It sounds like she really has no clue what is going on, and just trying different classes of medications to see what works on certain symptoms that are being noticed. So far he has been on several AP's, stimulants, and at one time wasn't he given an antidepressant? Seems that she is thinking if nothing else works, the next step to try might be a mood stabilizer.

They were considering an SSRI (Zoloft) but never tried one...never gave an explaination why they abandoned that idea.

Yeah...I think you're right. She really did have no clue. She pretty much came right out and told us he was a puzzle to her. So controlled at times and so out of control at others...If he's a puzzle, he gets that from me. I've always been the type of person that never fit into any "personality type." Anytime I attended a seminar where they did those pesonality tests and everyone else in the room was nodding and giggling as they were astounded at how much was revealed about them, I just sat there lost. Then when it came time to stand up and join your personality group, I was the one standing in the middle of the room trying to figure out which group I was going to join today. Is that a disorder?!? LOL
 
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