Manic episode while taking lithium?

[aura]

Has anyone here ever had either a full-blown manic episode or severe hypomanic episode while taking lithium?

I ask because I'm new to lithium (started in April). My therapist (I know, I need to ask my psychiatrist too, but I've been too depressed) tells me that I will likely continue to have episodes of elevated mood, but that they will be shorter and less extreme. In past years, I have had a manic or significantly hypomanic episode every autumn (about October through December). I've already been mildly hypomanic this week, but that might have been because I am coming out of a depressive episode.

In short, I haven't been all that worried about mania because I'm counting on lithium to do its job. Is this fair to assume, or is this a false sense of security? Of course I'm also trying to be good: eating, sleeping, not working ridiculous hours. But courses are starting soon and it's going to become much more difficult to maintain these habits. 

[rowan77]

Yes I have had manic episodes whilst taking lithium. It was before I had reached the right cocktail of medications. 

Even now I still have hypomania on it. It definitely helps my mood but doesn't completely wipe out mood episodes altogether. Bipolar is a lifelong condition which can be managed but not cured. 

[uncomfortable thoughts]

I didn't and I don't want to scare you.

It's not a false sense of security but for what I know a pdoc can't guarantee that a medicine or a combination could prevent you forever from having an episode, from my experience it's pretty much standard honesty saying that taking the meds is a safer way to live and we also have to do our part like the health life choices that you described, but even so, it's not guaranteed, we can't control it all, there always be life stressors and how we react it's part of dealing with our condition.

[crtclms]

For me personally, I have not had a hypo or manic episode since I have been on lithium. However, there are plenty of people who do, it is just, as your pdoc said, less likely and shorter when it does happen.

I hope this is not the case, but you may find out that lithium doesn't work for your mania; everyone's different.

I was actually put on it for depression as an add-on to Lamictal. The no "highs" is just a bonus for me.

[saintalto]

It's possible to relapse regardless of pretty much any medication you take. Most the time meds that fit you well do their job consistently, and usually the relapse is far less intense with the presence of medication than without it. From my experience, it's been a constant juggling act since I first stared taking medications. That's my experience, but I know of people who take the same medication they started on years ago, and they are still doing fine on it give or take a few minor symptomatic periods. Everyone's different.

[mjs190]

I've never taken Lithium, but I currently take Depakote ER and have had hypo episodes on it. I recently had to increase my dose to 1,000 mg to squash the cycling. So it can happen, perhaps because the dose isn't high enough, or perhaps because your cocktail needs tweaking. Its also important to remember that Lithium may not stop 100% of your mood episodes from occurring, but rather it will reduce their frequency and significantly dampen the extremes. Thats not to say it can't completely stop them, but just that there's no magic bullet. 

[survivingbp]

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Edited August 25, 2022 by survivingbp