Family member on lithium

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endaman

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Hi,

My brother is on Lithium and a mood stabilizer and they are working now, he has been diagnosed as bi-polar. I myself believe a lot of his issues came about from breakdown related to over work, financial pressure, bad marriage, alcohol abuse and a chain of events that led to depression, then after getting various medications over the years has now found a combination that is working quite well for him. But he has no memory now and is barely able to work, he has social issues and is very moody. Its a tough situation for everyone especially him. When younger he was very capable but not now.

So what I am wondering, is there a way to get him off the meds and back to life again? He got his faith back over a year ago and that is helping a lot. He is still in his marriage but there is very little love, they are really just friends that live together and I feel he is someone who needs a lot of love. Any ideas for me? I do pary for him a lot.

If you don’t have any advise, please spare a prayer for this very gentle soul how finds life very tough. Thanks.
 
There’s no easy answer. At the end of the day it’s going to be up to your brother to make the choice of what he feels most comfortable on. Some people benefit from therapy and are able to lower medications. Some don’t. All you can do is encourage him to explore different options.
 
This is definitely an issue for your brother and his doctors to discuss. Nobody here has enough knowledge of his particular case to responsibly give advice.

How long has he been on lithium? Sometimes people really feel like a zombie until they acclimate to their new medication, which can take a long time. Maybe his functioning will improve.

I’ll definitely say a prayer for him. You’re a good brother to be so concerned about his happiness.
 
Here is what I know:

DO NOT take him off or reduce that medication without the Doctor knowing.
The BIGGEST problem in treating Bipolar is the patient going off his meds.

If you don’t think it’s working, than have the Doctor try another one.
Bipolar is not cured. Ever. Instead, it’s dealt with. The meds just give you
the tools you need to get better.

I am probably one of the few people here who can honestly say that I know EXACTLY how you and your brother feels. Know why?

Because I am Bipolar and went through many of the things you mention.
I destroyed my family, wasted my life and caused many, many people a great deal of pain.
I wreaked havoc on my family’s finances and may never recover.
I live every day with the consequences of my actions hung around my neck like an anchor.

Feel free to PM me with any questions.

I’ll be around because I ain’t giving up!
 
I will tell you this, lithium requires frequent blood level checks to make sure the dose does not become toxic, and his liver enzymes need to be monitored frequently. Lithium is hard on the liver.

Memory issues require an MRI or CAT scan to check for neurological damage or disease. I had a mild stroke, and I never fully recovered, yet there is little damage showing on the MRI.

People with bi-polar issues often spend the duration of their lives on anti psychotic meds such as Seroquel or Risperdal. Again, a liver panel should be taken several times a year.

He will need frequent medical supervision for life most likely. It is possible that he can taper off, but he will need frequent monitoring and counseling. If he still abuses alcohol, the waters will stay muddy. If he smokes, this will slow brain regeneration significantly, but be careful about too many rapid changes at one time. The brain is oh so sensitive to change.

If he is fully invested in his health here is the best route:
  1. frequent medical monitoring of blood levels.
  2. frequent physiological evaluations and counseling.
  3. Online and face to face peer support groups. mdjunction.com
  4. He needs to maintain a close relationship to the church including a strong prayer life. Both of you should consider paying the novena of divine mercy.
  5. He should watch his diet as if he had type II diabetes. He should make sure he strikes a happy balance of sleep and maintain some sort of routine. He should remain physically active.
My thoughts and prayers go with you.
-E

PS: If you wish to communicate with me, PM me. I usually do not subscribe to threads I post on.
 
endaman said:
Hi,

My brother is on Lithium and a mood stabilizer and they are working now, he has been diagnosed as bi-polar. I myself believe a lot of his issues came about from breakdown related to over work, financial pressure, bad marriage, alcohol abuse and a chain of events that led to depression, then after getting various medications over the years has now found a combination that is working quite well for him. But he has no memory now and is barely able to work, he has social issues and is very moody. Its a tough situation for everyone especially him. When younger he was very capable but not now.

So what I am wondering, is there a way to get him off the meds and back to life again? He got his faith back over a year ago and that is helping a lot. He is still in his marriage but there is very little love, they are really just friends that live together and I feel he is someone who needs a lot of love. Any ideas for me? I do pary for him a lot.

If you don’t have any advise, please spare a prayer for this very gentle soul how finds life very tough. Thanks.
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The above combo nearly killed me (lithium with mood stabilizer). I lost my ability to function and lost all drive and enjoyment in life. In stopping the mood stabilizer (a dopamine-2 antagonist zyprexa) my life had a slight depressive episode followed by recovery. Now on lithium and it alone accomplishes all that is needed. As for those saying it is hard on the liver it is actually the kidneys. The check creatine levels when they titrate your levels. I would highly recommend he stops taking the mood stabilizer (as that is what is the cause I found out), but maintains his lithium. Just my bit of advice based on personal experience.
 
My advice is to stay out of this and avoid giving him any advice about this, other than encouraging him to frequently visit his doctor.

As esieffe said, his treatment will need to be supervised by his doctor and monitored for the rest of his life. Depending on how serious his episodes were, he may need to get checked every 1-3 months, even if his condition seem stable. Because many factors go into choosing a treatment, I would avoid giving any advice beyond this.
 
This is not something that can be effectively discussed online. Please consult a medical professional who is able, with your brother’s permission, to review his case.
 
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