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Is Lithium The Right Medicine For Bipolar Disorder And Anxiety?
Question: Hi, i have bipolar with ptsd, anxietyband possible borderline. Im currently taking lithium, lyrica, clorezapam and buspirone which as i have researched, shows that it can make mania worse. Im feeling very down, self destructive and perhaps suicidal. I feel like i cant trust my new doctor. Im under a lot of stress working in the kitchen of a prestigious hotel halfway across the country. I feel like i should go to the hospital and get actual treatment. This dr refuses to work towards getting to normal levels of lithium, isnt concerned with blood work and is ignoring the treatment set out by my previous dr
. What should i do?
. What should i do?
Brief Answer:
please get lithium levels , or goto a hospital
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome to health care magic.
I have read your query carefully and I can understand your concerns. When some one is on lithium for mood stabilising , blood levels are a must regualrly. Along with lithium levels ,we need renal function tesst,tsh levels and ecg. We cannot avoid them. If the levels are beyound normal limits then its best to reduce the drug dose to prevent toxicity.
You should request your doctor to get the fresh lithium levels for you.
As your current symptoms are suggestive of depression , I think the dose of anti depressant should be raised. Lithium will help that you will not switch to mania. Without raising the dose of antidpepressant depression will not be controlled. Your personality problem also add on to depressive behaviour.
You can also practice deep breathing techniques to calm yourself.
I would suggest that you can talk to your doctor about these sugestions once more and if still you dont feel comfortable , then please meet a psychiatrist in a hospital.
I hope the reply is useful for you.
Dr. Manisha Gopal
MD Neuropsychiatry
please get lithium levels , or goto a hospital
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome to health care magic.
I have read your query carefully and I can understand your concerns. When some one is on lithium for mood stabilising , blood levels are a must regualrly. Along with lithium levels ,we need renal function tesst,tsh levels and ecg. We cannot avoid them. If the levels are beyound normal limits then its best to reduce the drug dose to prevent toxicity.
You should request your doctor to get the fresh lithium levels for you.
As your current symptoms are suggestive of depression , I think the dose of anti depressant should be raised. Lithium will help that you will not switch to mania. Without raising the dose of antidpepressant depression will not be controlled. Your personality problem also add on to depressive behaviour.
You can also practice deep breathing techniques to calm yourself.
I would suggest that you can talk to your doctor about these sugestions once more and if still you dont feel comfortable , then please meet a psychiatrist in a hospital.
I hope the reply is useful for you.
Dr. Manisha Gopal
MD Neuropsychiatry
Note: For further guidance on mental health, Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Priyanka G Raj
Answered by
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