Lithium

I read this today -

Suicide is a very real risk for many people with bipolar disorder - Dr. E Fuller Torrey (author of Surviving Manic Depression) estimates that approximately 25% of all people with bipolar will attempt suicide, and the estimates of some studies have gone as high as 50%.

Fortunately, this tragedy is often preventable. One solution that has been the subject of numerous studies is the purported anti-suicidal effects of lithium, one of the most commonly prescribed mood-stabilizing medications. More evidence for the anti-suicidal effects of lithium has just been released

In a new review article (Arch Suicide Res 2005:9(3):307-19), authors analyzed existing data from international research groups in Sweden, Italy, and the U.S. and concluded that bipolar patients on lithium had an 8-times lower suicide risk than those not taking lithium. The study concludes that: "The great number of lives potentially saved by lithium adds to the remarkable benefits of lithium in economical terms."

Although it is not clear in the article cited above whether patients taking lithium were being compared with patients taking other medications, or patients not on any sort of treatment, other studies doing direct comparisons have also shown the anti-suicidal benefits of lithium. One study from the Journal of American Medicine followed 20,638 patients for seven years who had at least one outpatient diagnosis of bipolar disorder, and were taking either lithium, carbamazapine, or divalproex. After adjusting for confounding variables (age, sex, health plan, year of diagnosis, comorbid medical and psychiatric conditions, and concomitant use of other psychotropic drugs), the authors concluded that those taking divalproex had a 2.7 times greater risk of suicide deaths than those taking lithium.

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When I went in to do the meds thing Friday, Lithium was mentioned...I think mainly because Ive been cycling about every 3-4 weeks like clockwork. I've read about some of the side effects on www.crazymeds.org Is anyone out there taking it? I wanna hear about side effects and how well it works. I want to know from real people...I can read about it all day long, but I want to hear from a real person that actually takes the stuff(Brian, Oh Brian, where art thou?)