Bipolar Disorder Co-Occurring With Periodic Paralysis: A Case Report

Lithium carbonate was added, at 900 mg, and increased to 1,050 mg to reach an adequate level (0.8meq/liter). Since the start of treatment with lithium, the episodes of weakness have not recurred, and the patient showed significant response over 3 weeks. Lithium therapy has already been proposed in various forms of familial periodic paralysis like hypokalemic, hyperkalemic, and hypermagnesemic paralysis, with varying results.5-8 Also, lithium has an important role in the clinical management of BD, and one of the mechanisms by which lithium works in this disorder is postulated to be through regulation of cell-membrane ATPases.9 The above case had clinical manifestations of BD as well as primary periodic paralysis (ATS).