Lithium is a mood stabilizer

Your correct, lithium is a mood stabilizer and as far as I know is the only true mood satabilizer, having an effect on both symptoms of mania and depression.

Doctors make their choices based on patient reports, observations and their education  and experience.  One doctor prefers this and one that, based on these varaiables and others.

There is nothing wrong with lithium, though it does not work with all individuals.  Your husband may do well on it or not.  The behavior you described would indicate that lithium by itself, at this time, may not be enough to treat his symptoms and have a timely effect.

If your husband's symptoms have become worse after seeing the doctor, you should make another appointment and ask him to re-evaluate his condition.  At that time you can ask him about considering lithium and his reasoning why he did or will not consider it.

Good luck...

Lithium is a mood stabilizer

Tegretol is an anti-convulsant used as a med stabilizer for Bipolar but originally was for Epilepsy

Lithium is the oldest known drug solely for Bipolar and it is mainly for mania not for Depression though for some - not all - it helps with depression as well.

That all being said

Bipolar affects and effects each person differently because each person is different.  In that each person is different, each medication given will effect and affect each person that takes it differently than it does the person standing next to.  While one med works swell for John, it might work horrendously for Jane.

Even when our meds are working well, and our moods are seeming to balance out a bit - any type of stress or anxiety or pressure from any outside source can tip the scale.  It can tip it really really badly or tip it only slightly.  Any type, minor or major from any source or any person and sometimes there is no rhyme or reason as to what it is or who it is or why it happened one time and not the other.

Your husband is experiencing stress at work and possibly stress from somewhere else.  He needs to relieve his stress in order to de-escalate his symptoms.

Yes... HIM speaking to his pdoc and you questioning the pdoc both about his meds is a good thing.  It may be that he needs an adjustment of the meds he is currently on OR he may need something added or something taken away.  He could even need a complete overhaul... but the pdoc needs to be aware that he is becoming aggressively hostile to his coworkers and that his verbal aggression to you is escalating.

You are correct... you do not deserve to be verbally abused regardless of whether he is symptomatic or not.  Yet, when folks are symptomatic and it is intensfying.. the mouth takes over, inhibition is lost, and very ugly vile things are spewed.  It isn't right, it isn't fair but it is what it is.

You do not deserve to be verbally or physically abused irregardless.