Quote:
Originally Posted by insideoutsider
Hey Exoskeleton.. just wondering, how many stabilizers have you tried? I wonder if you are prone to such side effects or if lithium is a first try? You don't need to explain if you don't feel the need to just a question that might help you. The acuteness of your episode may need it, I'm not sure what the case is.
My first destructive mania the ward immediately put me on it. It worked well for mania for me, very well, too well in my opinion - Eventually I couldn't stand the lethargy. Lithium isn't known to be easy on the body is why I ask.
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Hi there,
Lithium is the first mood stabilizer I've tried. Bipolar is not my primary diagnosis. And I have Bipolar 2 not Bipolar 1. Mostly I have trouble with Major Depressive Disorder and paralyzing anxiety issues/CPTSD.
I've been on anti-depressants (SSRI's and SNRI's) for the past 25 + years and they have never sent me into full blown mania, hence Bipolar wasn't even a possible diagnosis for me for a long time. But it makes sense that I have Bipolar 2 and I have a number of classic Bipolar 2 symptoms. Anti-depressants have never helped me very much. Since my depression has recently been really severe, my psychiatrist suggested Lithium as an add-on to my current SSRI. He told me that Lithium can be a good augmentation drug for some people with treatment resistant depression and it can help with SI. So that's how we got to Lithium.
I have noticed that Lithium has improved my depression and lifted by mood. Not by much, but enough that I notice the improvement. I don't feel more stable on it though and for sure still have mood swings and fits of anger. But I'm on a really low dose (just 300 mg per day). So I'd like to increase the dose but these side effects are a bummer! I hope they will resolve!
Thanks for asking!