[Thornlover]

I am new to the PC site within the week.
I have struggled with anxiety and depression (undiagnosed until my 30's) all of my life and was diagnosed as suffering from Bipolar Disorder at age 45.
I have run the gamut of counselors and psychiatrists and finally think, at 51, that I have the best docs all around (primary, therapist, and psychiatrist), and the best "cocktail" for me, but I am seeking feedback on your experiences with Lithium. My new doc put me on it after a near 25 years of experimentation with almost everything out there short of ECT.
Please share your experiences and knowledge.

[BlackPup]

It helped me a lot but I put on weight and had hand tremors on it. I also slept at least 10 hours a day when I was on it. I'm now on abilify and tofranil and doing even better. But if it works for you that's great

[Trippin2.0]

At first I honestly loved it. My suicidal ideation was gone and my mind was quieter, I thought for once, I was reacting within "normal' range...

Then the quiet escalated to muted, and pretty soon I felt dead and foreign in my own body, the tiny tremors became fullblown shakes, and at age 27 I was not allowed, to handle hot beverages or knives, I was unable to apply any make-up, and ended up having zero fine-motor skills.... My cognitive abilities declined drastically, I had the memory of a goldfish and lost quite a few words, I have not recovered all my memories nor has my verbal / written abilities been restored to all it's former glory. Add that to perpetual hunger and thirst, and I was not a happy camper. Oooh ooh, I just remembered, I also developed horrible backne, yes I know it's vain, but to start sprouting zits like a hormonal teenager all over my back was just not on.

My pdoc was adamant that he could treat the shakes, but I wasn't interested because nothing would fix the muted(ness) or level of stupidity I was experiencing...

There are quite a few members who have had success with it, I just wasn't one of them.

Also, a warm to PC to you, I hope you enjoy it on board the Bipolar Express

[Doxie mom]

Lithium really made me feel better it was like a miracle. However the side effects were terrible. I went to the bathroom every 20 minutes( before I used the bathroom a lot every two hours), I started losing my hair, I broke out in horrible cystic acne(I was prone to mild cystic acne), I am now on accutane 6 months later it is starting to clear. I was constantly thirsty and I would get up every45 to pee at night even when I was taking 250 mg seroquel. I would still suggest trying it some of the extreme symptoms I had I was already prone to the same symptoms but much milder before I went on lithium except the losing my hair. I was on a high dose either 1200 or 1400 I can't remember.

[days_rising]

Lithium calmed my unrelenting and destructive mood swings. However, despite being kind of a miracle drug, it made me shake, use the bathroom constantly, break out and gain weight. While the shaking wore off after a while, I still need to be vigilant about getting treatment for my acne and maintaining my weight through diet and exercise. Also, lithium has high toxicity so you'll need to get your blood tested every few months to make sure it's at a safe level. Despite all of these side effects and annoyances, I am glad that I was put on lithium. It helped me where other drugs failed.

[hamster-bamster]

I use it to prevent the highs and the only side effect I have is the thyroid dysfunction, so I need to take Levoxyl, a synthetic thyroid hormone, as an antidote. Levoxyl itself causes no side effects. So it works well for me. It was not sufficient though to remove suicidal ideation.

[bpinOk]

It really has helped calm my racing thoughts, but the dry mouth really sucks

[purpledaisy]

I was on lithium and prozac in the late 1980s without any problems.

A few months ago, my pdoc tried lithium.

I had constant diarrhea.

My stomach ached like something was gnawing right through it.

Plus I started gaining weight.

It was terrible.

We gave up.

[tribalwolf]

I tried lithium a while back and was not able to continue with it, besides the dry mouth, thirst, metallic taste and other problems that the salt-base med caused me, it threw off my equilibrium and cause me to have to significant falls. I ended up with two concussions in a three-week period of time. Since that time I have changed my medications to 600 mg of Trileptal, 20 mg of Abilify, and 2 mg of Klonopin which has seemed to stabilize me at least as stable as I can be :LOL:

[faerie_moon_x]

Makes me thirsty. Too much makes my hand tremble a bit. Due to being thirsty all the time makes me have to go to the bathroom more. Need to drink a lot of water to keep from being dehydrated.

Otherwise, mutes my intense rage and other intense emotions, which is a bonus. I keep forgetting to take it, though.... I have serious problems to remember things daily. Only on 300mg but was all the way up to 1200mg at one point. 300 mg works best for me.

[AmericanGirl]

I've been on lithium and it's generally helped alot with the mood swings and depression, but have experienced some side effects such as sleeping alot and gaining weight. So it has worked for me but is definitely not for everyone.

[purpledaisy]

Ah, yes. The metallic taste and incredible thirst.

[Speed3]

Never had the time to know if it would help. It caused severe severe swelling.
People I know who have been on it for a long time all had kidney issues.

[Clinte89]

It works well for me accept for the fatigue which is killer but other than that I have been stable with that and others for two months now hooray. Then only thing that sucks is getting your levels checked but mine seems to get checked more than others every two months.

[bunnifoo]

I'm currently on 600mg of Lithium. It's helped but not as much as I was hoping, I think my pdoc plans to increase my dosage. so far the only side effect I've had is thirstiness. But you are supposed to drink lots of water with Lithium.

I was on it previously, as a teenager, when I was diagonosed with "atypical depression" and the lithium helped with my anger, but I stopped taking it - I think because my hair started falling out. Not that it was making it fall out a lot, I was probably just trying to find a reason to get off medicine.

[notz]

works good for me. tremors yes.

[hamster-bamster]

I had lithium poisoning when on 1500 mg, all of a sudden, it seemed. With terrible thirst. Dosage lowered to 900 mg and no problem.

Normally, I feel no thirst on it at all, but I drink a lot of tea and some coffee everyday, for the total of many many cups, so I would not notice the thirst.

[irishgirliexo]

I've been on it since June 2011. It seems to work well. I do have acne from it and unsure if there are any other side effects from it since I was put on all my medications at once.

[hamster-bamster]

For several years, I thought I had acne from Lithium. I used Tazorac for it, which is wonderful but expensive. Then I went off Geodon and coincidentally forgot to pack Tazorac on a trip. There was NO ACNE. So acne must have been from Geodon, not Lithium. Lithium was not at fault.

[Eliza Jane]

I took lithium for maybe 3 years (stopped for reasons unrelated to the medication itself). I was quite happy with it. It was particularly helpful with decreasing suicidal thoughts (something lithium is known for). I did not notice significant side effects other than maybe some tiredness. However, I was only on 600-900mg because I was on other meds as well.

Best,
EJ

[swheaton]

The docs have tried three times to put me on lithium, but I refused. The side effects aren't worth it.
Celexa and lamictal seem to be okay.

[hamster-bamster]

Originally Posted by swheaton

The docs have tried three times to put me on lithium, but I refused. The side effects aren't worth it.
Celexa and lamictal seem to be okay.

You cannot predict the side effects so it pointless to say whether they are worth it. Cannot predict the "it" either, without trying. With your kind of suicidal ideation, it would be a great idea to give it a try. Do not like it - stop.

[wotchermuggle]

I know that I suffered from side effects from the get go and for a long time afterwards before finally getting some relief.

Initially, it was the hand shaking for me and diarrhea. I struggled with diarrhea for a very long time, stomach cramps, and throwing up in the middle of the night.

I don't know if lithium helped me or not. It was hard to tell what was working and what wasn't as I was changing meds and on several at the time.

I just want to let you know that the side effects eventually do go away, but it does take time.

[charo224488]

I have the same issue- I am bipolar 1 (or so they tell me) and have tried just about everything. I have been on lithium in the past and now my doc wants me back on it and won't discuss any other options because he says I refuse to treat my illness properly. I am afraid to start it again. I filled the script today, but I haven't taken it. I remember being really tired and thirsty- I'm on zoloft and xanax now which also make me so thirsty. I can't imagine the thirst if I add the lithium. I'm so confused- I don't know what to do. I am suffering with panic attacks every night so bad that I have to go outside and walk barefoot in the snow to try to shock myself out of it. It's really cold tonight so I'm scared about having a bad attack and not being able to tolerate it outside. Anyone else suffer panic attacks with bipolar? I'm at the end of my rope. I'd welcome any input or advice- thank you.

[Thornlover]

Originally Posted by Trippin2.0

At first I honestly loved it. My suicidal ideation was gone and my mind was quieter, I thought for once, I was reacting within "normal' range...

Then the quiet escalated to muted, and pretty soon I felt dead and foreign in my own body, the tiny tremors became fullblown shakes, and at age 27 I was not allowed, to handle hot beverages or knives, I was unable to apply any make-up, and ended up having zero fine-motor skills.... My cognitive abilities declined drastically, I had the memory of a goldfish and lost quite a few words, I have not recovered all my memories nor has my verbal / written abilities been restored to all it's former glory. Add that to perpetual hunger and thirst, and I was not a happy camper. Oooh ooh, I just remembered, I also developed horrible backne, yes I know it's vain, but to start sprouting zits like a hormonal teenager all over my back was just not on.

My pdoc was adamant that he could treat the shakes, but I wasn't interested because nothing would fix the muted(ness) or level of stupidity I was experiencing...

There are quite a few members who have had success with it, I just wasn't one of them.

Also, a warm to PC to you, I hope you enjoy it on board the Bipolar Express

Love it!!! Bipolar Express! Thank you!