[epiphany39]

long story short I took lithium all my life and now I have kidney disease from it and refuse to take anything for my bipolar issues. I am struggling so bad to not be so sensitive or angry but all the ups and downs are really hard to get thru. im soooo lost with it and all I want to gain is control ..

[glok]

Hello, epiphany39. How tragic. Do you think therapy would help you?

[littlemiss44]

That sounds like a horrible situation to be in. I'm.so sorry to hear about yr kidneys..does that mean you can't take anything else for yr bp? Is there some kind of other options for you?

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[sarahblue]

My sister has also stopped taking lithium because of kidney disease. It came on very rapidly and really freaked her out. It also freaked her pdoc out when she finally told him (she told the nephrologist she wasn't about to give up her lithium). She's living with me right now, so we'll see how that goes.

There are a lot of other options out there for bipolar. Have you discussed other medications with your pdoc?

[pawn78]

There are many other less severe medications. I will never go on Lithium myself, because of the side effects, but there are other, safer options now to stabilize your moods.

Also therapy, and self-care can go a long way, good luck!

[epiphany39]

I am just so scared to take anything .. I don't trust the dr's, not any of them... I feel like they don't tell me everything that can happen with meds, I don't know what else is gonna happen to me. I take my respirdone because of the way I feel when I don't take it makes me very sucidal so I take that and I take zoloft , but wont take anything else. I had a friend who like me took lithium, got kidney disease, quit taking it and they gave her other meds and she ended up Tardive dyskinesia from it and now it wont go away ... so no I am not putting myself out there for that stuff, or anything else... but dont know how much longer I will last like this.

thanks so much for the supportive concern, just to scared to try anything else frozen in time.

[epiphany39]

oh yes, I am in therapy as well ... I go every 4 weeks to group and indivdual and i do worksheets its about all I have to any control, which I have allot of but not even the most control will help me at times .. it does help but nothing stops me from feeling like i do..

[epiphany39]

yesterday I totally lost it in a stressed out sittuation. I know I shouldn't let my emotion get that far and I feel just awful just wanna scream and cry...
it ended okay I came back around and had a good evening but man the ups and downs drive everybody im around crazy .. just how do you do it without taking meds for it