New to Bipolar 1 diagnosis

Hi Everyone,

I am newly diagnosed as Bipolar 1 and Borderline Personality Disorder. My Pdoc wants to start my lithium and actually prescribed me 300mg twice daily to start about a month ago, but I have not taken it due to reading about the side effects. I am really worried about having thyroid issues or liver problems. I don't want to get hand tremors either. I am having a bad time stabilizing and my Pdoc says she is more worried about the side effects of my unstable moods vs. The side effects of Lithium. Is it necessary to treat bipolar with meds? What's your thoughts on lithium? Any advice or opinions are welcomed

I'm on Lithium myself. I'm on a pretty high dose 1500mg daily. 900 at night, 600 in the morning. I just had my lithium levels checked and was at .4 instead of a normal treatment level of 1. It has helped with my moods and wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. But everyone is different. They will do blood tests to make sure thyroid and lithium levels are safe. After I told my primary care that I was on lithium, he started ordering blood tests as well. Unless you have a thyroid condition already I would not worry.

I think meds are good, but the effects are rough. But I still haven't found the right combo yet.

All drugs come with side effects. Your doctor would have out weighed the pros and cons. Have some precautionary thyroid tests done first and make sure they are checked every so often.

I've resisted lithium but lamictal and welbutrin have worked okay. The problem is the combination requires constant adjustments and that is part of why lithium is still considered the gold standard for BP. Lithium is my near future, as I have a new prescription sitting on the kitchen counter.
I had a manic episode recently which was the second one this year and the doc has lost faith in the lamictal.

I have had lithium 20 years ago for a short time with other meds so I'm not sure of the effect. I was not diagnosed as bipolar then.
I had some reservations about taking lithium a few years ago related to my lifestyle so talked to pdoc and we decided on another mood stabiliser epilim which has been relatively ok.
On another note if you do not feel confident in your pdoc advice maybe seek another medical opinion

I would not take lithium just because of it..there are so many other choices out there to take...thank god I didn't get that one again. lithium scares me too.

There are some people who are high functioning and are med-free. I admire them.

I have several different disorders going on all at the same time. So, unfortunately I have to take meds in order to do what normal people do everyday, like drive a car or eat at restaurants.
In short, I think it depends on the individual.

But to be very honest, I am afraid of lithium. I've read too much. I know it has helped many people; I've heard some people say it saved their life. Hopefully everything will go fine as long as you get regular blood tests to make sure all is well.

1 in 5 people who are untreated with bipolar commit suicide. Also, the more you expierence cyclomania the more it becomes a permament intricate part of your actual personality. Lithium has been proven to effectively treat bipolar and reduce the suicide rates.

I reccomend reading some books on bipolar and educate yourself alittle. I wasnt compliant to meds at first too. All meds affect your internal organs and thyroids.

my first words to my new pdoc was no lithium i had scared myself, my most concern was i sweat heavily and fluid loss will push toxicity up..he was ok going another way depakote then lamictal which has been the best ,, good luck i hope you find the right combo,theropy and if needed meds for you

I don't know, what do ya think about these medications I'm on. Depakiote ER 500 mg, 1 tab am & 2 pm. Celexa 40 mg daily. Wellbutrin SR 150 mg twice daily. Trazadone 50 mg 1 m- 2 tabs @ bed time.

Tipper ,I would say read everything you can, take most with a grain of salt (question it) and ask your pdoc. He/She will be the only one to give you an honest answer. No one here will play dr nor should we.. if your feeling off give him a call, the more descriptive of symptoms the better...hope this has helped If you have just started it sometimes takes time for effects to be noticed

I'd say that's a hell of a lot of antidepressant medication for a bipolar person (I'm assuming you are BP). How are you doing on all that?

Sillywabbit,

I'm sorry to hear you're having such a hard time right now. You've come to the right place for support and nice folks. There are varying, and strongly held, opinions about whether meds are necessary to treat bipolar. I wouldn't touch that argument with a ten foot pole. I can speak from my own experience, though. I have been treated for cyclothymia for many years. Everything I've read describes it as less severe than BPI and BPII, however my life was a mess before going on meds. A mess. I have been on many different mood stabilizers, but never lithium. I resisted meds for a long time, but I would never go without them now. Every now and then I get a wild hair and stop taking one or the other of my meds. Never, ever works. For me. My life changed dramatically, for the better, on meds.

Seems you have more choices than just Lithium or no meds, which others have mentioned: 2nd opinion from another pdoc? Talk your pdoc into a different mood stabilizer? Try the lithium? No meds?

This is hard. Hope it gets better soon. Please keep us informed.

Thinking of you.

Thanks for all the responses I am going to try the lithium and get my labs done after a week per my Pdoc. I see my Tdoc tomorrow and will discuss. I do know I need help and can't do this on my own right now. I appreciate and am very thankful for this forum and all of you

I feel no one can tell ya what to take. If you trust pdoc ask questions. Educate yourself the best you can. I am one of those so called higher functioning bi polar that does not take medication at this time. Was on for many years, but learned how to moderate some of my mood changes at least enough to function and work. Lithium is old school, it works for some, not for others. As stated above all meds have side effects. Lithium is better then ip all the time or suicidal thinkin 24/7. At least that my thoughts. Do what you feel is best and keep everyone updated. Best of luck.

Every med has a bucket full of side effects... Look up Tylenol .. Drug companies have to list every single possible side effect including death ..

Make sure you really talk to your Pdoc about your concerns and come up with a treatment plan that you both agree on.

Good for you for learning about your possible meds and not blindly swallowing them...You are your best advocate.

Welcome to PC

Today I saw the Tdoc and we discussed the lithium more in detail. She told me that I would be closely monitored with the Pdoc and labs and I needed to make a commitment to treatment which means I will attend Group Therapy, take my meds and show up to one on one sessions. She said it won't be like this forever, but at least for awhile until I stabilize and my emotions aren't so raw and in my face. I started the lithium tonight. We will see how this turns out I suppose.

***update***

I have been on Lithium for 4 days now and I am not having very many side effects. So far, I am just very thirsty and going to the bathroom a lot. I am curious to see how this changes me or if it will. Is there a med to just numb you so you don't care anymore and nothing can hurt you? Lol I'm serious though.

When I was on lithium I had constant thirst and increase in urination frequency which I believe is "normal".

4 days of lithium is not enough time.

I'm no medical expert but I'm on Seroquel and that stops the madness inside of me.

Seroquel is Zoloft right? My Pdoc does not want me to be on that because she doesn't want to push me into mania as that is when I am most destructive. I will just ride it out and see what happens. Maybe a combination would help. I really miss Xanax but doc won't give me that either :/

Hi

Seroquel is not Zoloft.

Seroquel is Quetiapine a short-acting atypical antipsychotic approved for the treatment of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and along with an antidepressant to treat major depressive disorder.

Zoloft is Sertraline an antidepressant of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) class.