Thinking about trying lithium anyone on it ? Does it work?

[loophole]

Of course. It's basically the staple for bipolar although other mood stabilizers are available. I personally take lamictal for my mood stabilizer but plenty have good results with lithium

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[TRNRMOM]

Originally Posted by Sky101

Thinking about trying lithium anyone on it ? Does it work?

i'm a 69 yr. old female diagnosed nearly 40 yrs. ago as hypomanic with no depression. was on lithium, only 450mg. daily, for all that time. i think it worked yet it destroyed over time my thyroid, had parathyroids removed and about 2 yrs. ago kidney issues, all contributed to by lithium. i did my research for many yrs. but not enough to learn how it affected so many organs. i told psych nurse 2 yrs. ago i wanted off and have been on no mood stabilizer since that time. only take 1/2 25mg. seroquel for sleep nightly and 1/2 klonopin for anxiety. as soon as lithium was out of my system, i noticed that the rage and irritability that i would have, even before getting out of bed in the morning, were gone. do your homework on the drug.

[Sesiley]

I take 300 mcg 3x daily....I been on it about a month. I'm on lamictal as well. I don't have psychosis or mania

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[yanks7]

It has been used since the 1960's to treat mania and there are stories of indian tribes sending "disturbed people" to lithium hot springs way before that. I take 900 mg a day and honestly I don't notice a difference till I go off it (then **** gets cra cra). So yes for me it works. There is also literature out there that it has neural protective side effects which makes me feel a little better. There is the consistent blood test to check for liver, kidney, and thyroid function which sucks but could be worst.

[Wander]

Lithium works well for me. It reduces the severity and frequency of my wild mixed states and also reduces my suicide risk. There are side effects but I will take them over the alternative for now.

It is the "gold standard" for bipolar!

[~Christina]

Yup gold standard as Valentina mentioned..

I took if for a few years, Was toxic a couple times... Oooo that is so not fun , so blood work is needed to check your levels, I had it done every 3-4 months once I hit theraputic level. but while increasing I did blood work weekly, it wasnt a big deal. I ran low level at 900mg , but 1200mg a day and I was skating the "toxic line"

It caused me to break out like a 12 year old,, Sucks when your 43! I found using a retinol face cream cleared it up after a couple months. I also had some GI upset the first couple months.

Did it help my mood? Yes I was a total train wreck at the time I was desperate for help so that I could find some level ground to where I was able to learn non medications ways to help find stability.

I did decided to stop taking it due to concerns about blasting my thyroid and kidneys all to hell.

[Trippin2.0]

It's usually very good for BP yes, but just as often is very bad for the body, with or without regular blood tests.


My thoughts slowed down, my suicidal ideation disappeared, my head went quiet, my moods simmered down. All miraculously quickly.


But then the other side of that coin was, I became stupid, had no working memory, permanent long term memory loss, acne like a preteen, diminished vocabulary, unable to spell,tremors like someone who had severe Parkinson', seriously, I had ZERO fine motor skills...should I go on?


Basically I made Patrick Star from Spongebob look good, and I didn't even get to be cute or funny. At all...


I'm not against being medicated, I'm just against myself being medicated with lithium ever EVER again....


PS. Managed to regain all my faculties to its glorious self, 2 years after quitting it. I still have a visible tremor though, but its much better than it was. I even wear make up again!