lithium - tell me more

I had balance problems also, they went away after about 3 months.
Also, about the weight gain you just have to stop eating even though you are hungry. Write everything down and when you reach the max calories for the day for your height and weight you can't eat anymore. Eat proteins and fats with each meal, and fiber to keep you full. I am hungry some days, that's just the way it is if you don't want to gain. Nip it in the bud before you put on 30/40 pounds like some of the others on Lithium.

When I was 15 I was heavy into drugs (LSD, ecstasy) I was seeing a P before I O.D.'d who diagnosed me b/p, he put me on lithium. When I stopped doing drugs and got sober my highs & lows from drug use went away ( I was not bil-polar just a really angry druggie kid) and I was still on lithium for the first year. 1500 milligrams a day, which is REALLY high even for someone with a diagnoses. I don't know if it was a combination of sobriety and the lithium but I gained 60 pounds, had horrible acne, I'd get dizzy spells when I'd stand that made me pass out, I couldn't remember anything, I had auditory hallucinations and slept, it was the reason I dropped out of school, i couldn't get out of bed, I literally slept 17 hours a day and If I wasn't depressed before I was from this medication. I'm sure with the proper dosage and right diagnoses this works great for some people, my experience was HORRIBLE, misdiagnosis can cause havoc and it upheaved my life. Like purple said the doctor wanted to ween me off of it and I stopped taking it all together, about a month with out it I felt GREAT and all adverse side effects stopped. I hope it
works out for you!

I'm not quite sure what I feel about this. Am not sleeping as deeply as I used to. Don't fall asleep that easily in the evenings, but battle to get out of bed in the mornings. My concentration issues have made me a bit reckless with regards to my work, and it is embarrassing me. I know I just need to make a more concerted effort.

I'm also walking on the treadmill in the mornings - about 5 times a week. Only on 1.5km at the moment, but better than nothing, lol

Hi. Lithium works for me, but there are some yucky side-effects potentially. I put a tonne of wait on, got puffy, and sweat like a marathon runner. You just have to persevere getting the dose right. Good luck.

With the lithiium i learned the best way to go is to call pdoc if anything is out of the ordinary or interfereing too much with daily life. AndI learned the hard way.

Thanks Melissa. My memory is getting embarrassing. As well as my attention to detail with regards to work. And I have no concentration span. And I get into a frame of mind mind where I just cant/wont do any work. Be it in a professional or a personal sense.
I think I am needing more and more sleep. And some days I really feel parched - out the blue I suddenly need to guzzle a litre or so of water.
I don't know about this...

Well is it helping you manage your illness?

I guess so. I've been pretty stable. But it's only been 6 weeks.
Not sure if I would have necessarily had an episode if I hadn't been on the Lithium. I'm on Lamictin as well though

Try to hang in there, for me the balance problems and nausea did go away. The concentration should get better. I was back to where I was in my profession after 4 months, it takes time to get used to it, but you will. 6 months in I was boxing and training for a 5K, and work was good again.

I'm putting on weight and it's irritating me! I don't know how much I am prepared to accept. I've never had a weight issue, and now this is making me self-conscious

Is this normal- to battle with weight gain?

Yip! I've also NEVER had a weight problem,but my time on lithium made me pick up a few kilos quite easily. I wasn't even eating more than usual. Well now most of my clothes don't fit, and i hear you on the self-concious thingy. I haven't gained anymore since quitting tho, but now i need to exercise to get rid of the unflattering bits. Ugh

Are you drinking 8-12 glasses of water a day and doing cardio exercise? That will help you so you don't gain. Some people do gain, I did but I got off 12 pounds with monitoring my diet and exercising a lot doing intense cardio 4/5 days a week. Pdoc says thats what to do and he's right. It can be a challenge. Also do lean protein with every meal to stay full.

I am starting a bit of exercise - running for 15mins in the AM; I don't have time for more. And I am trying to get to stables to ride more.
No, I don't drink enough water.
My food intake also hasn't increased - my body just can't metabolise as quick as it used to.
I'll try drink some more water.

Did anyone also feel spaced out most of the time? And battle ton concentrate and remember things? I'm on 200mg and 200mg PM, as well as Lamictin

Spacier sometimes more than others. Kind of like 1 or 2 beats behind what I would consider normal for me.

Definitly had trouble remembering things. In fact I still have trouble. But it's improving gradually

I feel like a stoned Zombie now. Took 0.5mg Klonopin last night and a sleeping tab, but wow - I am so out of it

I've just started taking lithium again. I'm not sure about it, but husband seems to think its worked the best out of all the meds I've tried.

Time will tell I guess.

I am not sure either

I'm on 1200 or so a day. I get very thirsty when I work out and sometimes I feel like I NEED to sit down during judo. I also cannot stand being in the sun through a window. It makes me want to hide in a dark corner. Its a very unnerving feeling.

H rang my pdoc to organise an emergency appt so that might give you any idea of how I'm doing.
Physically, I have a lot of dizziness, thirst and headaches. Emotionally, I'm so over it and was asked to hand over all my pain medication

Hand over pain meds? Why?

In case I'm tempted to take them all at once.

OH. I'm on so many meds that they don't take them away. Its a balance.

I'll get them back when I'm feeling better. Just have too much oxycontin and Tramadol.