[sugahorse1]

Can't remember the dose off-hand (need to check my script) but doc is starting me on this.
I'm on Wellbutrin and Epitec (Lamotrigine) as it is. But I'm still not stable enough. Did bloods yesterday too.
I am BPII

I've been on lithium (900mg now) for quite awhile. It has worked well for me and the side effects have been tolerable. Very thirsty all the time (easy to deal with) and many trips to the restroom as the result of all the fluids I drink to deal with the thirst. At one point I had hand tremors which seems to be very common. I just dealt with them and tried not to let them get to me. They eventually went away, but my understanding is that they don't always go away for everyone. I've had no problems with weight gain from lithium use (certainly from other things, but not the lithium). In fact, I've managed to lose 35 pounds while on lithium (yeah me!). Blood work will be drawn fairly regularly. That's not a big deal either, but very important. A few months ago I started having problems, and sure enough, my lithium level very quite low. Once it was increased, my mood stabilized pretty quickly.

Hopefully it will work well for you. Let us know how it goes.

[sugahorse1]

Thanks Farmer.
I think I'm going onto 300mg AM and 300mg PM (can't read my pdoc's hand-writing...lol.
Not keen on any side effects...
And hand tremors; are they going to make work difficult? I mainly type on a computer-not much writing as such

The only time the hand tremors were bothersome to me was when I was conferencing with students and holding their papers and my hand was shaking the paper. Mostly just self-conscious about it, although nobody ever made a comment about it. Probably mostly my issue than anyone else's. I never had problems writing or typing. It wasn't that severe for me. I could tolerate it.

[sugahorse1]

Great thanks.

I'm on 200 in the AM and 200 at night. Took my first AM one now. Already feeling thirsty

[Flooded]

I was on 1000mg daily and the only side effect was thirst.

Hope it helps you

[lad007]

I take Lithium and am going to give some different results than the above posters.
Nausea and dizziness for about 6wks-2 months that finally passed.
Confusion, extreme memory problems-unable to remember atm pin, where my purse was, better after 8 months. Could hardly work, had to have secretary help me.
Had to come home during the day and nap, tiredness.
Headaches-still have those. Loss of interest in sex-still have those.
Up side-very good stabilization of moods. Drink lots of water.
Hope you have better luck with it. PDoc won't change it as it is working.

[sugahorse1]

I have issues as it is with always being tired. And my memory is not what it was a few years ago(and I'm only in my mid-twenties!)
I asked my pdoc about headaches, as I needed something to help me headaches, and he said that Lithium is sometime prescribed for headaches too. Can feel a dull headache this morning, but nothing too serious.
Loss of interest in sex - not an option, seeing as I'm in a relationship. Also mentioned this to pdoc, and that is why we stopped the citalopram about 18months ago.
I am thirsty, but I don't drink much water as it is, so this is a good thing - I need more water. I'm also on Lamotrigine still, 250mg/day

[sugahorse1]

I really don't mean to be funny - can lithium cause psychosis when you first take it?

[Flooded]

I had auditory hallucinations for a few weeks but they stopped.

What's happening?

[PurpleFlyingMonkeys]

They had me on 1,350mg of lithium a day for a while. Since it was such a high dose I had to have my blood checked every two weeks. But it made me go bonkers! My hallucinations and dillusions went through the roof. But that's part of the reason they put me on it. A kind of experiment to trigger certain psychological issues I have. It worked I was a complete space cadet. But it's because of the high dose. When I was first put on it I was only on 450mg a day and it was for my bipolar I but when I was being diagnosed with DID and schizophrenia, they upped the dose to try and rule out certain illnesses and help confirm others. As long as your dose doesn't get too high, it shouldn't have any negative effects. When it was only 450mg I was fine, more stable than when I was on Welbutrin.

When I stopped taking it, I had been getting sores in my scalp and was loosing chunks of hair. My pdoc said it was likely from the lithium so I stopped that day. When I hung the phone up with him I threw the bottle away. He wanted me to slowly get off of them but I just stopped all together. Than got put back on it a couple years ago to help trigger my dissociation. When I realized it contributed greatly to my hallucinations I stopped again. But again I was on 1350mg at that time as well. 4 1/2 pills a day of lithium. Glad I'm off it but just because of the high dose I was on.

[sugahorse1]

Wow - that is a HIGH dose
I just had issues, whereby I woke up to find the TV was on - totally out the blue, as it was off when we went to bed - and then put it off. A few minutes later, I woke up again, and I really believed I could hear the TV was on again. I lay still, and 3 seconds later I no longer heard anything, so I realised the TV must be off.

Not sure what other 'mild' hallucinations are quite common when starting.

[PurpleFlyingMonkeys]

I guess it really depends on the person how their reaction will be. I believe (but I may be wrong) if it causes hallucinations than it's not something that will help stableize your moods. It didn't help with my moods, but nothing did. Welbutrin made me the closest to suicidal I ever was (never got close... My anxiety disorder stops that... Guess I can't hate everything about these issues lol). I could only take welbutrin for 2 weeks before I gave it up. It was lose welbutrin or lose my sanity lol.

I know those hallucinations sugahorse. I have those all the time. On Lithium I started seeing things and feeling things. I would see the spiders on me and feel them bite me, I would feel them when I pinched them and squished them but they weren't there. That's about the time my t wanted me to go to the hospital lol. But she was the one that wanted me on the Lithium that time anyways.

I don't know if those effects were from the schizo/bipolar I or Lithium. But I do know that they got 50 times worse on Lithium. BUT the only time I've taken Lithium were during HIGH stress times and that's when the hallucinations get worse anyways... It's so hard to tell... Such a fine line between these things...

By the end of taking Lithium last time, I would drive down the interstate and see buffalo crossing the interstate in Florida in October. The buffalo would get hit by a car and dissappear. Happened regularly. But that was the weeks leading up to, and the days after leaving the abusive ex husband. I was on Lithium as well. I stopped taking Lithium 2 days after I left and the hallucinations have gotten so much better. Now I only see shadows, hear things and see things move. Like the walls breathing, the ground shifting and such...

I guess maybe if you're already suseptible to hallucinations it can make things worse? That is the case with dissociation, could likely be hallucinations as well. At least in my case that is...

[sugahorse1]

Thanks so much for your input.
I wouldn't consider myself suseptible as such. I do suffer from anxiety at times, and also, depending on my mood, really battle with stress and pressure.

The Wellbutrin has really helped with depression for the most part, but I rapid cycle, and I would sometimes still crash really low, and at times would get sucidal. That was the case before the Wellbutrin too though.

I haven't had any other 'hallucinations', but will be aware.

And need to watch the other physical issues I may be likely to expect

[PurpleFlyingMonkeys]

That's a good start, that the hallucinations aren't too bad and Welbutrin helps. Hopefully this will as well. I would say to keep an eye out for any changes you see in your physical state and make sure to keep your bloodwork updated and make all of your appointments. You shouldn't be on such a high dose anyways so the symptoms hopefully wont effect you that much! Best of luck to you Glad you're finding things that do help.

[Amazonmom]

Comparing doses of lithium is worthless. I take 750 mg a day and get a level of 0.6, while I know others that take 2400 and get the same level. You take whatever dose is needed to get to the desired level.

I had to cut my level to 0.6 because my tremors interfere with my job otherwise. I'm a neonatal icu nurse- can't shake when you put an IV in a vein not much bigger than a hair. I didn't want to give it up completely because it is quite good at controlling those highs.

[sugahorse1]

I am feeling a little unbalanced when I stand - noticed it this morning. And it's quite hard to maintain the hydration levels; I think that's the reason why I have slight headaches most of the time

[lifeinsolitude]

Lithium has helped me along with Abilify and an anti-depressant. The dosing can be tricky however. I'm on 300mg x4 per day.

[lad007]

I had a lot of trouble with my balance at first, and some dizziness. I couldn't do yoga. That should pass. As far as the headaches really watch what you are drinking-I can't drink as much coffee or wine anymore or I will get a bad headache. Drink 8-12 glasses of water a day.

[nicoleb2]

I ended up with serious vision changes from lithium. Permanent - still have issues

[Diversion]

I've only been on it for a couple of months now (300mg 2x day) but it seems to be working like a charm so far.
Of course, thirsty and peeing all the time when i started out. That only lasted about 2 weeks or so for me.
I've found it actually puts me somewhere between medium and slightly manic mode (but controllable).
I am very unhappy about the lack of libido though. I am married and it does seem to be the side affect that won't go away.

I don't think I had any hallucinations when i started it. Hmm...I hope they are a very temporary thing for you. I'm sure they are unsettling.

[sugahorse1]

I haven't had libido issues yet, but it would probably cause me to stop the meds.
No more hallucinations since that time. I am feeling a little bit like a zombie, but on the whole I am doing well. Battling a bit to fall asleep at night though.
I have a sore throat, which is either a side-effect or flu. Concentration is a bit tricky, and I tend to zone-out quite a bit too.

[sugahorse1]

I am feeling a bit like a stoned zombie

[sugahorse1]

Still drinking a heck of a lot, but I guess that's also a good thing.
I am eating a LOT and putting on weight slowly... This morning I decided I need to start running a little. But I'm not happy about the weight issue.

Did anyone battle with 'balance'? I don't know how else to put it - I was walking down stairs yesterday, and I could only walk about 4 at a time, before I got completely unbalanced and couldn't discern between the stairs. I had to stop for 2 seconds before carrying on. And even when I am resting against a wall, I sometimes notice I almost fallk over and have to stop myself by taking a step. It's not as sever as I explain above, but it still is slightly worrying.
And my concentration is totally non-existant

[sugahorse1]

Anyone?? Please??