C'mon, spill it. My pdoc is calling it into the pharmacy. I wanna hear your experiences with this drug. Thank you.

Worked great on my mood. I never felt so good before I got on Lithium, but the blood tests showed I had kidney malfunction. They did a sonogram to make sure there wasn't something else going on & there was no tumor or anything so I had to get off it. Also, I had hair loss on it so if that had continued I wouldn't have stayed on it anyway.

I know a lot of people have good results with it

Then went a year long quest for the right meds.--Suzy

[HALLIEBETH87]

i just started like 3 weeks ago. so far, im good.

[Psychotic_Phil]

At first Lithium was alright, helping to "stabilize" my "moodiness." By the time it reached 1800 mg. however, I was 0.1 over normal level and became a zombie with a persistent hand tremor.

Even if no mood stabilizer helps me (I am schizophrenic anyway) I would recommend Depakote over Lithium. That may seem bad, but in my own experience, I had less mental blockage and only slight tremors that happen every so often. But it did make me gain weight. So, it's up to you to pick your poison. 50% of all manic depressives respond to Lithium and Lithium alone. My dad is one. So, go ahead and try Lithium, just be cautious, and if you suspect that the Lithium isn't all it's cracked up to be, switch to Depakote.

[tracy33]

I took it for a few years. It helped with my moods but I was always tired. I took naps all the time. I also gained alot of weight. Last year I got on Topamax and eventually weened off the Lithium. The Topamax leveled out my moods so much and didn't make me as tired. I also lost all the weight that I had put on.

[Divaluscious]

OMG HAIR LOSS?????

that would put me completely against it.



Hope you find something that doesn't make that happen ...

[eskielover]

My hands shook so bad I couldn't even hold a glass of water. Have no idea of what else is was doing to me....I was in the hospital at the time they tried it....they were grasping at straws. He took me off that as quickly as he put me on it....plus I refused to continue to take anything that started of with that drastic of an effect on me. My pdoc was trying every med in the book on me.

Debbie

[kebsfroggy]

The first time I was on lithium I had really bad hand shaking. My Dr change type of lithium I take and split dosage to twice a day. I don't have the hand shaking any longer.

I'm not taking exceptionally large doses so I'm probably not a good judge.

I hate the blood tests to check the lithium levels in my blood more than any side effect I've had. (But then I hate needles)

[SecretGarden]

How is it going Pink?

Oh I didn't start yet. My doctor said he is sending me a fact sheet and schedule for it. I did pick it up from the pharmacy yesterday. I don't even know where I would be getting the blood tests done or how it would fit into my schedule yet, so I have to figure all that out..... but I think that with the help of T and my hubby, I have decided I want to try it.

Lithium is my life saver. I have been on it for 5 years. I was very out of control before lithium. To help with weight gain the pdoc put me on lamictal. I did gain weight at first but then it leveled out and now I have lost. For this to work you must take it religiously. If I miss just one dose I become unstable.