Lithium drugginess

I've been on lithium for awhile and just recently increased my dose from 600 to 900 mg because my blood level was dropping. I've been as high as 1500 mg -that was many years ago. The more lithium I take he more druggy I am, makes obvious sense.
What I want to know is how other people experience this, if they do. I take my lithium ER at night. The worst drugginess is after breakfast, 20 mins or so after. Happens after every meal, breakfast is just the worse. My body is so heavy, my eyelids want to just shut and my head is filled with cotton.

What do other people experience? After eating like I do? And why is that?

I'm on a low dose of lithium (450 mg./day). It is helping to stabilize my moods, but yeah...I am exhausted all the time. Since I started taking the lithium a few weeks ago, I sleep every afternoon. I'm hoping the sleepiness subsides eventually.

For your sake I hope it does too. My past experience withblithium, it doesn't get better unless the dose is changed. But that is why I ask to see what other people are experiencing

My dosage is 1200mg and I stay around a .7 blood level. I feel nothing from it. I know it helps my mood but I have zero side effects.

I won't lie -I'm jealous. I am glad you don't have to endure any of the side effects- drugginess or shaking or extreme thirst and food tasting off. I hope it stays that way for you. Glad you found a combo that seems to be helping.

Hello,

How do you take your doses? My pdoc told me that more than 300mg at a time can make a person drowsy. So for a long time I took 450mg in the am and 900mg at night.

I did eventually have to switch this though because the Lithium makes me have to use the bathroom a lot so I was getting up a lot at night.

I also have hand tremors from Lithium. I've accepted them though as I know I need the meds.

I take 600mg when I wake up and 600mg with dinner.

I take all 900 mg at night. Years ago I split it up to two and three times a day but it made no difference. Actually it made the grogginess and drugginess just drawn out. My doctor now said I could split it if I want but my past experience doesn't support that it would help. I appreciate your response very much though.
And I'm okay with hand tremors, I was just mentioning them with the other side effects. Sure it would be nice without but I consider that to be a fairly benign side effect compared to others and like you, have just accepted it. Even without the lithium my hands would shake from other meds.