Lithium?

[Debon Err]

Does anyone have any personal experience with taking Lithium, or know anyone who does/has? How did that work out for you?

[Lynn Bodoni]

My grandmother used to take it, and then she decided that she liked the highs better than being stable. She also didn't like the side effects of lithium. So she quit taking it, and went back to being a royal PITA to everyone around her.

Most modern antidepressants work better on mood stabilization AND have fewer side effects.

[Debon Err]

Thank you Lynn. We have tried several med combinations, including Abilify and Lamotrigene. The Abilify worked great for about 6 months... and then it didn't. Nothing else seems to touch it. I appreciate the feedback.

[thelurkinghorror]

Taking it now 900mg I believe. Not sure that it's working for me, but no side effects that I can tell. I might be gaining a little weight but not a huge amount.

I've been on lots of drugs. Almost all had way more side effects, especially modern SSRIs. People sing the praises of these, which I guess they're great if you don't mind not having a sex drive. I guess they're better than tricyclics.

Lamotrigine and Trazondone were the two that have the scariest side effects, but the chance is like 1 in a million; otherwise they don't have any.

[Debon Err]

Did you start recently? And if you don't mind me asking, what were/are your symptoms that caused you to decide on Lithium?

[thelurkinghorror]

I've been on most antidepressant classes, as eluded to earlier. Bipolar runs in my family, and although I don't exhibit full mania, some mild hypomania symptoms are possible. We thought we'd try to see if another direction might work. I broached the topic and my psychiatrist didn't disagree.

I started on the Sustained Release pills because I have GI problems and they're supposed to be better for that. I maxed out my insurance for the year so we switched to the plain lithium pills, which are on the Walmart $4 list. So far no stomach problems. I started on the SR several months ago and the $4 probably about a month and a half now.

[Markxxx]

When I was a kid our neighbor would take lithium. She had to have her blood monitored regularly but like another poster, she would go off of it on purpose to get the "high" then the whole thing would collapse of course.

The problem with all antidepressents and antipsychotics and the like are they are UNIQUE to you.

One person may do fine and another not. Plus you have to find the correct dosage for you. And while you're doing this you have to live with the depression or whatever.

This take a long while. It's not an easy process.

For example you may take a drug like say, Paxil. The doctor will start you out at 10mg for a week. Then they see how you are. If you're ok they up it to 20mg for another week. If you're still having a bit of a worry, they up it to 30mg for another week. Still problems they up it to 40mg for the next week. Now you seem to be OK. (But right now it's taken four weeks to get there). Then the doctor will up it to 50mg, just to see. If you report back no difference at 40mg than 50mg, he'll lower back to 40mg. Then you go for a week. Then he'll put it down to 30mg, then if you're problem start coming back, it's back up to 40mg and then the doc knows you should be at 40mg.

It's like a type I diabetic, when it's first recognized they usually go into the hospital for a bit as they have to find out exactly what dosage of insulin to use. As insulin varies for the diabetic so does antidepressents and other similar meds.

Remember just because one drug causes issues or doesn't work for someone you know is absolutely NO indication it won't work for you. The only way to know is to try it.

[Khaki Campbell]

With lithium, I'm so happy, cuz today I found my friends.

[DragonAsh]

With lithium, I'm so happy, cuz today I found my friends.I'm glad I wasn't the only one expecting more along the lines of this when I saw the topic header....

I'm so ugly, that's OK 'cause so are you.

[thelurkinghorror]

What Markxxx describes it pretty accurate. IME there's more raising than lowering doses, but that may just be me. Lithium does require blood tests to make sure that the therapeutic dose isn't too high, but it's not that often, I think I only have to do it if I change my dose; maybe it breaks down fast or something. I was on Imipramine, a tricyclic that really screwed me up in weird ways, and I had to get blood drawn very frequently.

[Really Not All That Bright]

We set fire to chunks of it with a Bunsen burner in chemistry class. It burns with a pretty red flame.

[NinetyWt]

My sister suffers from Bipolar disorder, and she takes lithium. She's tried other things over the years but keeps coming back to it, it seems to work the best for her. She does get some ugly side effects like indigestion and a kind of thick-headedness.

[Q.N. Jones]

Most modern antidepressants work better on mood stabilization AND have fewer side effects.


Absolutely untrue for bipolar disorder. Studies clearly show that antidepressants have a strong tendency to destabilize the moods of those with bipolar disorder. The latest recommendation is to avoid using them in bipolar patients. I wish people wouldn't state their unfounded opinions as fact. Figuring out what psychiatric medications to try is hard enough without people spreading misinformation.

I took lithium for five and a half years. I had almost no side effects and it worked VERY well for me in stabilizing my moods. The only problem was that I have a strong genetic predisposition to type 2 diabetes, and the lithium may have been the reason I got it at 30 instead of 50. However, it is very uncommon for lithium to cause diabetes.

I only stopped taking lithium because, after the diabetes diagnosis, I didn't want the extra load on my kidneys. But I would highly recommend that people with a bipolar diagnosis try lithium. It is still the gold standard for treating bipolar disorder. No other medication has the same success rate in controlling both manic and depressive symptoms.

[Autolycus]

Lithium is my favorite satellite radio station.

[thelurkinghorror]

We set fire to chunks of it with a Bunsen burner in chemistry class. It burns with a pretty red flame.

I think what we're talking about here though is Li2CO3.

To expand upon Q.N. Jones last post, one theory of bipolar (and I am most likely grossly oversimplifying) is that the manic stage "wears them out," and the depression is their nervous system swinging in the opposite direction too drastically. While giving an SSRI to a depressed person will "raise them up," it won't do anything for BP because they're already elevated.

Although I'm not 100% sure I have it, my father might and my nona did bad. If antidepressants aren't working, I figured it was worth a shot.

[The Great Sun Jester]

But I would highly recommend that people with a bipolar diagnosis try lithium. It is still the gold standard for treating bipolar disorder. No other medication has the same success rate in controlling both manic and depressive symptoms.It's not uncommon for significant psychosis and delusion to accompany bipolar mania. Does lithium, in controlling the mood, also keep these symptoms at bay? How about when they accompany the ensuing depression?

[Q.N. Jones]

It's not uncommon for significant psychosis and delusion to accompany bipolar mania. Does lithium, in controlling the mood, also keep these symptoms at bay? How about when they accompany the ensuing depression?

Obviously, I can't speak for every single person who ever took lithium. But I had psychotic symptoms during both mania and depression, and lithium eliminated them completely. And studies indicate that the same is true for many (most?) of the people who take a dose of lithium that places them in the therapeutic range.

[NinetyWt]

Inigo, the only symptom which is not helped in my sister's case is paranoia. Since the other things aren't "muddying the water" so to speak, she has a much easier time dealing with the one thing.

[Q.N. Jones]

Inigo, the only symptom which is not helped in my sister's case is paranoia. Since the other things aren't "muddying the water" so to speak, she has a much easier time dealing with the one thing.

That is really interesting to me, because the paranoia, delusions, and hallucinations were the first things to go away for me. I wonder if she has a tendency to paranoia that isn't related to the bipolar disorder? Of course, it is impossible to know.

[NinetyWt]

She might. She has something else which, I think, magnifies it.

You know how sometimes, if you're working in a big building, you can hear random sounds? Lots of times if I hear far-away things my brain interprets it as music. She hears it as voices. I think that has something to do with her paranoia.

Like someone else mentioned upthread, different things work for different people.

[Sticks and Scones]

Just chiming in to say that antidepressants made my mood swings MUCH worse. Ever since I've been on Lithium alone I've done much better overall. I experience virtually no side effects, however, my dosage tolerance is low. I can't take over 900 mg or I get violently ill. Fortunately 900 mg seems to be just what I need.

[Beltane]

I've been taken lithium carbonate for some years, and it (along with low doses of Seroquel, and Tegretol and Lamictal) totally changed my relationship to depression. I was suicidal for most of my childhood and adolescence, had a few good years as and adult and started having really horrible symptoms originally diagnosed as anxiety disorder and major depressive episodes. I was hospitalized so often I lost count, and had so many different doctors prescribe different medicines none of which worked other than to leave me a zombie.

I've not had a serious suicidal thought in several years- I actually felt guilty when I didn't feel suicidal when one of my best friends died (I felt awful, and most certainly grieved, it just never felt like I would stay down forever)

As many others have said, not everyone responds the same way, it it certainly doesn't work for everyone. I don't know where I would be without it, however.

[Perciful]

I have a friend on Lithium which is just a salt that some peoples brain does not make. She has been on it for 30 years or ever since her first manic depressive episode. It is used as a mood stabilizer and it helps many people with mood disorders. From what I have seen with my friend she needs to get her level checked periodically by having blood work done.

It works for my friend as long as she stays on it. She is thin so it has not affected her weight at all.

[Debon Err]

Thank you all very much for your input. Does anyone know any children on lithium?

[madrabbitwoman]

I have been on lithium for 3 years now. I was proposed by my psych as a second to last ditch effort (last ditch was ECT eek!). Sp to that stage I had been diagnosed with various permutations of severe depression, BPD, schizoaffective disorder, PTSD etc and anon ( I used to (yay for the used to bit) self harm a lot = BPD apparently - but that is a whole nuther thread)
Anyways back to the lithium - I am really sensative so I take a lowish dose (500mg) combined with Talam (antidepressant) and Seroquel (Antipsychotic). I also take Formet (a diabetes drug) to help prevent weight gain associated with the other drugs and help prevent me from developing diabetes for a bit longer).
My life has turned around in the last 3 years. The appropriate medication came first, Then the decision to submit to living God's way. This gave me the incentive and courage to work on my problems and take responsibility for my actions - through church (forgivness) as well as secular therapy programs (psychosocial rehabilitaion).
I find the lithuim upsets my stomach if I don't eat before taking it. I have problems if I don't drink enough. I also notice now if I forget to take it (start feeling odd).
Hope this is of interest

[thelurkinghorror]

The sustained release (or maybe extended release? Lithium Carbonate ER or SR should be the name) pills I mentioned upthread were originally prescribed for stomach issues. Didn't work for me, but maybe worth trying.

[Hilarity N. Suze]

Lots of bipolarism in my family. So, I never took it myself, but plenty of my relatives did.

My uncle. Took forever to get the right dose. changed his body chemistry to the point where he smelled a lot different. (I should note that he looked like two completely different people, one person when he was manic, one when depressed. The lithium made him look like a third person altogether, but it worked. He was very slow-cycling, manic phase lasted for years.)

Cousin. Developed symptoms much earlier in life than my uncle and hers was faster cycling. She only wanted to take lithium (or any other drug) when depressed, she liked being manic because she felt smarter, stronger, faster, prettier...etc. In the depressive phase she was suicidal and uncommunicative. Lithium apparently doesn't work that way. It takes it awhile to balance you out. But it made her shake from the first, often so hard that she couldn't really feed herself, or write, or pick up a telephone.

Another cousin. She started off on things other than lithium, and when it was added to the mix it also made her shake and there were some other symptoms. However, when her other medications were changed--I think eliminated, so she was just on the lithium--it turned out to be just exactly right.