There is a 6 page article in the April/May issue of scienticfic american.

Brief summary>

( REMOVED )

Very interesting...I was one of the very first BP persons that was Rxed Lithium back in March of 1970,when Lithium was first approve by the FDA. I have take Lithium for 37 years and have maintained stability for 23 years.

Sometimes I feel a little "Top Headed"....must be from all that extra gray matter. :D :D

At 65 I'm still trying to learn more about my BP Disorder.....may be to much gray matter is hindering my knowledge......(Tounge in Cheek) ;) ;) \

This for the info....

Carry On

Way up in my closet I have a box of old magazines, one of them being an 1*** Harper's. I wish I could get to it but I am alone and don't want to climb up there right now. There is an ad for "lithia water" and I am so curious what it claimed back then but I do remember it said something like depression. They didn't use that word back then (maybe fugue?). I can search it on the web, maybe find something out about its history. You were able to buy it in the stores. Amazing that they knew about it back then!

I see that the date was starred, I hope I am allowed to say that it was one hundred and nineteen years ago.

Way up in my closet I have a box of old magazines, one of them being an 1*** Harper's. I wish I could get to it but I am alone and don't want to climb up there right now. There is an ad for "lithia water" and I am so curious what it claimed back then but I do remember it said something like depression. They didn't use that word back then (maybe fugue?). I can search it on the web, maybe find something out about its history. You were able to buy it in the stores. Amazing that they knew about it back then!

Amy....That is a interestring story.It seems that the virtues of Lithium have been around a long time.

I have heard of another story from long ago. It seems there was two rivers in southwest Texas that ran through a small town. Back then the town's folks retrieved their water from these two rivers. It was said that the rivers were crystal clear...However, on one side of town,the river that the folks retrieved their water,were easy going.polite,and very mellow in nature...But,the folks that drank from the other river,across town,were very rebellious,reckless,angry in their nature. It was discovered years later that there was a very high content of lithium carbonate (a salt) in the river that caused the folks to have the easy going,polite,and mellow personalities. Conversely,the other river had No lithium carbonate in it's waters.

So,Amy,the "lithia water" story in Harpers just my be true ;)

Carry On,

EYES, that is really interesting. I see they sell it online also but who knows what's really in it.

EYES,

I see you have been taking lithium for a long time. My husband is currently taking it and has only been on it for about 2 months now but he is concerned with kidney damage in the long run. Do you have your kidneys checked every so often, and if so, how are you doing? Do you drink lots of water to combat kidney damage?

Thanks,
Erin

EYES,

I see you have been taking lithium for a long time. My husband is currently taking it and has only been on it for about 2 months now but he is concerned with kidney damage in the long run. Do you have your kidneys checked every so often, and if so, how are you doing? Do you drink lots of water to combat kidney damage?

Thanks,
Erin

Erin ... Yes, I have been on Lithium Carbonate for almost 40 years. When I first started Lithium,I would have my serium Lithium tests taken quite frequently. Also Kidney blood tests. Over the years I now have these tests done twice a year.

Three important kidney blood tests are..(1) Creatinine ( nornal range 0.6to 1.2mg/dL One formula for estimating kidney function equates a Ceatinine level of 1.7mg/dL for most men. I'm 1.6mg/dL.(2) GFR (Glomerular Filtration Rate) is a calulation of how efficiently the kidneys are filtering waste from the blood. (3) BUN (Blood Urea Nitrogen) Healthy kidneys take urea out of the blood and put it in the urine. If your kidneys are not working well,the urea will stay in the blood. A deciliter of normal blood contains 7 to 20 milligrams of urea. If your BUN is more than 20 mg/dL, your kidneys may not be working at full strength. My level is slightly high @ 22 mg/dL. Dr. say, not of any concern.

Side point....I used the complain that I would die from Kidney failure if I had to take Lithium for my BP Disorder for the rest of my life. (thought that this was good excuse for not taking my lithium). My pdoc saw through this excuss real fast. He just said " Fellow...your die from your manic episodes a lot sooner ;).

So....tell your husband my story and consistanly with taking Lithium. And drink a lot of water......his kidneys will love him....and he will be a normal,stable BPer...for life :D

Carry On,

EYES, that is really interesting. I see they sell it online also but who knows what's really in it.
It's actually a trace mineral. It is in multi mineral supplements in small doses. It is a salt.

EYES, that is really interesting!

Hi there :wave:
O.K as far as the benefits of lithium are concerned The Romans used to use it in the form of baths in springs where the lithium was naturally occurring.

They found that when their soldiers had been fighting for a wile they tended to go a little battle crazy and needed to calm down as they would pick a fight with anyone and usually kill them as well.

And they knew that these springs had a calming effect on people when they bathed in them but they didn't know what made these people calm.

It wasn't until early on in the twentieth century that scientists found that these springs were rich in Lithium salts!!!.
I've been on lithium for five years now and although I am still bi polar I feel almost normal when on lithium and would highly recommend it to any one with
bi polar :wave:

Hi there :wave:
O.K as far as the benefits of lithium are concerned The Romans used to use it in the form of baths in springs where the lithium was naturally occurring.

They found that when their soldiers had been fighting for a wile they tended to go a little battle crazy and needed to calm down as they would pick a fight with anyone and usually kill them as well.

And they knew that these springs had a calming effect on people when they bathed in them but they didn't know what made these people calm.

It wasn't until early on in the twentieth century that scientists found that these springs were rich in Lithium salts!!!.
I've been on lithium for five years now and although I am still bi polar I feel almost normal when on lithium and would highly recommend it to any one with
bi polar :wave:

scullyboy (Steve)...Wow...I have been bathing in Lithium carbonate for over 40 years.
Maybe I will add the Lithium salts,that the Romans used in their baths.....I might just end up like a calm.....old Roman :p

Please take every thing I said with a ....Big grain of (Lithium) salt :D

Scully (Steve)...Your on the right track with Lithium...I'm glad you have done all your homework on it. If you feel almost normal,at five years, now on lithium.....just think what you will feel at my age,65 and being on lithium for almost 40 years ..:cool:

Carry On,

:wave: Hi eyestwo22

I was amazed when I looked into the benefits of lithium and how long it had been in use , Therapeutically it was used in experiments carried out by some American psychiatrist way back in the early thirties, so its uses are well documented for over seventy years.

Yes I am glad I am on lithium and will sing its praises to anyone willing to listen, My only regret is that I wasn't diagnosed properly for twenty odd years , because I feel I wouldn't of had to go through all the s**t I have done if I,d been treated with lithium at the start ( ah well if only,s eh ...how many of us have been down that road ) .

Of course I have to take other tablets as well and have my bloods done every other month But by and by I am a number one fan of lithium and very grateful its around.;)

P.S

As for building grey matter...well I suppose it does because every hair on my head ( a full head of hair ) is GREY



Regards old man scullyboy

Keep up with the testing. I have just been diagnosed Stage III Chronic Kidney Disease from taking Neurontin for nearly 10 years. Talk about adding to the depressive side of BiPolar disorder! See, once you have it, it doesn't go away...there simply is NO CURE. If you keep yourself healthy, from what I understand, you can expect about 20 years of symptom-light living.

Am I angry? No. Neurontin, like Lithium for other people, has saved my life. I would not trade suicide for a disease I can manage for all the money in the world.

Why is Lithium not perscribed as much anymore? It worked well for my Father's BP but the Pdoc put me on Lamictal instead. I never had any blood tests before beeing put on Meds. Should I request them?

P.S

As for building grey matter...well I suppose it does because every hair on my head ( a full head of hair ) is GREY

Regards old man scullyboy

Scullyboy...Well it look like you and I may be the "old men" with "gray hair" and "gray matter" :D

Like I said..Lithium was approved in March 1970 by the FDA. I Was started on it in April of that year. So now I'm 37 years with use. See my post about 7 back in this thread to Erin about Kidney test,and my results.

To : BPBDPCO Yes, it seems that Lamictal is the darling mood stabilizer with the (younger) pdoc at present time. However,it is will know that Lithium is still the drug of choice with the majority of pdocs. My pdoc (with for over 25 years),told me that other mood stabilizers are there for use when Lithium is not compatable or side effects are high.
You need to have blood test done on kidneys,liver, throid and any other organ your pdoc whats to monitor.

Terrigrrl
Yes,my pdoc told me when I questioned kidney disease with long tearm use.
His responce..."Die in the short term from an episode and sucide....or die in the long term from kidney disease."
Well 37 years and counting and no kidney problems.....yet....

Carry On