Hello All,

I really need some honest advice. My doctor wants me to start taking Lithium. I have tried almost every psychotropic drug you can think of and Lithium is sort of our last resort.

I already take Wellbutrin, Lamictal, Abilify and Lexapro.

Is Lithium worth all the side effects, trips to have your blood drawn and risks.

I am scred to try it. I have heard good things and bad things.

Can you please share your experience? How the drug made you feel? What side effects you encountered if any?

Did this drug change your life: in a positive or negative way?

I would greatly appreciate your feedback!!

Elixa:angel:

Hi:

Just an idea where I come from, I take Effexor, Wellbutrin, Remeron, Lithium and Temazapam.

I have been on Lithium for a little over a year and a half, I was a patient in a mental hospital when I was first put on it. A bunch of blood tests to hit the right level as there is difficulties if your level is too high or too low. I take 300mg in the morning and 750mg at night.

The biggest side effect I have noticed with Lithium is your constantly thirsty, you feel dehydrated really quickly. I have a slight tremor but it is not enough to cause any problem.

Lithium keeps your bads from being really bad most of the time the other side is you never get overly happy. The average day you don't feel anything, keep in mind I also take a lot of other meds too.

I see Lithum as a neutral drug you really don't realize its there. The monthly blood test is a pain but not that big of a deal especially after you learn what to little or to much lithium can do to your body. I would recomend it

take care
trg247

I think the bloodwork seems like a royal pain at first but then you get used to it. My husband takes Lithium, he does well with it but does have mild hand tremors, his only complaint. For what it's worth, I've neevrnoticed it. Maybe you would get more responses on the bipolar board regarding Lithium?.....Just a thought. I do agree that you must not get dehydrated, that is very important with Lithium.

I took lithium for almost a year and it was the most "normal" I've ever felt in my entire life. No side effects to report on my end but I can remember that I missed being manic, I felt a bit dull. At the end it didn't seem effective anymore and my dr. took me off of it. I didn't really mind monitoring the levels with a blood test, I just found a lab near my work place for convenience. What I was told at the time that I started the lithium was that it would either work or not. That's my experience, hope it's helpful.

My note on the Lithium question is that for me it was not the great drug for it simply left me in a depressed state all the time though I was taking it over twenty some years ago. I had side affects but not many and the cogentin they gave me took of the side affects. For some it really does some great things and for a very few my pdoc said it leaves them in a slightly depressed state that is consistent rather then being severe other then it was a severe pain the butt. The blood work up each month wasn't that much of a big deal. I think I would mention that with that drug I did gain sixty pounds but not sure it was the drug or me. Or a combination of the two and the other med i was on. Yeap I drank tons of water it seemed it was all I wanted.

Other then that what can it hurt to try it? Do your homework on it and see what you think.

Deb

elizabeth, why dont you go over to the bipolar board..you will learn alot about lithium over there..:) very knowledgable people :)

I have been taking Lithium(300mg, 3xday) for about 4 years. It has been a lifesaver. I haven't been manic in almost 2 years. The weight gain, blood checks, other side effects stink but it's worth it.

I have been taking 300 - 600 mg a day of lithium since March, 2007, as my psychiatrist thinks I have bipolar disorder. This is after trying every other kind of anti-depressant on the market for 2 years. This is the only drug that I seem to be able to tolerate.

In August (about 6 months after starting lithium) I noticed a weight gain of about 20 pounds. I was also eating a lot of sweets and since September I have tried to lose the weight but am not successful, though I am walking about 2 miles 3 or 4 times a week and have basically cut out dessert.

I would say it is worth it to not experience extremes in mood. I have not had any overly happy times, but also when I do feel depressed, it doesn't feel as bad as it used to before I was on lithium. When I think about getting off of it I think about the awful depression I had most of 2005 and I say it is worth it.