I know I'm supposed to tell my pdoc when I mess with my meds. I wont see him for 2 weeks and I find I feel better OFF the lithium. I was only on 300 mg once a day, so I cut down to every other day and today it has been two days straight without it. I'm much more energetic, and yes, maybe a bit "hyperish." But I LIKE myself this way. It is way more fun. I will probably come "down" again and get depressed, but I was depressed on lithium anyway. I guess I'll call the pdoc.

Anyone else feel better off lithium than on?:angel:

Hi: I was on lithium and I DID NOT LIKE IT. I am on Lamitical now and it is a lifesavor. You should try to get on another med because you probably will slip into hyper mania. Believe me sometimes I would rather that as well. The lamitcal really works.

Ask around this site about the differances people feel about both med's
Jeane

Hi, I know how you feel. I did not like lithium either. Well, I didn't give it a fair shot I guess. Did you give it at least a month on a therapuetic dose to see whether or not it would have helped? Sometimes initial side effects disappear. I know this happened to me with abilify.

But definitely call your pdoc and let him know. He may just have you try another med instead. Good luck!

Going down after stopping treatment is often worse than it would have been for someone never taking medicine. You know there is a reason why you are suppose to talk to the doc first.

It has happened many times people feel better for a while when lowering dosage or stop taking it altogether, but usually it doesn't last. Often it has a tragic ending, it wouldn't surprise me if Britney Spears was on medicine and stopped taking them when that evening everybody have heard about.

Oh Marle,

I wish there was something I could say to make you rethink this decision!

It's fine for you to want off of the Lithium. But, stopping it without talking to your doc about taking something else is NOT a good idea. Ask me how I know.

I decided last August to decrease my Seroquel dose. Yes, I felt better without the side effects. However, I went manic and it has been next-to-impossible to get myself under control again. I went 4 months without decent sleep. Now, instead of the 2 meds that I felt uncomfortable taking, I am on F_O_U_R (4!!!)!

Worst decision I've ever made. I strongly encourage you to rethink this idea.

Good luck!

I called the pdoc, but they didn't call back. I hope that doesn't mean I'm kicked out of the practice or something! My T told me to keep taking it until I see the pdoc. He said I will pay later.

I feel really good. I feel like this feeling wont ever end, ever! I am free of depression at the moment and I just love this feeling. Lithium puts a heavy lead blanket on me, grey and heavy. I thought more about suicide on lithium, just pondering it.

I'm not doing any rash or spending money or anything else. I just feel very happy.

I tried lamictal, but it didn't really work either. Nothing seems to "work" for me.

Another thing I wanted to add is please give me more feedback. I'm open to it and also would like to know anything else that has helped. I take some seroquel at night, cymbalta for depression....tried a lot of other things. I don't really like the idea of most of the other "mood stabilizers" and their side effects, weight gain or changes in blood chemistry, etc.

None of us like taking mood stabilizers, Marle. For that matter, I don't like taking antidepressants either. But, the fact is, I can't function without them (and I doubt that you can either). It's not a matter of liking them, it's a matter of needing them.

If this feeling you have would never end, life would be grand. But it doesn't work that way. If Lithium put a cap on you, it may well be that it's a good choice. What you need is an antidepressant to go with it. Or, alternately, it would be good to add a mood stabilizer with antidepressant properties - Seroquel is one. Lamictal is another. I know Lamictal didn't work well for you by itself, but it might work in combination with something else.

Don't make any rash decisions until you talk to your doc, okay??? Please?

PS, Marle, have you had a lithium level checked? I see that you haven't been on it for very long. Perhaps you haven't actually reached a therapeutic level yet and that's why depression is still such an issue for you.

Just a thought...

Another thing I wanted to add is please give me more feedback. I'm open to it and also would like to know anything else that has helped. I take some seroquel at night, cymbalta for depression....tried a lot of other things. I don't really like the idea of most of the other "mood stabilizers" and their side effects, weight gain or changes in blood chemistry, etc.

Hey Marle: How much Lamitcal and for how long?
It takes a while to get up to the required dose. Ask around Lamitcal is a really good mood stabilzer. NO WEIGHT GAIN EITHER!!! Please don't just stop talk to Doc. Just tell him you do not want to take the lithium i did not want to take it either.

PLEASE TALK TO YOUR DOC


Jeane

.... like others have said, I don't want to take medication either, but I have finally made peace with it. This is not a disease to play with, it is dangerous, no matter which end of the 'pole' you happen to be experiencing.

I recently started on Lamactil, a mood stabilizer, and altho that was a very long process I can tell you that is has helped me very much. Much of what 'we' suffer from is faulty thinking and decision making when we cycle either up or down. I need to trust my dr and follow his suggestion, giving him full information on what is happening inside me. I hope you will continue to talk and process about your medication. Bouncing around without any is a nightmare.

...keep walking, have faith, and don't fight the solution

;)
~ Ripka

(I wish I could figure out how to set these posts so the last reply is at the end--anybody know?) I think I might be slipping into depression. I was "up" for several days. How do I trigger hypomania? I actually think that is a healthier place for me to be. I'm happy. I can control myself so that I don't spend $$ or do anything harmful because I'm aware of it now. But depression is a really bad place and I spend more time there.

I didn't go to therapy this week. I can't afford it anymore. I just can't. And I'm finding it boring. I want more from therapy besides behavioral changes. I seem to need the relationship or focus too much on it. I don't think that is the point of therapy, yet it ends up like that for me and either it goes to a not so good place or I quit out of boredom. But it has been several years now. I just can't make it work for whatever reason.

I think if I had more ongoing sustained energy I could do more with my life. What is the answer?

(I wish I could figure out how to set these posts so the last reply is at the end--anybody know?) I think I might be slipping into depression. I was "up" for several days. How do I trigger hypomania? I actually think that is a healthier place for me to be. I'm happy. I can control myself so that I don't spend $$ or do anything harmful because I'm aware of it now. But depression is a really bad place and I spend more time there.

I didn't go to therapy this week. I can't afford it anymore. I just can't. And I'm finding it boring. I want more from therapy besides behavioral changes. I seem to need the relationship or focus too much on it. I don't think that is the point of therapy, yet it ends up like that for me and either it goes to a not so good place or I quit out of boredom. But it has been several years now. I just can't make it work for whatever reason.

I think if I had more ongoing sustained energy I could do more with my life. What is the answer?

Hey Marle: You really need to take your med's I can understand not going to therapy, but do you think it's NORMAL to not sleep for three days.
Please rethink getting back on you med's.
Jeane