lithium and depression - Bipolar Disorder Message Board

wobbly · 11-15-2003, 06:22 AM

Hi guys,
I feel like wiping my slate clean and starting with a whole new course of meds. Currently I am on: Lamictal 200 mg, Wellbutrin 150 mg, Zyprexa 10 mg, and Remeron 30 mg. Can I function? Yeah, sort of, but not like my "normal" energetic self. How can it be good to take that many psychotropics? My question about Lithium is how good does it work on depression. (And I don't just mean the blues; I'm talking DEPRESSION. The kind where you write a suicide note and make plans to jump off your local highest bridge and the only reason you don't is because your husband finds the note too early and stops you.) Mania has never been my problem--I've been hypomanic once in the who-knows-how-many-years I've had this disease. I sleep crummy, have no interest in life, and just generally feel like someone absconded with "my" personality and implanted somebody else's brain in my head. YUCK! Any ideas?
Thanks,
-wobbly

HoosierBj · 11-15-2003, 07:04 AM

Boy have you ever put alot of good questions on the table!
You mentioned having hypomania so I'm guessing that you are BPII?
I'm BPI, but I'm figuring that most stuff applies to both of us. Like meds. I'm the exception getting by on Lithium alone. Most folks take an "Rx cocktail". And, you're right - it stinks. It really boils down to living life as an untreated chemically imbalanced person or taking meds and dealing with the side effects.
And yes, there are days when I've gotten up 4-5 times to go to the bathroom and been so thirsty I'd have lapped water out of the toilet, and had my hands tremble when I pick up a cup of coffee in front of someone, where I've wanted to just toss them out.

Then... Then I remember the depressions so dark that I would look up to not see even ONE pinprick of light. Depression so deep that I was diagnosed as catatonic. Shipped to a semi-private mental hospital & given ECT. (it worked like a charm).
I'm not even going into my upward-spiraling manic episodes.

Would I ever go off lithium and risk that? Nope, I'm a weenie when it comes to anyone even suggesting a switch to another mood-stabilizer. But I haven't EVER been known to be "energetic" in my life so I don't know what I'm missing!

I would definitely talk to your doctor tho. Please don't ever just yank all your meds. There are awful boomerarangs from going cold turkey - just ask around here. And keep in mind, if you're on Lithium be aware that your doctor should not ever prescribe an anti-depressant that is an "SSRI". It can trigger mania in some bi-polars.

Do any of the rest of the gang have more experience with Bipolar II and Lithium? There's always more that I wish I knew. The longer I hang out here the more I learn!!

*music23* · 11-15-2003, 11:29 AM

I'm BPI and I was on lithium for awhile. It didn't really help me very much.
I agree totally with a bunch of things that you guys said. I totally want to just start again with a whole new slate, no meds, see how that works for awhile. I hate taking meds.
Also, I disagree with the statement that docs should not prescribe SSRIs because it causes mania in bipolars. I am on a mood stabilizer AND an SSRI (as well as a bunch of other crap) because my depression is a lot more severe than my manias and it seems to be working for me, I'm not the least bit manic. Kristina

HoosierBj · 11-15-2003, 12:04 PM

Just to clarify, I don't think anyone with Bipolar should ever just go off of all medication!!
That's when the cycling kicks right back in and you're worse off than you were before. I had months sometimes between my highs and lows but by staying on meds I never had those highs and lows at all.
I really meant to say that it is tempting, but never a good idea!
Some meds need to be tapered off, and you should always be under a doctor's supervision when changing/deleting/or adding meds...
Ok, enuff of Big Momma here!

Dena Doo · 11-15-2003, 10:16 PM

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Wobbly!!!! I think you are wearin my shoes my friend. Forgive me, I know ya'll don't know me, I just found this place and I like it. There are actually people who can relate to what you are goin through, instead of hearin "I know how you feel." Uhhh....no ya don't.
Anyhoo, I don't know really how this post/reply thingie works cause that *$*&($ Lamictal causes confustion. That just makes my blood boil. Not to mention all of the other side-effects to boot! I love it....the 'ZAPS'. Now, how the heck are ya gonna tell people you've got the zaps? But, that a perfect word for it! I was on Wellbutrin for almost 2 years, before that, Prozac, Paxil, Buspar, Zoloft..heck they all gave me the ZAPS. I took Lamictal for 5 weeks (the big ole sample book) my memory was shot, big time.
Before I go any further, just in case I'm doin this thing wrong, I'll send and see what happens. But, Wobbly.....I would love to type to you.