Posted by JonW on November 26, 2002, at 23:00:22
In reply to Re: lithium weight gain » JonW, posted by JohnX2 on November 26, 2002, at 16:55:45
> I don't even think the lithium does squat for me. It doesn't do jack for manic symptoms (it never got to a high blood level) and I don't think it helps depression. Maybe it has some neuroprotective effects. I seem to be on it for the sake of being on it. I can't sort out if the
> weight gain is the Lithium or Serzone.John,
I looked up Lithium on RxList.com and "excessive weight gain" is one of the possible side-effects. I also looked up Serzone, and the incidence of weight gain is less than or equal to placebo. All things being equal, I would put my money on Lithium as the culprit. Are you taking any other meds that could be causing you to gain weight? You eluded to possibly dropping the Lithium, and maybe that would be best... but make sure you do it with your pdoc and go slowly. The pdocs I've been to all agree that with bipolar disorder, or any severe mental illness for that matter, it's best to first get the patient well and then start taking things away. However, increased side-effects without effect certainly doesn't help someone deal with a severe depression. Do anti-depressants work for you? Would you say that you deteriorate when they are pulled away? I'm sure I don't have to tell you how frustrating the relationship between bipolar disorder and ADs has become... If you benefit from ADs, I hope you can find a way to tolerate them and possibly something more potent than Serzone. Have you ever been on Synthroid? Pushing someone with bipolar disorder into hypo-thyroidism can enable them to tolerate ADs. The dangers of hypo-thyroidism are far less than the dangers of untreated bipolar disorder.
Jon
poster:JonW
thread:129424
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20021122/msgs/129517.html