Posted by BarbaraCat on March 18, 2003, at 15:43:06
In reply to Sorry to ask again but need answers about Lithium, posted by zeliva on March 13, 2003, at 0:13:05
I started taking lithium one year ago at the prompting of my pdoc because everything else pooped out after a few months. I recoiled in horror - lithium! that's for Patty Duke and people who think they're Jesus Christ! Not me! It was the best thing I've done. Within 3 days (I also started at 300mg) I felt calmer and more focussed and my agitated depression started lifting. It turns out after going back and reading some of my old journals that I had clear signs on hypomania and frequent bouts of mixed states depression. I never considered myself BPII, just severely depressed.
Since then I've stopped taking it 'just to see' and within days my scattered fractured thinking came back. I really need it, but I also need additional things as well, like a tricyclic for the depression. One does not work without the other. I'm stable at 600mg which is very low and not in the therapeutic range according to blood tests. But that's the amount that works for me. I get some shakiness in the hands, pee alot, and drink lots of water. But for what it's done for me, I am so grateful. It has not caused any flattening of mood at all. You definitely want to get your thyroid checked every few months. It's worsened my already existing hypothyroidism and I now take extra thyroid med. This is very important. Alot of doctors don't seem to know about this very common side effect. Good luck - BarbaraCat
and > My pdoc gave me Lithium 300mg 1x day. Can anyone who has taken it tell me how it was and any side effects. See above post. Mt doc said it works well with Prozac and I take that 40mg. I just hear Lithium and I think of "crazy" people. Sorry for the stereotype! I have cyclothymia. Please give me feedback good or bad. I don't know anyone who takes it and I can't find much on the net about it.
>
> Jill
poster:BarbaraCat
thread:208633
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030314/msgs/210440.html