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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 5 of 5. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Emme on April 2, 2003, at 22:34:26
Hi Everyone,
I'm in my first week of trying lithium. A whopping 150 mg right now (I feel low doses of everything). Is it my imagination, or does this stuff have the capacity to bring your brain to a grinding halt? My doctor was hoping it would help with depression as an adjunct to Lamictal. Although it's hard to separate out symptoms of depression right now, it seems I am really tired and sluggish, terribly apathetic and unmotivated, and can't seem to focus or organize thoughts. And I desparately need my brain to be functioning. Just wanted to hear others' experiences.
Thanks,
Emme
Posted by deak on April 2, 2003, at 22:43:22
In reply to spaced on Li...?, posted by Emme on April 2, 2003, at 22:34:26
> Hi Everyone,
>
> I'm in my first week of trying lithium. A whopping 150 mg right now (I feel low doses of everything). Is it my imagination, or does this stuff have the capacity to bring your brain to a grinding halt? My doctor was hoping it would help with depression as an adjunct to Lamictal. Although it's hard to separate out symptoms of depression right now, it seems I am really tired and sluggish, terribly apathetic and unmotivated, and can't seem to focus or organize thoughts. And I desparately need my brain to be functioning. Just wanted to hear others' experiences.
>
> Thanks,
> Emmei been on lithium for 2 weeks 2 days at 750mg with my ad - idont know whether to give in - at 1000 i have shaky hands so decrease, but so fay lith done nothing - please what you think?
Posted by Ritch on April 3, 2003, at 9:47:08
In reply to spaced on Li...?, posted by Emme on April 2, 2003, at 22:34:26
> Hi Everyone,
>
> I'm in my first week of trying lithium. A whopping 150 mg right now (I feel low doses of everything). Is it my imagination, or does this stuff have the capacity to bring your brain to a grinding halt? My doctor was hoping it would help with depression as an adjunct to Lamictal. Although it's hard to separate out symptoms of depression right now, it seems I am really tired and sluggish, terribly apathetic and unmotivated, and can't seem to focus or organize thoughts. And I desparately need my brain to be functioning. Just wanted to hear others' experiences.
>
> Thanks,
> Emme
Lithium can make you feel "dazed" or "zoned". If you take it at bedtime and not during the day that will help. From what I remember from taking it, the dazed feeling lifts quite a bit after you have been taking it a while. One way to find out for sure whether it is the depression or the lithium is to increase the lithium and see what happens. Some people find it rather buzzy and activating at certain doses.
Posted by Emme on April 4, 2003, at 6:19:09
In reply to Re: spaced on Li...? » Emme, posted by Ritch on April 3, 2003, at 9:47:08
> > Hi Everyone,
> >
> > I'm in my first week of trying lithium. A whopping 150 mg right now (I feel low doses of everything). Is it my imagination, or does this stuff have the capacity to bring your brain to a grinding halt? My doctor was hoping it would help with depression as an adjunct to Lamictal. Although it's hard to separate out symptoms of depression right now, it seems I am really tired and sluggish, terribly apathetic and unmotivated, and can't seem to focus or organize thoughts. And I desparately need my brain to be functioning. Just wanted to hear others' experiences.
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Emme
>
>
> Lithium can make you feel "dazed" or "zoned". If you take it at bedtime and not during the day that will help. From what I remember from taking it, the dazed feeling lifts quite a bit after you have been taking it a while. One way to find out for sure whether it is the depression or the lithium is to increase the lithium and see what happens. Some people find it rather buzzy and activating at certain doses.
>
Thanks,I feel less fuzzy now, but still tired. Actually, I seem to have gone from sluggish and apathetic to extremely distressed and anxious, all the while depressed. I should perhaps try a higher dosage soon..... My gut feeling is this may not be the drug for me, but I'll give it longer and a higher dose before I give up on it.
Emme
Posted by JahL on April 6, 2003, at 21:40:27
In reply to Re: spaced on Li...? » Ritch, posted by Emme on April 4, 2003, at 6:19:09
> Thanks,
>
> I feel less fuzzy now, but still tired. Actually, I seem to have gone from sluggish and apathetic to extremely distressed and anxious, all the while depressed. I should perhaps try a higher dosage soon..... My gut feeling is this may not be the drug for me, but I'll give it longer and a higher dose before I give up on it.+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Hi Emme.
I don't want to be a harbinger of doom or anything but I had a particularly unpleasant experience with Lithium.
I had only been taking 450 & then 900mg/day for a few days before a deep paranoia set in, which adversely affected my cognition, which is already severely compromised by the Bipolar. The anxiety also manifested itself in the form of acute social phobia. The most distressing side effect was temporary paralysis of the legs.
All this said, I haven't heard of a similarly bad experience, tho' they no doubt occur. I hope you fare better than me. Watch that anxiety & distressed feeling.
G'luck.
Jah.
This is the end of the thread.
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