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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 14 of 14. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Slinky on December 26, 2004, at 7:53:16
Hello..happy holidays.
I've read forums about lithium augmentation for depression..and numerous say they feel almost immmediate relief
and suicidal thoughts go away.
I am tearful and since starting 4 weeks ago I can't stop suicide thoughts.
Maybe it gets worse before getting better.
I have no side effects on 600mg but hopelessness and negativity.
Is it time to quit and start tegretol? should I try and hang on and wait longer.
I just don't know anymore.I feel so close to ending it all...my neurontin is keeping me goingthanks
Posted by linkadge on December 26, 2004, at 8:28:34
In reply to Lithium making me worse, posted by Slinky on December 26, 2004, at 7:53:16
Are you taking an antidepressant with it. When people say it works over night, they often mean in combination with an AD.
Linkadge
Posted by bamboomz on December 26, 2004, at 8:38:48
In reply to Lithium making me worse, posted by Slinky on December 26, 2004, at 7:53:16
Hi, I know exactly how you feel. I have been on Celexa for 2 weeks now and I am very scared about what is happening to my brain. I have experienced so many different feelings and emotions over the past two weeks. I feel like I am operating in an alternative reality. They started me out on 10mg of the stuff and for three days I felt like I was on acid. Every time I rode the subway I felt that anybody who looked at me could read my thoughts. Oh great -paranoia! I never had a problem with that before!!! Every evening I was so irritated by everything, all I wanted to do is yell at my boyfriend, cry, and go to bed. Now for the past 3 days, I have been on 20mg. The first day I took it I layed on the floor for the ENTIRE day crying and contemplating suicide then the next day I was so darn happy that I was watching Thomas the tank engine and smiling away at all the smiley faced trains. Today and yesterday I have flipping back and forth between feeling like a zombie, or noticing all of the eyes that are looking at me everywhere. Not to mention all the physical side effects (barf barf spin spin)
So, yes meds are strange and I agree when will we start to feel better? I guess the only advice I can give you is to hang in there, know that you are not alone and that there is a ton of support here in babble land. Whenever I feel really crappy, I post something here and lots of wonderful interesting people reply. It really helps you to get through the hard days and nights. I always feel like my boyfriend , friends and family have no idea what I am going through therefore they can really only be so supportive. This place offers alot of good advice and I really feel like people care about each other's suffering. So keep posting stuff, give us updates on whats going on and I really hope that you start to feel better soon.
Erin
Posted by Larry Hoover on December 26, 2004, at 8:49:07
In reply to Lithium making me worse, posted by Slinky on December 26, 2004, at 7:53:16
> Hello..happy holidays.
>
> I've read forums about lithium augmentation for depression..and numerous say they feel almost immmediate relief
> and suicidal thoughts go away.
> I am tearful and since starting 4 weeks ago I can't stop suicide thoughts.
> Maybe it gets worse before getting better.
> I have no side effects on 600mg but hopelessness and negativity.
> Is it time to quit and start tegretol? should I try and hang on and wait longer.
> I just don't know anymore.I feel so close to ending it all...my neurontin is keeping me going
>
> thanksIt is my belief that lithium shows you what you're going to get from it, and right away. Without any doubt, lithium was the worst drug I ever took. It may me so profoundly suicidal....if this was to be my life, then it will soon be over.
Lithium is not for everyone, dear. I think you've suffered through enough.
Lar
Posted by ed_uk on December 26, 2004, at 9:07:32
In reply to Re: Lithium making me worse » Slinky, posted by Larry Hoover on December 26, 2004, at 8:49:07
Hi Larry :-)
I hope you don't mind me asking. Can you describe in a liitle more detail what happened when you took lithium.
Thank you,
Ed.
Posted by Larry Hoover on December 26, 2004, at 9:58:34
In reply to Re: Lithium making me worse » Larry Hoover, posted by ed_uk on December 26, 2004, at 9:07:32
> Hi Larry :-)
>
> I hope you don't mind me asking. Can you describe in a liitle more detail what happened when you took lithium.
>
> Thank you,
> Ed.I was so emotionally blunted, the word apathy took on a whole new meaning. The word fails to convey the dearth of feeling. Even colour seemed less bright....I was fading towards a black and white universe. I became convinced that this was merely my fate. That powers greater than my own had led me to this sequence of events, with one clear and obvious conclusive episode.
I so distrusted my medical advisors, that I did not tell them when I discontinued the lithium. Only later, when my head cleared, could I do so.
Lar
Posted by Slinky on December 26, 2004, at 10:34:22
In reply to Re: Lithium making me worse, posted by linkadge on December 26, 2004, at 8:28:34
Hi Linkage
Yes I'm taking 30mg paroxetine.
Posted by Slinky on December 26, 2004, at 10:44:08
In reply to Re: Lithium making me worse, posted by bamboomz on December 26, 2004, at 8:38:48
Erin..
I got lost outside on a route I take often ..the world , reality is too weired -like cardboard cutouts unreal ,I'm watching from afar..like the matrix film waking up into a horrible reality.
Thomas the tank engine would freak me out : )
Hope things smooth out for you..paxil did similar things to me ..but after two weeks things settled down.
Posted by Slinky on December 26, 2004, at 10:50:18
In reply to Re: Lithium making me worse » Slinky, posted by Larry Hoover on December 26, 2004, at 8:49:07
Thanks Larry..
I was sort of ok-ish before taking it. I was depressed but the suicidal intrusive thoughts weren't so often..I often feel like I'm going manic which isn't supposed to happen...like maybe hallucinating a little when under stress outside anyway I'm staying inside.
I see my doc in about a weeks time I hope he understands and not think I'm telling lies to get off it.
Posted by amberlicious on December 27, 2004, at 19:52:27
In reply to Lithium making me worse, posted by Slinky on December 26, 2004, at 7:53:16
I started lithium a few months ago, 900 mg daily. I could feel some positive effects, such as lessening hypomanic episodes and it didn't put me completely out like depakote did. However, lithium did nothing for my depression. It seemed to get worse but it was probably because I wasn't getting the "highs" as often. So now I take wellbutrin as well. I'm not sure if it's working but I don't feel worse. You might want to ask your doctor for an SSRI. Good luck.
licous
Posted by Ritch on December 28, 2004, at 14:17:29
In reply to Re: Lithium making me worse » bamboomz, posted by Slinky on December 26, 2004, at 10:44:08
> Erin..
> I got lost outside on a route I take often ..the world , reality is too weired -like cardboard cutouts unreal ,I'm watching from afar..like the matrix film waking up into a horrible reality.
> Thomas the tank engine would freak me out : )
> Hope things smooth out for you..paxil did similar things to me ..but after two weeks things settled down.Slinky, I think your best bet might be to see about switching the lithium for Tegretol at your next appointment. Obviously you get some kind of derealization reaction easily from many meds. The last two times I was on lithium I noticed scale distortions (everything seemed tiny) and it will flatten your affect pretty heavy (esp. with a sedative SSRI like paroxetine..hmmm maybe that's part of the trouble). The lithium could be depressing your thryoid function... which might explain some of the worsening depressive symptoms. If you switch to Tegretol though, be aware that your Teg levels might get high because the Paxil will inhibit the enzymes that metabolize the Tegretol... so mention that and don't let them put you on a big dose to start of with. Hope you get to feeling better soon-- Mitch
Posted by slinky on December 28, 2004, at 15:43:47
In reply to Re: Lithium making me worse » Slinky, posted by Ritch on December 28, 2004, at 14:17:29
The last two times I was on lithium I noticed scale distortions (everything seemed tiny)OMG..I get the opposite- it sounds funny but my body felt like it was sinking and I was a dwarf , I'm ok in the house.
I want to get off paroxetine it does hardly anything - it helped me get off effexor and thats all really.If you switch to Tegretol though, be aware that your Teg levels might get high because the Paxil will inhibit the enzymes that metabolize the Tegretol... so mention that and don't let them put you on a big dose to start of with. Hope you get to feeling better soon-- Mitch
Thanks for the info..
Posted by slinky on December 28, 2004, at 15:57:04
In reply to Re: Lithium making me worse » Slinky, posted by amberlicious on December 27, 2004, at 19:52:27
Licious..
I haven't had a high for over a year :(
I've tried all SSRI'S I'm hoping I can try duloxetine because effexor had partial response
Posted by bamboomz on December 29, 2004, at 17:27:10
In reply to Re: Lithium making me worse » linkadge, posted by Slinky on December 26, 2004, at 10:34:22
Slinky,
What were you diagnosed with when you first started to take meds? Do you feel like they are helping you? I am having a hard time with the Celexa right now. I feel really depressed all the time. Either that, or I just feel no emotions at all. I am going to hang in there for another week and then I will talk to my doctor about it. The manic episode was way better than this...at least I had something to look forward to after feeling so low. I am going to try to take the Celexa at night. I have been so tired lately. Are you feeling any better yet? I hope so. Did you stop taking the lithium? What exactly is Lithium anyway? I don't know a lot about meds. This is a new realm for me.
Erin
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