Just started lithium have some questions.

[Hassmaschine]

I've been through Depakote, Geodon, Zyprexa, and Lamactial so far. None of them worked very well with the exception of Zyprexa which worked great but reduced my cognitive abilities to much. My doc started me on lithium and so far(6 days later as of now) I have absolutely no side effects on 600mg. I think I'm a little bit elated too, but that could just be me. I'm wondering if lithium usually works well on people who don't respond well to other meds(my doctor also tells me it's very unusual that I have no side effects on it)?

He also is thinking about putting me on welbutrin with lithium. I was wondering what antiedepressant and mood stabalizer combinations people here have had the best luck with. I hear welbutrin increase anger response greatly...which is not something I want. Thanks for your help

BTW I'm BP II and I at times get rapid cycling and extreme mixed states.

[sun_zoom_spark]

Hey Hass-

I was put on lithium after Lamictal and several other drugs failed to squash my mania. I am currently on 900 mgs. which puts my serum level at 0.7 which is in the therepeutic range. I have 'bumps' every now and then but nothing outrageous. I am currently on Seroquel to augment the lithium but I'm having to cut back on it because it's just too sedating. It works well though, only thing I can't sleep 11 hours a day. I have to work.

[sepia]

Hi, Hassmaschine! I was put on lithium first thing, within a month of diagnosis, so I really can't speak to its effectiveness compared with other drugs. My side effects were very mild towards the beginning. I felt a little scattier than usual, and (freakishly) really tired about an hour after taking my lithium. Any sedation (and there isn't supposed to be sedation, is there?) went away within a couple of days of dosage changes.

I presently take 900mg (immediate release caplet form) of lithium nightly, which keeps my blood serum level at a steady 0.9. It worked to level out my mood swings (so much less depressed, SO much less manic), but I was still having trouble sleeping and had periodic hypomanic anxiety spikes, so Seroquel was added. I take 25mg of that at night, with another 25mg as needed. I haven't had any notable recurrences of hypomania since.

The only real side effect I've had from lithium has been hand tremors. I think they started after I'd been on lithium for a month or so, got really bad for about a month, and then suddenly relented. They are still noticeable when I'm doing fine motor work (like trying to screw and unscrew tiny things on bikes -- I drop tools), but by and large, they're fine. I can deal with shaky hands if I get my brain back in the bargain.

[Squirlygrl]

Hey there,

I'm on lithium and 100 mg of Wellbutrin (and Lamictal and a tiny bit of Seroquel).  Lithium's the best of these.  I get no side effects at 600, minimal ones at 750 and up.  Wellbutrin makes me manic at high doses, or without enough mood stabilizer.  The lithium tends to kill any anxiety or hostility, but if the dose is too low, I get speedy.

If it gets to the point where I just can't restrain the Wellbutrin, we'll try an SSRI (or maybe even Symbyax, garrr.)  I too am BP2, sometimes mixed, and either cycling like hell or temporarily really, really screwed up from med changes, depending on how you want to sping it.  And I also really did well on Zyprexa, apart from the OMG-I'm-so-flat-and-hungry-get-me-off-it routine that started on day three.

I'm a huge lithium fan.  While the stabilization takes a while to kick in, the anti-agression effect (toward self or others) is almost immediate for me, as in, starts within the hour.  I would cry if I had to give it up.

[blackmilk]

Lithium works. No two ways about it. Only question is how bad the side effects are for you and if you can handle it.

Unless you're hopelessly out of control, don't go on two drugs at once. It'll be harder to separate out which effects are coming from which medication. Get one up and running then add the other. Occam's Razor. You know.

Good luck,

  -K

[sun_zoom_spark]

Lithium works. No two ways about it. Only question is how bad the side effects are for you and if you can handle it.

I agree 100% but I also question a pdoc that shorts a person when it comes to 'quality of life' vs. hitting some magic serum level. I often wonder if lithium would work for more people if pdocs would be a little more 'dose conservative' instead of writing scripts for very high doses.

I also think that some pdocs veer away from lithium because it is high maintenance drug.

[sepia]

Howdy!  I felt like an idiot starting a whole new thread, so instead I'm bumping this one.  My question is: what to DO about these tremors?  They decided to come back with a vengeance a couple days ago.  I realize this is a teeny-tiny minor side effect, but I'm finding it difficult to eat efficiently with a fork, my keys rattle several seconds before scraping into the lock, my handwriting is off and my bike take-offs are shaky.  I'm dropping tools.  It's noticeable.  Is there ANYthing I can do about this?  Does anyone have ideas regarding what might have brought them back to begin with?  The only difference I can think of is that I've been drinking more water than usual because my lips were dry.

[seven]

Howdy!

[Guest Guest_nottimlm_*]

On those tremors--first, make sure that your lithium blood level isn't too high.  "Too high" is a relative thing, of course, but if you can get away with a lower level, that can help with the tremors.  Second, no caffeine.  Third, well, I don't really have a third, but it's just more aesthetic to have three points instead of two.

[sun_zoom_spark]

Howdy!

[saltiest]

I am on lithium SR right now, 600mg. Started at 300mg, moved to this dose after my last lab result, and if need be will increase over the next coule months. I am grateful all mine drs have done it slowly.

I get tremors the first week I start lithium, and then the first couple days after I increase.  I have yet to find something specific to counteract the tremors, but for me they don't last too long, so I kinda sorta just ingore them for the most part. Yeah, I know, easier said than done.  I do know my caffeine intake seems to make them worse, though stopping all caffeine does not rid me of them.

[GroovyGwen]

I loved lithium, I was pretty stable on my effexor 225, neurontin 600 and lithium...  I had problems with getting dizzy every time I stood up and finally went to the doc and my heartrate was 45 (really low).  Soooo off those drugs for me and I haven't been stable since!!  (3 years now).  Sucks for me.  Enjoy Lithium if you can!

[JUST CRUSH]

Hi guys i am on 900 morning and 9oo in the evening with the lithium. 25mg of seraqual and 54 mg of concerta.

I am getting mild tremmers but my mood swings are 100 times better and i sleep!

Anyway

thanks

I loved lithium, I was pretty stable on my effexor 225, neurontin 600 and lithium...

[Guest Butcher]

I think I'm a little bit elated too, but that could just be me. I'm wondering if lithium usually works well on people who don't respond well to other meds(my doctor also tells me it's very unusual that I have no side effects on it)?

He also is thinking about putting me on welbutrin with lithium. I was wondering what antiedepressant and mood stabalizer combinations people here have had the best luck with. I hear welbutrin increase anger response greatly...which is not something I want. Thanks for your help

BTW I'm BP II and I at times get rapid cycling and extreme mixed states.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I have also recently started lithium..first time and first two days were great?? elated, yes. Side effect, no. Not from the lithium at all? I thought that was a good thing though. the reason I am answering is because you mentioned not wanting increased anger.

My mania is very mixed up... suicide and homicidal thinking with crying desperately and shaking. Sometimes it's called a severe depression because I am crying but it is noe. That is mania. Anti depressants are exactly what they sound like, anti-depression which is.... mania. If any of this sounds like you please beware of any antidepressant. I have been on many including risperadol, but even drugs like ativan, clonazapam, oxazipam, valium ect and each and every one of them makes me extremely violent. Why? No idea... anti-convulsants have proven to at least sedate and calm without agression.

Seroquel and lithium are my program now... I have been working on this for three years now and although I can not say what does work, Im getting closer by narrowing it down. Good luck in your journey and just because something doesn't give you side effects does not necessarily mean that it's not working...perhaps it means it's working best for us:)

[saltiest]

I wanted to add that I was recently upped to my 900mg at night and I am feeling the best I've felt in...years.  Hard to believe I survived the past few years without my lithium.  The best part...no tremors with this increase, and only a tad bit of dry mouth when I'm slacking in the water department.  A smoothe transition so far.  Would take a LOT for me to give up my lithium, and according to my doc he says this isn't the typical reaction but hey, let's not fight it. I was afraid of the side affects the first time, didn't really have them, and this time around I was worried, but I think I'm finally over that and just basking in the glory that I have a medicine that works.