Since I was young I've tasted sorrow on my tounge.
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Within myself
I am currently:
I took it about 15 years ago, but only for a short time. It's said lithium is one of the best drugs for what ails us. I would have liked to give it a longer try, but it made my thyroid go funny and I gained 40 pounds in about three months. That was one of those freaky side effects that happens to about one in a thousand or something like that.
Hope you find it helpful. Someone else can probably tell you more.
Know that If I knew all the answers I would not hold them from you.... -Jack Johnson-
No Other Way
Kaffy! What makes you do that? Every @^#$% thing and Nothing at all.
I was on lithium for about a year...and for those that really, REALLY need a mood stabilizer for something like bipolar disorder, it is great..but there are some do's and dont's with it.
for instance; you must consume the same amount of salt that you normally did when you started taking it. Lithium messes with your salt levels, and if they get screwed up, you can get REALLY, sick. Also, extreme amounts of exercise are generally looked down upon for the same reason...you sweat out the salt, your lithium level goes whacky. Make sure they are checking your levels often, cuz if they aren't at the right level, then it doesn't work.
for most people on lithium, in the summertime, they get bad acne...but I guess that is what makeup is for. Also, if you are on lithium * I think * it is one of those drugs where you can't eat citrus...grapefruit especially, but that could just be wellbutrin. so if you love grapefruit (like I do) double check on that one.
Once you start taking it, you CANNOT just quit it cold turkey, you'll end up sicker than you've ever been in your entire life. I'm sure there is a do's and dont's list for this stuff posted somewhere online...this is just stuff I remember from when I was on it.
In some ways, yes it did help. For me, it was hard to control my levels, because of my eating habits, or lack there of, and I am a martial artist so excessive exercise happens alot of the time, and being on lithium and sweating alot are not a cohesive match. I also have a very poor self-image, and the acne that was associated with it (doesn't happen to everyone) wasn't good.
I took it about four years ago. It didn't seem to help me that much, but that doesn't mean it wont work well for you.
Sometimes, you have to try more than once.
Alice came to a fork in the road
"Which road do I take?" she asked.
"Where do you want to go?" responded the Cheshire cat.
"I don't know," Alice answered.
"Then," said the cat, "It doesn't matter."
I am on lithium for the second time. I was really scared when I went on it for the first time. It can take ages to work I was told by a psych. The trouble is if you want to come off it - dont just stop it as I did. I ended up in all sorts of trouble and I have never been in trouble before in my life. It really f****d my head up when I came off it and I was in a far worse state so much so that I have gone back on it. It is supposed to be the only anti suicidal drug out there. I havn't put on weight or had problems with acne. You are supposed to have regular blood tests to make sure the level is right. Hope this helps x
Yes, it can do as I didnt realise that when I went on it. I ended up in a psych hospital in the summer and thought the lithium wasnt working after a really serious suicide attempt ( wont say what as I think its prob against the rules but also it would probably identify me !) but it did eventually help after a few months of being on it. It was the psych in the hospital that told me that it can take months to work. So you have to keep taking it regulary and give it some time......
