Is it possible to have faulty medication?

[Wellingtons]

I've just picked up my latest prescription. I'm feeling a bit woozy like I do when I have withdrawal, and really stressed. Getting worked up over little things. I'm diagnosed Bipolar I. Could I ask for a blood test to check the lithium levels tomorrow do you think?

[not_so_insig]

Have you changed brand at all? Just that I used to get similar effects with a certain brand of sertraline. It got so bad that I came off sertraline at the end because the chemist kept on giving me it.

[tiptoes]

If it would ease your concerns it might be worth asking for your levels to be checked.

Is it a concern you often have? If so could it be your mind playing tricks on you? One of my worries is my medication being swapped for placebos and often find that the first couple of doses of a new box feel the same way as when I haven't taken my medication. I put it down to my anxieties overruling the medication.

[Ktulu]

I was always told that I need to take the same brand of lithium as there are differences between brands so my prescription always specifies the name brand. If you got a different brand I think getting a level done would be a good idea.

[Wellingtons]

Actually I do remember thinking the tablets looked different, but I've had the medications for over a week now I can't remember what the difference was, only that I noticed there was a difference. Although I'm pretty sure the lithium is the same as I've been taking the same brand for a long time (priadel).

Actually I've just realised that I can't remember the last time i took the sertraline, so that won't help. But I don't think the sertraline does anything anyway, it's the lithium and mirtazapine that seem to work for me.

[Wellingtons]

I'm just concerned there's been a problem in the factory and I've just been given pills made of powder and food colouring.

[random.swirls]

Sertraline gives me side effects so it may well be giving you withdrawal effects.

It's nigh on impossible that your pill would be made of powder and food colouring as the powder would come from the medication if that makes sense.

[sherlock holmes]

The place where they make the pills will only make your pills eg lithium. They wont also be making sugar pills so it cant be mixed up like that

[Wellingtons]

Ok, thanks. I'm feeling a bit mad. I'm busy all tomorrow and can't make it to the doctors, so I'll try for a blood test on Thursday if they can fit me in. Hopefully it is a bit low so I just need to adjust the dosage.

[consequential]

No matter who makes the drugs, even if they be generic, they have to be of the same chemical make up. Look at it like this : have you ever bought panadol? This is paracetamol but would you ever question that it doesn't work? No you wouldn't. MH problems cause you to be self aware of the meds you take and maybe some ideas are paranoid beliefs but we all have them. Your drugs are real and stop worrying.