Lithium Club?

[ElizabethJane]

I have tried before to get some sensible replies from other forum members who are currently taking lithium carbonate? Last time my thread was hijacked so I'm trying again. I feel a bit between the devil and the deep blue sea as I was put on lithium about thirteen years ago. I was severely depressed and there were few alternatives at the time. When I have met with Dr J my psychiatrist he is very reluctant to lower the dose I'm on 1,000mg or to try anything else. My experience of lithium is all good. I have experienced no weight gain, I attend three monthly for my bloods usually levels are around 0.6ml so good too. Occasionally I have the shakes but usually that is because I haven't had enough fluids. Does anyone else take lithium for their depression or bi-polar illness. I would like to share experiences. I feel like the black sheep of the meds forum. If you tell anyone that you are on lithium they think that you have serious mental illness. Well I did and I have recovered or am in remission. Does anyone else experience this? Lithium was prescribed for my severe recurrent depressive disorder. Thanks all. EJ.

[ElizabethJane]

No-one then? I will have to think of something else. Have been on bi-polar sites but as I am not bi-polar no much use except there is plenty of information about the drug. I will have to think of something else. Not sure what though. If I ask to meet fellow sufferers then it can open up all possibilities positive and negative. EJ.

[Maj]

I hate to see no replies EJ, and don't know much about lithium myself, but I have a friend who has been on it for many years because she is bipolar. She takes it along with other meds. She's certainly not seriously mentally ill and although she has her up and down days she basically lives a perfectly normal life. I hope you get others to share their experiences with you. :flowers:x

[KK77]

I would try to keep the thread going EJ by perhaps writing more about your experiences etc and hopefully others that have taken it or are taking it can join in. Best of luck.

[jo61]

Sorry I only just spotted this EJ. As you know I've been on it for 4 years now. Have suffered weight gain but trying to address that by more exercise less wine! I am on 1,000 mg as well and that keeps my lithium level around the 0.9 mark. Maybe your doc doesn't want to reduce as 'maintenance' is in the range of 0.6-1.1. If you went below o.6 it may not work for you. I'm on it for the same reason as you - recurrent depression. Out of interest why do you want to reduce? I accept that I have to take it indefinitely to keep me well. I'm on two other meds as well, one of which I am reducing :), the idea being that eventually I will be on just Lithium and nothing else. Keep talking and if you want to chat we can find a way via MSN or Facebook or something. Jo x

[Geoff2301]

I suffer from regular recurring bouts of bad depression for the last 25 odd years....... I thought it was only intended for use with bipolar, which I apparently haven't got, so was told it was not suitable.

[ElizabethJane]

Sorry I only just spotted this EJ. As you know I've been on it for 4 years now. Have suffered weight gain but trying to address that by more exercise less wine! I am on 1,000 mg as well and that keeps my lithium level around the 0.9 mark. Maybe your doc doesn't want to reduce as 'maintenance' is in the range of 0.6-1.1. If you went below o.6 it may not work for you. I'm on it for the same reason as you - recurrent depression. Out of interest why do you want to reduce? I accept that I have to take it indefinitely to keep me well. I'm on two other meds as well, one of which I am reducing :), the idea being that eventually I will be on just Lithium and nothing else. Keep talking and if you want to chat we can find a way via MSN or Facebook or something. Jo x
Hi Jo I get tired of being on lithium and sometimes wish I could come off it. I have a short memory of periods of devasting depression suicidal ideas not looking after myself or eating. The period leading up to me being put on lithium was horrendous as I had a young baby and was facing hospitalisation. I had terrible paranoia and was hallucinating and not sleeping. I'm pleased that you are well enough to reduce one of your meds. I'll try to reduce my mirtazapine with Dr Js help in the New Year. Dr J is my psychiatrist and he is the best I've ever had and I've had a few! Geoff there are some of us on here who are on mood stabilisers as well as normal anti Ds and not bi-polar. I've often thought that I was bi-polar as I fit some of the criteria but not others. The lithium complements the mirtazapine and prevents me from going too low. I still get 'lows' but when this happens it is like someone changing gear in the car and I seem to go up a gear to supplement the low mood. Lithium helps me from becoming severely ill. During my early adult life I was hospitalised three times. I have only had one hospital admission since 1992. Lthium is not for the faint hearted as it requires tri-monthly blood tests and has a horrendous list of side effects including irreversible changes to the thyroid and kidneys. I always feel that if I can get my other meds down if I become ill again there is always somewhere for Dr J to go in terms of treatment. He is suggestible to other meds such as pregabalin and has talked at supplementing my meds with an anti psychotic such as risperidone. For now I don't need these. It is good to talk to you both. I sometimes feel a bit isolated on here as I am completely pro meds as they have saved my life. There aren't many of us on here that are taking mood stabilisers as it is a site primarily for anxiety and depression. Lithium is usually monitored by a psychiatrist but some GPs will prescribe this too. My dose is regulated by Dr J. EJ.

[ElizabethJane]

Lithium-ion battery, lithium battery cathode and anode materials as other materials (the most common graphite) and so on. These batteries are commonly found in portable devices such as mobile phones, digital cameras, due to its light weight, small size and long battery life.
The poster has completely missed the point. This is just plain ignorance.

[Geoff2301]

Hi Jo I get tired of being on lithium and sometimes wish I could come off it. I have a short memory of periods of devasting depression suicidal ideas not looking after myself or eating. The period leading up to me being put on lithium was horrendous as I had a young baby and was facing hospitalisation. I had terrible paranoia and was hallucinating and not sleeping. I'm pleased that you are well enough to reduce one of your meds. I'll try to reduce my mirtazapine with Dr Js help in the New Year. Dr J is my psychiatrist and he is the best I've ever had and I've had a few! Geoff there are some of us on here who are on mood stabilisers as well as normal anti Ds and not bi-polar. I've often thought that I was bi-polar as I fit some of the criteria but not others. The lithium complements the mirtazapine and prevents me from going too low. I still get 'lows' but when this happens it is like someone changing gear in the car and I seem to go up a gear to supplement the low mood. Lithium helps me from becoming severely ill. During my early adult life I was hospitalised three times. I have only had one hospital admission since 1992. Lthium is not for the faint hearted as it requires tri-monthly blood tests and has a horrendous list of side effects including irreversible changes to the thyroid and kidneys. I always feel that if I can get my other meds down if I become ill again there is always somewhere for Dr J to go in terms of treatment. He is suggestible to other meds such as pregabalin and has talked at supplementing my meds with an anti psychotic such as risperidone. For now I don't need these. It is good to talk to you both. I sometimes feel a bit isolated on here as I am completely pro meds as they have saved my life. There aren't many of us on here that are taking mood stabilisers as it is a site primarily for anxiety and depression. Lithium is usually monitored by a psychiatrist but some GPs will prescribe this too. My dose is regulated by Dr J. EJ.

I'm not absolutely convinced with meds myself ..... I used to think they were the answer..... but they're so unpredictable,unreliable, I'm just not sure....... and the doctors/shrinks seem just as uncertain one swearing by one type whilst another might refuse to touch it.... God knows!! Depression does seem to lift on its its own with time and patience...... whether the drugs help I'm not sure. Lithium certainly does seem a tried and tested mood stabilizer...... Spike Miligan was on that for some 15 years I believe and got him on an even keel. A friend of mine was on it for some 20+ years but, as you say, the longterm side effects finally became to much and she has had to come off it....... think she was having serious kidney problems.

[ElizabethJane]

Hi Geoff I'm sorry that you have suffered with depression for twenty five years plus. I'm coming to meds after having an awful lot of therapy including psychotherapy both in-patient and group. I have been a patient in two very famous in-patient therapeutic communities also had in-patient treatment, one to one and hypnosis and CBT. The hypnosis was absolutely brilliant and this would be the way foward if I were to become ill again. I see Dr J at the Priory and because my BUPA has run out privately arrgh. He is worth every penny I might add. There are things that we can do to 'self heal' I try to exercise swimming is good for me. I also 'do' a heck of a lot of music ie I sing in three choirs so I have 'bolt holes' where I can run if things get too much. I have some wonderful friends who I talk to. I tell my colleagues at work if I feel depressed. The music is usually best if I am able to perform ie sing or listening 'live'. I think that it releases good endorphins. If all my friends move away or die I'll be really scupped. It has taken me a long time to accept that I will become ill again. It is the readiness which is so important. Being ready for depression waiting for it to strike. EJ.

[Geoff2301]

Fortunately, Jane, not non-stop otherwise I'd have ended up in a straight jacket!! Yes, I use exercise as my main "therapy"....... used to do loads of cycle racing years ago and actually got quite good at doing long distance timetrials..... 12 hour races were my speciality where you go nonstop for 12 hours.... whoever does the most miles wins!!.... managed 257 miles best but that was 32 years ago..... still didn't win it though..... the winner did 268! The record now is just over 300 miles. Amazingly, never even stopped for a wee and I lost nearly a stone in weight!!....... all fluid though as I put the weight back on again over the next day.
Don't do anything like that amount of cycling now though keep it up for when I have a bit of a blip/bad patch........ once I got married and with kids, never found the time for the hours of training I needed............sorry..... gone off the subject of lithium here but nice to chat to you!!

[suzy-sue]

The poster has completely missed the point. This is just plain ignorance.


That post was SPAM EJ ..:lac: Good thread and informative btw ..t/c Sue x

[ElizabethJane]

Thanks Sue. Hopefully I (we) can clear up a few myths about lithium therapy. I'm not talking car batteries here. EJ.

[Chem]

I'm on 600mg Lithium and I'm not bi-polar. I suffer periods of deep, black depression. The lithium works well for me in stabilising my mood. I have gained weight and do have to watch that I drink enough water. They keep my level at about 0.6. Ive been on them 2 or 3 years and it seems that I will be for life. I don't mind if they are helping.

[ElizabethJane]

Hi Chem thanks for replying. It seems that different people need different amounts of lithium in order to get a 'therapeutic' reading. It can run too low or too high toxicity which is potentially dangerous. I was on 800mg for a long time and only recently been put up to 1,000mg. That is one of the reasons that we need frequent blood tests. I admire you Geoff in your cycling pursuits. It must have kept the depression at bay. I suppose that now you are older you need something to replace that high level of activity. There are lots of new treatments available now. I was taking two different anti ds at one time in a two pronged attack on the illness. Many times I have thought that if this or that happened I would never be depressed again as if I had some control over it. Now I just embrace the attacks and get myself down to see Dr J asap. I have written in previous posts that the consequences of collapsing and going to bed and doing nothing are too terrible to think of. I do not want to lose my job, husband, son. Serious depression would put all that in jepoardy. If you can keep going whether it is at work or at home then full credit to you. EJ.

[Geoff2301]

Think I need a Dr J but can only manage a free Dr Patel, with slightly dodgy english, on the NHS!!...... by the time I've managed to beg a 15 minute slot in a 6 month period, having waited several weeks for the privelege, I'm usually feeling a lot better anyway so they then discharge me back to my gp with a letter saying how well I am at the moment!! I then get re-refered back again when I have another bad spell and so it goes on!! Now I just hope the snow clears soon so I can resort back to the only therapy that seems to work.... riding my bike!!

Geoff

[ElizabethJane]

Could your GP prescribe different meds for you or go to see one of the other doctors in the practice. I have had good NHS psychiatrists one whilst I was an in-patient years ago called Dr Chad and many more in between. I'm sorry that the care that you have had is patchy. It seems that we have to be really very mentally ill before the health professionals stand up and listen to us. Dr J won't be around forever. He is young and originally trained in South Africa so might go back there. If you want to talk you can always PM me. EJ.

[jo61]

Hi Jo I get tired of being on lithium and sometimes wish I could come off it. I have a short memory of periods of devasting depression suicidal ideas not looking after myself or eating. The period leading up to me being put on lithium was horrendous as I had a young baby and was facing hospitalisation. I had terrible paranoia and was hallucinating and not sleeping. I'm pleased that you are well enough to reduce one of your meds. I'll try to reduce my mirtazapine with Dr Js help in the New Year. Dr J is my psychiatrist and he is the best I've ever had and I've had a few! Geoff there are some of us on here who are on mood stabilisers as well as normal anti Ds and not bi-polar. I've often thought that I was bi-polar as I fit some of the criteria but not others. The lithium complements the mirtazapine and prevents me from going too low. I still get 'lows' but when this happens it is like someone changing gear in the car and I seem to go up a gear to supplement the low mood. Lithium helps me from becoming severely ill. During my early adult life I was hospitalised three times. I have only had one hospital admission since 1992. Lthium is not for the faint hearted as it requires tri-monthly blood tests and has a horrendous list of side effects including irreversible changes to the thyroid and kidneys. I always feel that if I can get my other meds down if I become ill again there is always somewhere for Dr J to go in terms of treatment. He is suggestible to other meds such as pregabalin and has talked at supplementing my meds with an anti psychotic such as risperidone. For now I don't need these. It is good to talk to you both. I sometimes feel a bit isolated on here as I am completely pro meds as they have saved my life. There aren't many of us on here that are taking mood stabilisers as it is a site primarily for anxiety and depression. Lithium is usually monitored by a psychiatrist but soverme GPs will prescribe this too. My dose is regulated by Dr J. EJ.

It sounds as if you have a very good relationship with Dr J which is great. I too have a brilliant female psychiatrist who I see privately too. When I needed treatment urgently years ago I would have had to wait 4 months on NHS so have had to pay. I have seen 3 different psychs over 10 years and the lady I see now has made all the difference - also put me on to an excellent therapist (also private). It is mirtazapine I am reducing. I went from 45 to 30 in October and will probably go to 15 in January. :) Only thing that worries me is whether I will stop sleeping when I go off it :ohmy:

[ElizabethJane]

I think that is truly excellent Jo. I know that the stabalising element for me is the lithium and for you too. 15mg of mirtazapine is a maintenance dose which can be tweaked up as required. I still suffer from highs and lows within the lithium cycle so I think that Dr J would be reluctant for me to reduce. It was only a month ago when I heard the Chruch bells and decided that I wanted them at my funeral. I saw a different GP by mistake ( he is brilliant in his own right but did nothing for me and my problems) He thinks that I might suffer from SAD even though my depression is episodic and can occur at any time of the year.He also did not precribe enough of my drugs so they would not last over the New Year. Something good about the lithium though. I went to midnight communion on Christmas Eve and took my lithium at my normal time so I felt completely normal.If I had waited until the sevice had finished I would be shaky and weepy. I took the mirtazapine at 1am!as this has the potential to make me sleep. A much better result for me but anyone reading this I would reccommend taking your prescribed drugs at your usual time and never interfere with the dose especially lithium where the lithium levels in the blood are very important. I seem to be affected by changes in time of dose. Well done again Jo for reducing the mirt. You should still sleep well on 15mg but if you are not sleeping then I would go to the docs a.s.a.p. EJ.

[jo61]

Thanks EJ, I'm not so much worried about sleep when reducing mirt, as it is more sedating at lower doses, more when I go off it altogether - suppose I should cross that bridge when I come to it.
:winks: