Isabel
13-04-11, 06:14
Googling to see if my book had been picked up by the Search Engine, I came across this site and a message posted stating that the effects on the kidneys, liver and thyroid are irreversible. This is not accurate and I speak from experience here. (Posting this here as I don't know how to locate the post I saw in the Googled results)
I was thankfully on lithium for 14 years and had accepted the effect on my thyroid - though no doctor could differentiate between the effect of lithium and Hashimotos. When my kidney function tests (creatinine clearance) headed further out (though there is no standard for my age group) I decided I would prefer not to be the sanest person in the dialysis unit.
Did some research which indicated the effect of lithium could be seen to be reversed after some weeks. Had a debate with my doctor who declared that the results of my blood test were down to age. That was right up my nose! We agreed to give coming off lithium a trial for 6 weeks. At the end of that time, the results were headed back in the right direction.
During that time the doctor had also been doing some research and informed that "at my age" it would be unlikely that I would again experience the manic side of BP. As I had learned to cope with suicidal depression and was only taking lithium to avoid the devastation of another manic episode AND recognising that "at my age" I find it difficult to stay awake long enough to wind up to any form of mania.
About a year of so later, I found I kept forgetting to take my thyroxine and, under the guidance of the doctor, came off that and since then my thyroid levels are normal - that is normal not just "for my age" - which at this moment is 71 years.
I have documented the early experiences in a book "Life Before Lithium" which is now published as an ebook on Smashwords.com
I was thankfully on lithium for 14 years and had accepted the effect on my thyroid - though no doctor could differentiate between the effect of lithium and Hashimotos. When my kidney function tests (creatinine clearance) headed further out (though there is no standard for my age group) I decided I would prefer not to be the sanest person in the dialysis unit.
Did some research which indicated the effect of lithium could be seen to be reversed after some weeks. Had a debate with my doctor who declared that the results of my blood test were down to age. That was right up my nose! We agreed to give coming off lithium a trial for 6 weeks. At the end of that time, the results were headed back in the right direction.
During that time the doctor had also been doing some research and informed that "at my age" it would be unlikely that I would again experience the manic side of BP. As I had learned to cope with suicidal depression and was only taking lithium to avoid the devastation of another manic episode AND recognising that "at my age" I find it difficult to stay awake long enough to wind up to any form of mania.
About a year of so later, I found I kept forgetting to take my thyroxine and, under the guidance of the doctor, came off that and since then my thyroid levels are normal - that is normal not just "for my age" - which at this moment is 71 years.
I have documented the early experiences in a book "Life Before Lithium" which is now published as an ebook on Smashwords.com