Can you get something for your acne,like proactive etc?I never had any acne before I started lamictal so I use really good skin care, wash my face alot, use topical medcations.

Personally I wouldnt mess with my stability for it

Gee, that IS tough!!! Because, yeah. You ARE risking your stability!!

Have you discussed it with your Pdoc?
Perhaps there are other drugs which can be added to the Lithium that will help clear up your skin.
IF you want to start taking even more meds than you do right now.

I guess there's no way to know for sure ahead of time if switching to something else will work as well for you, mood-wise.
Have you ever been on anything besides the Lithium and, if so, how did it work?

I don't have the 'skin thing', but I do have the 'weight thing'.
So I understand some of what you're going through, trying to decide which matters the most, 'looks' or stability.

Stability almost always wins out, I think, but the best thing is if you can find something that works for you on BOTH fronts!!!!!

Good luck!!!!
I have a feeling that you're probably a little harder on yourself about your looks, but how you see yourself is how you see yourself!!!
Do your best to see what those other people who tell you you're attractive see!!!!
They're probably right!!!!

(((((Hugs)))))

Gee Carla, thanks. And people say they don't even see the acne when they talk to me and that my inner beauty radiates through and that I am still beautiful...... but I am a taurus and I am strong headed and I believe that I will try to go on a different mood stabilizer or else I'll never know. Although others may think I'm beautiful, I do not.

And for you both, I have been trying to find some kind of cure for the acne like proactiv and mario badesku and burts bees and dermatologist's recommendations. My dermatologist said she thinks the only way I wouldn't have acne is to go off the lithium. She says the lithium is over producing oil in my body and it appears as cysts. Oh yeah I have cystic acne so I have big welts everywhere. And they're painful. I can't live like this.

Yep this is a tough one alright, cu\ ya being stable IS the key, but low self esteem, can be a killer. Lithium did horrible things to my, my skin, my hair & the very noticeable shakes, i switched meds & im so much better now & more stable, so it is possible, just do it with your pdoc, i think it possible, just gotta be careful.

I wish you the best

HUGS

Thank you! I hope that happens for me!

I have cystic acne as well, and am on lithium (although I wouldn't have made the connection between the two). I also have eczema which has been flaring up a lot, and I think mine is due to the extremely high amount of stress in my life. Are you experiencing any really extreme stressors?

I never had acne either before meds and it really sucks and does do a number on your self esteem. I gotta go with stability though and jus deal with it best i can. I know it sucks.

Hey grenadine, sorry you are having acne problems. I too have that problem but mine is from chemo meds. I have painful acne on my back that I have to use special cream on. I also have a rash on my face that will not go away because I am on the meds continually. My advice to you would be to try a new med, there are a lot of meds out there. I was on Lithium and there were just so many side effects etc. that out weighed the good. Plus, the bloodwork involved was a pain no?? And actually I did find new meds that make me feel better than when I was on Lithium. Good luck to you!!