Hi Bianca-
Lithium saved my life. Lifted my suicidal depression, keeps me from going manic, and while I still have anxiety on occasion, I don't take meds for it everyday anymore...

i'm eager to be rid of the suicidal thoughts, but at the same time i'm scared to feel anything else. i've felt all of this for so long ya know. so the lithium helped with your anxiety?

Lithium helped with my anxiety some, not as good as the xanax I was on at the time, but I could tell a difference. It can also be known to make you kind of zombified, but that might be dosage dependent, I don't know. I've read alot of good things about people's experiences on Lithium, I just switched off it because they wanted to do regular blood draws to check my levels, and I am a MAJOR needlephobe. As far as lithium made me feel, well, it didn't really do much to speak of, I wasn't manic, it didn't help the depression really but the suicidal urges weren't so strong, but when they upped my dose I noticed a few cognitive effects, like memory problems and general spacyness, but nothing horrible. I wouldn't be scared of it, it's a well-researched and used drug, and there's a lot newer atyipcal antipsychotics and anticonvulsants that carry alot more scary side effects. You'll be fine..best wishes!

Lithium was my first medication after diagnosis. It certainly helped at the time, but since I have had much better luck with newer meds. Ask your doctor about other options. But, if there are none take the lithium!

Lithium has been a godsend, I take it along with lamictal but I recently had to try taking focalin and concerta for adhd but I was becoming manic with constant anxiety so I quit and it was just like when I first started taking the lithium and I remembered what an incredible impact lithium has had in my life, ..it was the end of my years of trial and error with other meds that were destroying me. But yes, I was scared to take it at first as well.

My bf takes Lithium and he also takes like at least three ativans a day to cope with his anxiety/panic attacks. The lithium helps him a bit with feeling calmer, but the ativan is what really makes him feel "good" and keeps his head from spinning a mile a minute while in his manic peak

After a very long time with stron suicidal thoughts and being admitted to a icu unit and than inpatient unit they put me on Lithium and it has worked wonderfully for me. There has been some side effects but I am willing to handle them to stay where I am at now. I have not had the thoughts like I had, I have had them but very few in the past 6 months, I wish you luck with it it has worked great for me!

Really bored, not with your topic. Just want to make all the Last Posted to be me :)

I also started lithium today and I am wondering the same!

Lith has worked for me for 15 years. I've never had a problem with Lithium causing anxiety, and I have had panic attacks in the past (they are very scary I know). The Lith has leveled my moods and the only side effect for me has been slight lethargy.
Good luck with the panic attacks. Once you get the panic cycle broken you will feel much better. Just watch out for anti-dep's.

only main change that i had when i started and/or upped my dose of lithium was that i was really irritable... and of course dehydrated!

i take klonopin now, but that was from coming off of such a high dose of lithium, so panic-wise, i don't know what changes it'll make

but i imagine the ativan will take care of your panic either way, so dont worry too much. docs usually choose lithium for a reason, and i hope it all works out for you :)

WHy do I feel like the only one that doesn't feel any different on lithium. My dose is correct, im still pretty depressed, im more anxious than before them ( although this may be attributed to giving up alcohol 2 weeks ago ). I wish it was a godsend for me.

Lithium and it's Anti-Suicidal effects are well documented.
There was a report where the suicides were decreased by a SEVENFOLD amount in patients.For this, Lithium is unrivalled.

My own experiences too ..I'm thankful for Lithium.

" Clinicians should NOT assume that all mood-stabilizers protect equally against both depression and mania or against suicidal behavior. For example, suicidal behavior occurred in a small but significant number of bipolar or schizoaffective patients treated with carbamazepine, but not in those receiving lithium (the anticonvulsant treatment did not follow discontinuation from lithium, a major stressor leading to sharp increases in bipolar morbidity and suicidal behavior) "

I was highly manic when I was changed to Lithium, coming off Seroquel and still on Lexapro and Xanax. The first week it seemed to intensify my manic tendencies, I called and completed to doc and he decreased my Lexapro as he said that it could have that effect. I have to admit now this is the most stable I have felt in quite some time. At first I kept wondering what was wrong, then I realized I felt normal and that it had been so long that I didn't know what normal felt like. Now the boom, I am falling into depressive mode with some lingering manic (mixed) so I guess its time for a tweak and increase on the antidepressant.

Yeah, but for some, the levels needed to be therapeutic are quite zombifying..ok, no suicide, but very dulled out. Quality of life is also a concern. I like vibrancy...my 5 or so years on lithium as a young 'un were constant tremors etc Don't miss it. Know it's a mental wonderbra for some. But it's NOT the only viable option.