I am compelled to write about my experience. Lithium helped at a higher dose for the first three years. THen it took a mood stabilizer, Depakote to bring down my manias. Eventually my doc brought my lithium level down to the lowest effective dose for me. I still take both medicines and she tells me that the Lithium is helping more with my depressions at the level that I'm on. It is a careful balancing act. I've taken Lithium 13 years and never had a thyroid problem, however at the higher doses I was toxic many times, vomited, shook, slept throughout the day even. I think that everyone has to stay completely willing and open minded to try whatevever your doctor suggests. I stay that way. My doc listens very well, but I am extremely compliant. The answer does not lie in a magic pill. It is a complex set of choices including therapy, sleep, and eating well.

Lithium helped me tremendously (sp?). I had practically all the side effects though, so that was no fun. But it really did help. I recently quit taking it though because I developed low thyroid from it. O.o

It gave me a constant pain in my stomach and yet I felt like I was always starving. All I did was eat! I also was dizzy all the time.

I have been on lithium for twenty something years and it has worked very well and I have experienced no side effects whatsoever.

lithium saved my life... I have taken it for 2 years now and am currently at 1200mg once a day at night.. I am sure to check my levels regularly, drink lots of water, eat healtier, I take it with lamictal and I have been doing better over the last couple years than I have in my entire life. I have been very lucky not to have to deal with side affects

Tried it yrs ago, when I was first diagnosed. Hated the bloating, & physical imbalance...if I bent over sometimes I would fall. Plus, it made my psoriasis
75x worse.

I just started the lithium a month ago. I started at 900mg and now upto 1125. I dont know if its working. My moods are still running rampant. I hate having the bloodwork taken every other week. Im weaning off Lamictal now and the doc said today that the Lithium will be of more help. I have the muscle weakness, lots of dizziness, and stomach aches. He seems to think it will work so Im trying to let it. The thyroid thing scares me...I dont need to gain anymore weight than i already have.

since taking lithium it has helped my mania but i have put on 3 stone in weight its a nightmare its getting me really down.....................any advice would be appreciated

I took lithium in 2005. It worked then, but I was still in denial of my BP. I went off my meds and had another manic episode. I am now back on Lithium and it has kept me in the real world.

Side effects, well, it is either the Lithium or my Seroquel; but, I have a dry mouth and food just doesn't taste the same.

My son has been taking Litium since he was 8 years old -- he's 20 now. It has been THE base of all his med changes and adjustments over the years. "whatever you do, don't touch the lithium". For him, he functions best when his blood levels run at 1.0 - 1.2. Kind of up at the top range but, that's what works.

For me, I became a zombie on lithium -- no go for me.

I take 1800 mg of Lithium daily. It has turned me into a pussy cat.

these are wonderful ideas. if you're depressed, lonely, or missing someone who has passed on. I will print this and put this where my own daughter can find it when I die. We all are going to die. But not without life hereafter. It's hard to seperate for this time but we will meet again.
Thanks for a lovely post.
Anne

Good stuff!

Talking about pain and it being psychological can be dangerous. Some people may making worse through emotion, but some people really do have a lot of pain. Are meds the best thing? Not always, but what is a patient to do when all the Doctors will do is provide medication vs more comprehensive processes.

It is like being told that Chrones or UC is all in your head. Though it can be seen on a colonoscopy vs just looking at the outside of a person.

I don't think this article is implying some people aren't in real pain. I think what it's saying is treating pain the right way based on these psychological factors for some patients may be a more affective way to treat and manage a patient's pain. I also don't think this article is saying anything way out there. I mean to me some of this is just logical conclusions.