I mean, yesterday I was in that dark pit. This morning I woke up 2 hours ago manic as hell, and I'm already feeling myself coming down and wanting to go lay down again. WTF?

When I was diagnosed bipolar at the beginning of the year I was on Lithium and Lamictal - the combination of the two drugs were tweaked a couple of times before my nurse and I decided that I was having a reaction to them. Maybe you just need an adjustment or maybe a different med

When did you start taking the lithium? What is you definition of manic? Please elaborate your signs and symptoms.

I don't understand how people can say exactly which side effects are due to what drug.I mean, when on a mixture of drugs.I'm just on Lithium on it's own.It often only needs to be used on it's own.Yes it is the most effective mood stabiliser ...on the whole

Sounds like your in rapid cycle mode.

Possibly a different mood stabilizer is in order?

We know there's no cure so all we can do is find "stable mode".

On the contrary. People react differently to psychiatric medications. Actually, most of the time it takes a combination of them to gain stability. There really is no one drug that works better than the other. Everyone is unique in their treatment.

I started taking Lithium in July - 600 mg. Then, I told my pdoc I was still having mood swings, and he increased to 900mg. That's when I started to have all these side effects. I took Paxil for 8 years, Welbutrin for 1 year, added the lithium in July after dx with BP. It could be due to the combination of several meds, for sure, I don't know. All I know is I'm still having mood swings and I am becoming one with my commode. I've lost 6 pounds in 3 weeks cuz food tastes awful and I am, well, as I said, spending lots of time in the potty. I just feel so frustrated. I'm worried that if the lithium doesn't work, that nothing else will. I've always been a rapid cycler, so that much is not new, but I was just hoping that I would be feeling more stable by now. Is it too soon to tell about the lithium?

im in the dark pit just now and its doing my head in x

Are you still taking paxil? Because that made me RAPID cycle like a mad woman!

Oh crap, yeah I still take Paxil. Geeze...I just had a thought. Okay, 3-4 weeks ago, I was having MAJOR anxiety issues, wanting to cute, etc., so pdoc increased paxil from 30 mg to 40 mg. One week later is when increased lithium from 600mg to 900mg. Geeze, geeze, I think you may be on to somethin'...it could be the paxil causing the mood swings that have seemingly worsened, and then the increased lithium causing the diahrea.

My doc took me off Paxil and my problem was solved - paxil sent me on some VERY severe manic episodes and anxiety problems. Once I got off it the other meds worked perfect! You might want to try that - I only take Wellbutrin for an antidepressant now, and topomax for the mood stabilizer along with 600mg of Lithium - something about the family of meds that paxil is in does not work well in a lot of bipolar patients. Good luck sweetie - I hope that's your answer.