Posted by Janice on July 30, 2000, at 19:26:18
In reply to Re: Lithium Augmentation?, posted by Thomas W on July 30, 2000, at 12:53:12
hi Greg, (Thomas and Tina)
Greg, sounds like your pdoc suspects you may be bipolar. I am still surprised he is changing so many of your meds so quickly. I hope you are adjusting well.
Lithium is my wonderdrug! I felt it begin to work on day 2 (BipolarI rapid cycling) with pretty much immediate decrease in rapid cycling - both the highs and lows. It took a bit of topamax to finish the job though. My only side effects initially were nausea which I treated with gingerroot and taking the lithium in the middle of big meal. Now I no longer have problems with nausea - no gingerroot, no meal. I went to the washroom more often than usual, a bit more thirsty - nothing I couldn't handle. The only side effect that stuck around is an unusual but really annoying one of acne. Ughhh, I'm 34 with acne, never had it before the lithium. I take anti-biotics or else get shots for them.
The worst thing about lithium for me is having to get my blood tested every month (bit paranoid about needles), but even that isn't that bad. The therapeutic dosage of lithium is quite close to the toxicity level (maybe this is where the horror stories start from). I hope someone who knows more about this will come along to explain this for you.
I hope it is as good to you as it has been to me, Janice :~)
Good luck you guys. As well as stabilizing you, it can lessen lows too!
poster:Janice
thread:41749
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20000729/msgs/41786.html