Posted by BarbaraCat on January 19, 2003, at 16:45:04
In reply to Re: Lithium - need info on how it works » BarbaraCat, posted by Jumpy on January 19, 2003, at 14:46:24
Mitch,
The timing of your post was uncanny. In a state of desperation, I gave in and took 300mg of lithium a few hours ago. Within 2 hours I felt about 80% better. Ping-ponging describes it perfectly. Can't get anything done in that state and then paralyzing agitated depression sets in. I want to do my homework before starting on a new med - something that works as well as lithium without further clobbering my thyroid. My pdoc is not an expert on such matters.Jumpy,
I've read conflicting accounts about the lithium/inositol metabolism theory. Some studies seem to be favor of taking the myo-inositol form for helping with bipolar via improved second messenger communication. I'm throroughly confused. I was taking myo-inositol powder at about 8-12 grams per day a while back and it seemed to help in general, but not this time. After being off lithium for about a week and ramping up with myo-inositol, all I got was mongo diarrea.I've been hypothyroid for almost 20 years and it's been controlled just fine using various forms of T3/T4 until just recently. I've been on lithium 11 months and until 3 months ago TSH has been between 1 and 2.0. Then levels started rising pretty rapidly - up from 2 to 15 in just 8 weeks and even with increased thyroid med I'm feeling very hypo. No tenderness, no goiter or swelling, just freezing, tired and depressed, along with mixed states agitation from quitting lithium. I haven't even been on that high a dose of lithium, just 600mg per day, but it's the only suspect thus far and I'm really concerned that it's further damaging my thyroid function. - Barbara
> Of course, no one truly knows how lithium works .... heck, no one knows the cause of mood disorders period. But many years ago, doctors used to talk about lithium affecting the "second messanger" system (the chemical cascade that occurs just after the neurotransmitter binds to the receptor in the the cell membrane and cytoplasm). Lithium blocks inositol triphosphate from being "dephosphoralated" to inositol biphosphate (if I remember correctly). Some how this is suppose to slow neural activity and calm mania.
>
> It definately slows the thyroid gland down ... and its production of thyroid hormone become subtherapeutic for some patients.
>
> Hope your feeling better soon.
>
> Jumpy
>
> PS Sorry to hear that thyroid hormones haven't worked for you. Frankly, I have never heard of this happening before. When a patient becomes hypothyroid from lithium, thyroid medications I though always corrected the problem. Well, I guess there are exceptions to every rule.
poster:BarbaraCat
thread:136544
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030119/msgs/136592.html