SerpenteyesMy dose is 300mg in the morning and 300mg at night... and then after 5 days I am to go to 300mg in the morning to 600mg at night. How much water a day should I drink? I read that was important. Thanks for answering.
I just started taking Lithium this morning. What can I expect within the next few hours and days?
- Posted:
- 30 Jan 2012 by Serpenteyes
- Topics:
- mania, bipolar disorder, lithium
Details:
Responses (4)
Weinrott30 Jan 2012
Lithium is a metal that has a tendency to deplete sodium levels. Along with drinking a lot of water, you will be drowsy and don't spare the salt on meals. Low sodium, or hyponatremia, is very serious and can cause a heart attack. It also may mess with your thyroid. Your doctor should do routine blood work to make sure your electrolytes and thyroid levels stay within stable levels. Some people have no problems. Hope all goes well... All the best to you. ~ Weinrott
smileyhappy30 Jan 2012
Hi there,
I have been on Lithium for 5 years now. My dosage have been changed over time. You will feel your moods get stable. Really helps if you used to have pms. Ha! Ha!
Your levels of lithium and thyroid should be checked. I became hypothyroid after a year. I take Synthroid now for life.
Hope this helps you!
Serpenteyes
30 Jan 2012
Thanks for your comment, Smileyhappy. I can't believe that with just 1 pill I feel the way I do right now... I feel drowsy and it is hard to type even so I hope that it goes away, but I also feel relaxed. I have to go get my blood checked in 2 weeks so the doctor can check my levels. If you don't mind me asking, what is hypothyroid and what is the effects? How long after you started taking Lithium did you get it? I hope that everything goes well for you too.
smileyhappy
30 Jan 2012
Hi there,
I just remembered when I started on Lithium I got the shakes really bad. I couldn't write at all. That lasted a long time. I had to hold my coffee cup with two hands. Make sure you drink a lot of water because you can get dehydrated on Lithium. Hypothyroid is when your levels of thyroid go too low. Some of the side affects are cold intolerance, muscle pain in legs, dry eyes, brittle nails, depression to name a few. You need to take a blood test to see if you are hypothyroid. It took me a year before it happen to me. Some people never have this happen.
Take care and keep me posted ok.
You can private message me if you want. We just have to become friends first. I'll ask you to be my friend now if you want.
myLaika1 Feb 2012
The 1st time i took Lithium was decades ago. However i still have some memory of that time. As i recall there were some immediate effects including feeling much better. Then over time other changes surfaced-nothing too unpleasant. Lithium does have the effect of exaggerating de-hydration. My doctor advised me to increase my intake of salt as well as plenty of fluid to off-set this side effect. (Of course first check with your own doctor about salt intake).
Serpenteyes
1 Feb 2012
I have been feeling somewhat better mentally, yet at times feel very tired and then I go and lay down and then sleep for hours and when I wake it is like I can't get up... I feel like all I can do is lay there... but this seems to be getting better. I haven't noticed too much dehydration and have been drinking more water than usual... how many cups a day did you feel was necessary to drink?
Serpenteyes
1 Feb 2012
100 pounds? Now I am a bit scared. I am a bit overweight already so I definitely don't need the weight gain. Is there anything that can be done to counteract this?
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Thanks Weinrott. I am drinking lots of water now and my doctor is planning on checking my blood in two weeks time. I am finding that I am very drowsy right now and hope that it doesn't stay like this.