Lithium for Bipolar Disorder User Reviews (Page 5)

• Austg...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• November 29, 2014

"I've was dubious about lithium and didn't want it. Time came that it was a choice left. At first I had nausea, and thirst. My doctor out me on a XR brand and it was better. I can honestly say today, I don't know if it's working or not. It is such a medicine that just does what it needs to do. But a warning is- watch your salts either on your plate or in the sun. I was told by the chemist and then I became aware when one day, I was out in the heat and walking around. I felt faint after a while. Next day I felt washed out. And this has happened a few times. Lithium is based on salts and this can play a little chaos. Especially in the heat."

• Wife...
• January 13, 2010

"My husband just started taking Lithium last week and we both have seen a HUGE difference. Yesterday he told me he feels 'fine' and not like he doesn't want to be on this earth any longer. He's been on multiple antidepressants over the years...none of which have worked. His new psychiatrist seems to have found the right drug. I hope he continues to improve. We both thought Lithium was for people with very serious disorders, which we didn't consider him part of that group. No matter...if it works it works! Take care."

• rusty...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 13, 2021

"I’ve been on Lithium 600mg since May and it’s helped me tremendously. I no longer feel impulsive to do things like spend money (credit card). I truly believe had I found this medication sooner I wouldn’t have gotten myself in some financial trouble. I’ll just have to deal with it. But more about this great drug, I’m able to go to work each day which wasn’t possible before. I would find any little excuse to lay out of work. Well not on Lithium. It keeps my mood on an even keel. And I’m able to stay at work too. I know that may sound simple to do but before lithium it was a major problem for me."

• Maure...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• February 14, 2018

"I've been on lithium again now for few years. I was able to wean off of it a long time ago under doctors supervision. I do experience slight tremors in my fingers but I honestly can say hand on heart its brilliant at keeping the manic episodes at bay. Now for the depression episodes my psychiatrist added Sertraline 150mg and 100mg Lamictal which the three make a super combo one for mania, two for depression. I have been episode free now for several years. I cannot say anything bad about Lithium it has been a life saver for me. And of course thanks be to God for His help."

• Cjhall
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 30, 2014

"I have been on Lithium for several months now for Bipolar I. Wow! It helps. Drawback: you will feel sick if you dont drink enough water. Also I gained 30 pounds in about 4 months. I felt ravishingly hungry all the time. That part is not fun, however I can function properly. What lithium doesnt cover the therapy does. I might have a chance at normalcy."

• Do...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 8, 2021

"Lithium made my hair fall out and made me so depressed, more than before. The depression started to lighten after a month, but I still felt agitated and down. I was puffy and gained weight, too. I am so mad I took this drug. It also apparently destroys the kidney and the thyroid, so hypothyroidism is a very real result kind of expected in time. Depakote is the same. Do not take this drug."

• Anonymous
• December 14, 2009

"A few weeks ago decided to go off lithium because I felt "fine".....bad decision. I went right into a severe manic state. Paranoid, delusional, severe anger. Back on lithium and all is well again. Only side effects for me are extreme thirst/dry mouth and sore joints. I take 450 mg ER twice a day. Lithium allows me to go to work every day, pay my bills and enjoy life in general. Highly recommend."

• Mckenna
• April 6, 2015

"I've been taking Lithium for two years now for my bipolar- depression. It's good for stability but I don't feel like myself. I never cry, never smile, and I'm not as outgoing as I was. I feel like a machine. I can't drink. I always have to be tied down to my pill bottle. Next year I'm going to college, I feel so much older with this responsibility. Now I'm questioning if my stability is worth my freedom."

• Beepoo
• September 29, 2011

"I am 26 years of age now but my mental illness of depression and panic attacks started when I was 15. I was then put on 20 mg Celexa and Klonopin 1 mg. As I got older it was like I could never control my emotions, I was up and down all the time emotionally and could never concentrate on college. So they put me on Adderal 15mg to help my concentration issue...so that was solved. I still was riding the emotion roller coaster though. My doctor recommended a mood stabilizer, Depakote...didn't work for me at all. I dealt with it for a while, but there was no in-between. I eventually had mental breakdown and within the next few months my counselor was talking to me about lithium. I was terrified of it but tried and I am the most stable I have ever been."

• Bearcat
• Taken for 10 years or more
• October 10, 2013

"I have taken lithium since I was diagnosed with bipolar 1 in 1993. I stopped taking it for 10 years and then started taking it again and it's been 6 years back on it. I wouldn't substitute this medication. It works very well. The correct dosage is what matters most. The therapeutic window is 0.6 to 1.2 just because the level is slightly lower isn't always bad. It's alright to manage some of the symptoms but when it gets above 1.2 toxicity becomes an issue. It has to be maintained properly. My only drawback is occasional hand tremors and in high doses it tends to dull personality."

• Hgc
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 19, 2017

"I've been on 150mg of lithium for 3 days, after 5 days I'll be on 300mg and then gradually go up. I've suffered from bi polar & depression for over 10 years, I've been on 15 different antidepressants, antipsychotics and mood stabilizers. Nothing seemed to even stabilize me. The past few months I've gotten so bad to where I've thought about suicide constantly. I was so depressed, easily irritated and cried over the littlest thing. Lithium has so far, saved me. I feel the best I've felt in a LONG time! I have no side effect as of yet. My mind is completely cleared of any negative thoughts. Although it's only been 3 days I'm hopeful things will keep getting better from here. I'm so glad I tried lithium!!"

• Khizzle
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 5, 2015

"I have been taking lithium (300mg) for about 2-3 weeks now and it has taken away my mania and leveled me out. I can see that is is working and helping me with my insomnia as well. A few down sides: it makes me nauseous when taken without food and enough water and my sex drive is non-existent now. Kind of frustrating. I am also taking Lamictal (200mg) and have been for about a year so I know it's not the Lamictal that is causing these side effects."

• Step
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 6, 2016

"I started to take this medication when my Primary care physician got uncomfortable with my extensive use of Benzos for my extreme social anxiety so I was sent to a specialist who started me on lithium. The results are mixed for me. On one hand, every time I would take a dose I would get sick to my stomach, I have no desire to eat and my hand trembling is noticeable. However, I can now leave my house, go into stores, not depressed and much less dependant on the Benzos, but I still get panic attacks. Overall the pros have outweighed the cons."

• Anonymous
• May 11, 2010

"I have suffered from depression for approximately 22 years, I generally medicated with alcohol and anti depressants. I stopped drinking over 2 years ago and my depression appeared to worsen however I was also noticing periods of wonderful happiness (which was unusual, but enjoyable!) which I could never remember experiencing before. I was diagnosed with bipolar in January this year, after coming off a 6 month high and plummeting into severe depression. I have been taking 1500mg of lithium and 375mg of Effexor for the past couple of months. I have leveled out emotionally, however am very flat, no enthusiasm or joy just really existing. I feel the lithium has brought me out of the living hell I was in but am still a long way from wellness."

• Alt...
• September 17, 2018

"I was placed on lithium Sep/17 during a powerful manic episode. I had zero insight into my bizarre behavior. Unfortunately the Lithium was not enough to bring me down alone. With valproate and olanzapine I was mostly over the mania by early November. I did have nausea, extreme thirst, coarse tremors, and an overall ill feeling for the first few months so I completely understand the temptation to quit. On the bright side, since the cycle ended I think the lithium has made me much calmer and more stable. I have not had a single day where I exhibited hypomanic behavior, which is a huge improvement over the prior decade. Other than thirst and fine hand tremor the side effects are gone. I never would have thought nine months ago that 2018 would turn out to be one of the best, most stable years of my life."

• bippy...
• October 12, 2015

"I have had depression forever and after failed SSRIs mania started to occur. Luckily I was already seeing a psychiatrist he tried me on Seroquel which made me way too sleepy and then Lithium which stopped both mania and depression. Although it doesn't cure bipolar so I still have manic and depressive episodes during stressful times but they are much more minor now I'm on Lithium. Only side effects are tremors for me but they are fairly minor."

• Bipolar...
• March 26, 2017

"I had previously been put on every kind of antidepressant for depresion/anxiety. They all worked horribly; so I stopped all drugs and ceased seeing doctors. Then, I felt insanely suicidal- I was absolutely crazed. Luckily my sister urged me to seek help as fast as I could- so I did. I went to see another psychiatrist, and he diagnosed me as bipolar. I started on Lamictal, but that didn't do anything for me. Then I switched to Lithium- THANK GOODNESS I still get depressed, but I never get sucked into a deep suicidal hole like before. I quit the drug for 1 month, which caused me to think about suicide unrelentlessly. Never again will I stop taking Lithium. (Does cause extreme thirst and hand tremors, but well worth it)"

• Gypsi...
• January 1, 2017

"Lithium only worked for a short time then killed my thyroid. So now I have to have regular blood work and have to take thyroid medicine for the rest of my life. It would make me feel toxic. Harsh drug."

• JenKat
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 28, 2013

"Currently on Lithicarb 500mg taken as 2 x 250mg tablets taken 1 morning and one night. Was bumped up to 750mg but reduced back after severe dry skin and digestive discomfort as side effects. Was finally put on lithium after previously being misdiagnosed with just depression and general anxiety & put on Venlafaxine which exacerbated my mania...hence was finally correctly diagnosed with bipolar. Suicidal thoughts are now minimal and I got over the need to pee excessively which comes with increasing your fluid intake after first starting my meds. Now I am 4 months in & I have gained weight but that doesn't bother me as much as my loss of creativity & general lack of motivation. On the plus side, this doesn't bother me as much as it should."

• bug
• February 22, 2010

"It's old school and the best! I have suffered from bipolar disorder for twelve years...suffer no more, now I can live again. For anyone out there diagonsed with bipolar stick with lithium and keep taking it!"

• jaqi
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• October 20, 2013

"I have been taking lithium bicarbonate for a little over 2 years. My dosage has fluctuated because I am also medicated for manic depression. I am 37 and have been medicated, on and off, for depression since I was 18. Lithium seems to help with my bipolar symptoms, not so much for my depression. My side effects have been: increased thirst, tremors, weight loss & occasional stomach aches if I do not eat enough when I take my pills. I am fine with these so long as I feel 'normal.' Frequent blood work is not bothersome as I understand they are screening for my own health...lithium toxicity levels, kidney functions, thyroid activity."

• plibs
• April 5, 2013

"Terrific against mania, haven't had a manic episode in 2 years. Also with barely any manic symptoms. However, for me it's not great against depression but does help a little. It also helped with suicidal tendencies."

• Derek...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 15, 2023

"Lithium was the last choice due to having been on every medication other than it. By day three it was starting to have a positive effect on a deep depressive cycle. By day five, I was in the ER feeling like I was going to die. I kept having severe, panic, and anxiety symptoms elevated heart rate, and the worst of it. All was stomach pain and nausea. In the ER, they were concerned about lithium toxicity. My levels came back extremely low. Meaning that lithium just did not agree with my body. The following 10 days were the worst 10 days of my life. I could barely eat due to stomach pain and nausea. I lost over 20 pounds even drinking water hurt my stomach. This medication forever changed my view on medication. It’s been almost 2 weeks and I am still having anxiety symptoms, stomach discomfort, nausea, and extreme sweating at night."

• DCat
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• February 27, 2015

"I've been in Lithium for 5 years. For the first 4 years I had a positive outcome. But for the past year I've experenced rapid cycling and have been hospitalized twice. I'm now taking a combination of 1500mg of Lithium, 20mg of Prozac and 10mg of Saphris. I'm hoping the depression lifts and my moods will stabilize. Feeling very overwhelmed."

• Liv
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 28, 2019

"Diagnosed type 2 bipolar and PTSD a few years ago, I'd tried four alternative medications before I found Lithium. I've found it to have by far the least side effects, although like all other mood stabilisers and antipsychotics I've tried it does pull all moods into the middle of the spectrum and flatten things out. Lithium saved my life when I first began it, but I find it easy to feel hazy and restless nowadays. Still, highly recommend it! Feeling next to nothing is better than feeling suicidal."