Lithium and Tiredness: What Users Say

• Car...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 26, 2020

For Bipolar Disorder "Lithium at a very low dose of 150 mg has stopped the lifelong rollercoaster ride of bipolar two - rapid cycling. Now I know what “normal” feels like! I was misdiagnosed for most of my life and felt like just not living in the last three years and ended up homeless briefly. I was applying for SSDI but now I can work a low-stress full-time job on Lithium. I still get tired but I’m 59 so it might be my age. Lithium, low doses of Gabapentin and Wellbutrin are the winning combination for me. I’m so grateful to have my life back and a functioning, clear mind and peaceful even mood. Lithium made all the difference!"

• Jen...
• October 27, 2016

For Depression "I have attempted suicide three times in my life. The first two times were before I knew of Lithium, and the third was when I took a break from Lithium, foolishly thinking I had gotten better. Lithium, at 900mg, almost completely eliminates the suicidal ideation. Symptoms of depression are still present, however, much better. Side effects I have had are weight gain (5 lbs?), frequent urination/thirst, thinning of my hair, and sometimes I feel tired. I'll take these side effects any day over how I used to feel. This medicine has kept me alive. If you have recurring suicidal ideation, I would highly recommend."

• Rac...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 30, 2017

For Bipolar Disorder "I have only been on this medication for 4 days. But I can tell you in these four days I have noticed an incredible difference in my brain function. I am diagnosed with bipolar 1. I have had around 13 manic episodes with delusions since I was 17. I'm 29 now. I've been treating my condition naturally up until now as I wanted to avoid the side effects of lithium. But these past few months I have been very sick, rapid cycling, and not able to sleep. I decided it was either take the lithium or die. Since I've been on it for four days I feel completely calm, focused, balanced. I really do feel like a light has gone on in my brain. Like... This is what it feels like to have a normal brain? I have noticed a coated tongue and a bit more tired than usual."

• Efo...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 18, 2022

For Schizoaffective Disorder "Lithium is the best mood stabilizer I’ve tried as long as I’m on a moderate or low dose. I was on 600 mg, which worked but still had some paranoia, and my Dr bumped me up to 900 mg. I was too tired after that, so I'm going back to 600 mg. It does work well to avoid extreme moods and anger too, and it helps a lot with impulsivity, which is nice."

• Pet...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 19, 2020

For Depression "Been on lithium for about 4-5 months for depression. I feel like a zombie, as my emotions are completely flat, and I shuffle when I walk. I have lost all my muscle strength and feel exhausted all the time. I had high hopes for this medication as I have failed on all of the SSRIs and atypical mood stabilizers I've been prescribed. The psychiatrist thinks I have developed a condition known as tardive dysphoria. This condition develops as a result of chronic treatment with antidepressants. I have been on one SSRI or another for 25 years. The symptoms of tardive dysphoria are anxiety, irritability, depression, apathy, uneasiness, restlessness, and dissatisfaction with self and life. The word tardive indicates that the dysphoria is late onset. My life has been a living nightmare since this started over 2 years ago. Therefore, I was so hopeful that lithium would give me my life back again."

• Anonymous
• December 3, 2009

For Bipolar Disorder "I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder 18 months ago and put on lithium 600 mgs a day and Seroquel 300 mg at night. The lithium has been wonderful to stabilize my moods and keep me from feeling so down and depressed. I eventually weaned myself from the Seroquel because it made me lethargic, and I had weight gain that I contributed to it, not the lithium. I now exercise - run 3 miles a day to help me release any pent-up anger or negative energy, and it works wonders. Lithium may be one of the oldest bipolar medicines, but it is tried and true."

• Flu...
• October 11, 2019

For Bipolar Disorder "I was diagnosed at 23 with bipolar 1 disorder with psychotic features and placed on lithium almost immediately. I felt improvement and my mania subsided. It works great for mania and mixed episodes, however, in my case, not so much for depression. Lithium has saved my life. It takes away the issues of suicidal thoughts and suicidal ideation in between episodes for me and racing thoughts as well. It's about as stable as stable is for me considering having bipolar disorder. I am now 26. I had to stop it due to it having damaged my thyroid. Even so, I have decided after almost 6 months off it and having tried every medication available that I would rather have whatever time stable with this medication and risk that than the destructive episodes. The side effects I initially experienced are: light hand tremors, nausea, diarrhea. These go away. The long-term side effects I have are: emotional blunting, lethargy, increased thirst, more frequent urination, and cravings for salt."

• Gol...
• June 3, 2016

For Bipolar Disorder "It's like being extremely hung over everyday. Clouded head, no energy, diarrhea, and dehydrated. Not fun at all. I guess I'll be manic. Tremors like you've been on a 3-day bender. Anxiety levels are high. They were right when they said it doesn't work for everyone. Hope you have a better experience than me."

• Fla...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 7, 2014

For Bipolar Disorder "I have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, and I have been on lithium for a week, and it has instantly turned me into a lifeless zombie! I have no feeling except depression now. I have no energy to do anything. I've tried Lamictal and Depakote, but they didn't calm the anger outbursts. The only plus is I have lost 5 lbs! I'm at the point of giving up. I've previously been on Zoloft, Prozac, Paxil, and Lexapro...all separately. These worked for depression to an extent but not for the mania."

• Dan...
• January 25, 2019

For Bipolar Disorder "I have bipolar 2 disorder, and my psychiatrist prescribed me lithium. I have already been on antipsychotics, but we were intending on switching medication. I also have PTSD. Day 5 on lithium, and it has noticeably made my PTSD and associated 'mental pain' far worse and far more distracting and disabling. The effects of this are reduced motivation, increased tiredness, loss of smooth social skills, and impaired cognitive functions. It’s not as severe as you may think, I can still function, but it has made living less pleasant and harder to get things done. I also experienced hand tremors for a few minutes, which were unpleasant. Overall, I would say it has an emotional numbing effect that detaches you from feeling things strongly, so it is more difficult to function and interact with life. If you experience mania and say you experience happiness far too strongly, it could be helpful, but other medications (antipsychotics) are better (in my experience)."

• Hum...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 18, 2019

For Depression "Taking this med tells me a bit more about my mental illness. Being diagnosed as bipolar 2, which I absolutely don’t believe anymore. After Li, my doctor prescribed me this after a long trial with lamictal that didn’t work. I was on lamictal for 11 months, and it never really helped with depression. I have been on 300 mg ER lithium for 3 weeks, and then 450 for 5 days. Made me hypersomniac, horrible brain fog, more sensitive to thoughts, depressed, no motivation, and always tired! Anxiety and occasional panic attacks still linger. I am already tapering down to 225 mg. I don’t think this will work out. It makes me feel flat and just as or more depressed than being unmedicated. Mood stabilizers don’t work for me. At this point, I’d rather try an antipsychotic over Depabloat."

• She...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 7, 2022

For Bipolar Disorder "My 16-year-old son has bipolar. The jury is still out on which one, but he is mostly depressed with mixed episodes. In those, he would be aggressive, destructive, risk-taking. Tried different meds for 2 years: Lamictal and numerous antipsychotics. His addictions and aggression became worse. Then, before leaving rehab, they finally tried lithium. He said he felt more calm and even right away. He had a few episodes in the month he was home. Maybe one episode the following month, and the last month was episode-free. He has stopped using, is calm, less anxious, smiles, and is doing well in school. It’s honestly been a miracle. I think lithium has an unfair bad reputation. Perhaps the bloodwork scares doctors off. All I know is that he would not have survived without it. I'm honestly upset they didn’t try it sooner. He is a bit more tired, has had a little belly develop, and craves sweets, but this is way better than the alternative, and he agrees. He takes 900 mg IR once daily in the evening."

• Eff...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 27, 2016

For Depression "I have life-long treatment-resistant depression and I'm taking an SNRI, recently started lithium carbonate as augmentation. It just makes me very tired at the starting dose. Although I'll try, I don't expect increasing the dose will help, and feeling so tired is very counterproductive for me. Also, have the typical thirst and no appetite. If it causes weight gain, that will make it even worse."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 20, 2021

For Depression "I have been on lithium for 6 weeks, currently 600 mg but due to increase to 800 mg this week. My depression is much decreased, although I am tired most of the time. It has stopped my bipolar cycling. Slight hand tremor in the morning and some brain fog. I also take citalopram and diazepam for anxiety, so far so good."

• kcg...
• May 19, 2017

For Bipolar Disorder "Lithium made me feel so YUCKY. I don't know how else to describe that. I also felt super lethargic, like I couldn't do the things I needed to do. I also had to pee all the time, even wet the bed once (which I never otherwise do), and was constantly thirsty. I don't feel like I was super stable on it, but it was better than nothing."

• Bip...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 17, 2016

For Bipolar Disorder "Poison for your body. It was sold to me like all docs who can push pills sell them, essentially, docs are drug dealers. They feel strange not pushing pills on you, like they missed a sale, failed. They have no regard for your body, trust me! I have had over 16 years of experience. On 300 mg, my thyroid was bad. After 3 weeks at this dose, even though too low per my doc to bring up numbers on the blood test, he pushed for 900 mg. The tiredness, constant dehydration, salty taste in mouth, then what it has already done to my thyroid (hormones = mood), I'm done! By the way, never been so angry since I was on this drug. Finally stopped to realize, since I was on lithium, very irritable. It does not get rid of depression. It does turn you into a zombie."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 8, 2016

For Bipolar Disorder "Didn't do anything except make me very tired, aching joints, slightly incontinent, so abandoned it."