Someone close to me is going on it and he's totally freaked out about it. Has anyone here taken it? He's convinced that it's an anti-psychotic and since he's just depressed (has struggled with depression for his whole life) he thinks it's a bad idea. Any thoughts??

Its not an anti-psychotic, its a mood stabilizer. Thats probably why he is on it - for the depression and not for psychosis. Ive not been on it but with working with people on lithum, they have to have blood tests done every week (maybe?) to check whether the levels are rigth and make sure they dont go lithium toxic.

generally its probably ok. if he really doesnt want to know about lithium maybe try sodium valpourate?

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"I'm getting fucking tired of you fucks" - Trent Reznor - toronto 1994

I am the hate you try to hide and I control you - Mr Self-Destruct.

thanks! i've repeatedly told him that it's not an anti-psychotic but a mood stabilizer, as you said, but he literally refuses to listen and claims that a ton of websites describe it as an anti-psychotic, which i haven't found. anyways, hopefully he'll find it helpful.

you get blood tests every 3 months not every week, that is for clozaril.

I was on it, gave me horrible cystic acne.

But I'm unlucky in areas of side effects and med's working adn such things.

you get blood tests every week and they slowly bring it down to once per month once you are stable

hmm. The only time I ever got it once a week is when I was unstable and just going back on it. normally you get it every 3 months once you are at a theraputic level.

I was put on it whilst I was in hospital. I did have a blood test every week. The docs ended up taking me off it cos I got really ill. My blood pressure was really low and I kept fainting. I was shaking really bad and sometimes couldn't walk by myself. And a few other things too. Not exactly sure if this was all down to the lithium though because I was on numerous other meds at the time.

I think sometimes doctors may suggest using it alongside other anti-psychotics as a booster maybe? but its mainly as we said for mood.

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"I'm getting fucking tired of you fucks" - Trent Reznor - toronto 1994

I am the hate you try to hide and I control you - Mr Self-Destruct.

im starting lithium tomorrow..
im really worried.
for years my doc's have been trying to put me on this, but ive always resisted, because of the possibility of something happening while im on it.

ive heard so many things about shitty side effects.
mainly just stuff like weight gain, acne, etc.
but ive also heard it can affect yr kidney fuctions, thyroid, and a bunch of other shit.

is this common?
would anyone here actually recommend lithium, despite the possible side effects?

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"Careful writing is deathly writing" - Charles Bukowski

It's quite a dated drug now, most doctors will apparently try Sodium Valproate first as it's got a lower toxicity.

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yeah, ive heard its like "the classic mood stabilizer"
and my doc did tell me she's starting me off on a low dose to see how i do.. but its still slightly nerve-wrecking, ive heard soo many stories about ppl who have been on it, and done poorly

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"Careful writing is deathly writing" - Charles Bukowski

Lithium, don't wanna lock me up inside
Lithium, don't wanna forget how it feels without
Lithium, I wanna stay in love with my sorrow

i've been taking it for 15 years & i haven't had any problems EXCEPT it's made my thyroid underactive. now i take thyroxine to deal with that.

give it a go. the medical blurb make it sound scary, but even the thyroid thing is worth the positive effects.

I'm incredibly jealous of people who can make bipolar into something rediculously productive and creative, while it just cripples others.

just wait for the manic stages. thats when youve got a million projects going on at once, and youve got a SHITLOAD of time to take care of it all, cause yr not sleeping. i love my manic stages, although i am a complete lunatic in the midst of them.

they're ultimately not worth it though. cause then youve got the lows.. theres no room for anything productive when thats going on.. you just sleep all day, and when yr awake its like yr in a fog.


so yeah, i guess lithiums worth a try, lol.
& thank you abscess. its good to hear a positive first-hand account.

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"Careful writing is deathly writing" - Charles Bukowski

does it work for manic depressives?
yes? no?
does it fix heads?
yes please?

so am I?
I mean, now I´m kind of more stable and I don´t produce shit.
While on my WORST times I would be writing good songs and tons of texts

This.
Where's my fucking creative genius? (the answer is: probably medicated away)

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I'm on Lithium Citrate, which only comes in liquid form. It's supposed to taste like raspberry, but it's more like cough syrup mixed with an energy drink.

I've tried Epilem (sp?) and Tegratol. I'm not bipolar, just moody. Epilem fucked with my white blood cells and Tegratol gave me the worst acne I have ever had in my life. They stablised my moods, but I was in a stable state of constant anger. I always wanted to go on Lithium purely because of the Nirvana song. My mum's been on Lithium.

(Sorry, totally pointless post.)

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When the glitter fades in the morning, turn away and you will find my empty eyes....your beauty blinds.