Lithium (toughts on)

[Bianca]

Hi everyone,

A few of you read my topics in the past about depression. I'm still not doing well (extreme moodswings) and now she (psychiatrist) wants to put me on lithium. Never heard of the stuff, but what I read about it sounds very dangerous! Did some people take it here or know something about it? Or other medication that might help? I know that you are not docters but I'm kind of desperate.

I will be gone for a few days so I cannot respond right away if people post stuff but I will as soon as I get back.

Thanks in advance!

 

[quandolak]

.......

 

[Beauty Mark]

I've had friends who've been on lithium. It's been helpful for them. I'm neutral towards drugs for mental health stuff. I don't think they are helpful for everyone, but I know they can literally save lives for some.

If you don't trust your doctor (talk to him/her about the side effects), I would go get a second consultation. This doctor you're seeing is a psychiatrist, right?

If no one here is able to offer first-hand advice, I would see if there's a bipolar support group in your area with people who'd be willing to discuss the pros and cons of lithium. I believe that's what is often prescribed for that.

 

[thestarsfall]

Lithium works both for the ups and the downs, I dont remember all the side effects but maybe google it and find some drug names or something...


I think Abilify (new drug for bipolar disorder) doesn't have lithium but is effective and safer than lithium in treating Bipolar Disorder...however, since its new its more expensive so insurance companies dont cover it...

 

[pumpkincat210]

I take Abilify now and really LOVE it. It evens me out with all the side effects of Lithium. I feel so much better now and have actually lost weight. I know Lithium causes weight gain, which i hate obviously.
The only thing about Abilify is it costs like 400 dollars for 30 pills and isn't generic yet. You might try getting samples from your doc first.

 

[Bianca]

Thank you so much everyone! I'm going on vacation in about a week and I see my psychiatrist after the vacation but I sent her an e-mail about Abilify and that it has less side-effects than lithium.

 

[lemurian]

Have you had your blood checked for mineral deficiencies? I'd try magnesium supplementation first, up to a few grams daily with equal amounts calcium and potassium. As for Lithium, there are many "types", some types causing more ill-effects than others. If the magnesium therapy doesn't work, then ADD lithium orotate or aspartate. If that doesn't work, THEN consider prescription drugs. The above methods are essentially harmless and relatively inexpensive. I don't want to sound like Tom Cruise or anything, I'm no Scientologist, but many, if not most, mental disorders have been proven to be effectively "cured" by proper nutrition. It's worth researching at least before putting your life in the hands of the pharmeceutical industry!

 

[MissMarley]

I went on Depakote in lieu of Lithium (to try and avoid some of the side effects of Lithium) and it's working well for me- you might ask your doctor about that. It's a gentler drug.

 

[thestarsfall]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lemurian Have you had your blood checked for mineral deficiencies? I'd try magnesium supplementation first, up to a few grams daily with equal amounts calcium and potassium. As for Lithium, there are many "types", some types causing more ill-effects than others. If the magnesium therapy doesn't work, then ADD lithium orotate or aspartate. If that doesn't work, THEN consider prescription drugs. The above methods are essentially harmless and relatively inexpensive. I don't want to sound like Tom Cruise or anything, I'm no Scientologist, but many, if not most, mental disorders have been proven to be effectively "cured" by proper nutrition. It's worth researching at least before putting your life in the hands of the pharmeceutical industry!

I always advise ppl who think they are depressed or bipolar or something (on the teen board I frequent) to eat healthy and exercise rather than resorting to prescriptions. But that is mainly because they think bipolar disorder is just mood swings. Silly teens...

 

[Beauty Mark]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lemurian Have you had your blood checked for mineral deficiencies? I'd try magnesium supplementation first, up to a few grams daily with equal amounts calcium and potassium. As for Lithium, there are many "types", some types causing more ill-effects than others. If the magnesium therapy doesn't work, then ADD lithium orotate or aspartate. If that doesn't work, THEN consider prescription drugs. The above methods are essentially harmless and relatively inexpensive. I don't want to sound like Tom Cruise or anything, I'm no Scientologist, but many, if not most, mental disorders have been proven to be effectively "cured" by proper nutrition. It's worth researching at least before putting your life in the hands of the pharmeceutical industry!

Would you please provide proof of that? I've never seen research, except that of Scientology, that indicates that nutrition is a curing force for mental disorders. I think nutrition and healthy living is important to being mentally healthy, but true mental disorders and illnesses are a different ball game. They go beyond what vitamins or food can do to fix it; there's a difference between being depressed as a temporary mood and having depressed, for instance. They're caused by chem imbalances, traumatizing situations, etc. Counseling is usually the method I think people should try first then meds.

 

[Bianca]

Well, I'm on anti-depressants for years and I hardly see any improvement. I'm so tired of it, I tried lots of them: Prozac, Effexor and now I'm on Tryptizol. I received an e-mail back from my psychiatrist. She says that Abilify is for people who are psychotic and that it's not an anti-depressant. I'm going on vacation Saturday so I have to see her when I get back. Bf is going with me for support because I'm quite confused now. I just want to be happy again!!! Sometimes I'm like I want all those things to stop and I think about suicide....

 

[GalleyGirl]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beauty Mark Would you please provide proof of that? I've never seen research, except that of Scientology, that indicates that nutrition is a curing force for mental disorders. I think nutrition and healthy living is important to being mentally healthy, but true mental disorders and illnesses are a different ball game. They go beyond what vitamins or food can do to fix it; there's a difference between being depressed as a temporary mood and having depressed, for instance. They're caused by chem imbalances, traumatizing situations, etc. Counseling is usually the method I think people should try first then meds.

My psychiatrist actually is pro diet and nutrition as opposed to meds for certain situations. I see him for OCD, anxiety and depression. As far as the OCD goes, my doctor has told me that this is a chemical imbalance pure and simple, and the only thing that can correct it is medication combined with behavorial therapy. Depression on the other hand, he believes can partly be caused by nutritional deficiencies and lack of exercise - his thinking on that is that for depression, I am not condemned to a life of medication - I can use the medication as a tool to help me while I work on the other issues - diet, nutrition and my way of thinking (I am a habitual negative thinker which greatly impacts the strength of my depression). I am actually relieved that at least in my case, I don't have to rely on drugs as a cure-all for all of my problems. For the most part, psychiatry isn't a black and white science - methods and philosophies concerning treatment vary widely between doctors, and one needs to find the one that works for him or her.

 

[lemurian]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beauty Mark Would you please provide proof of that? I've never seen research, except that of Scientology, that indicates that nutrition is a curing force for mental disorders. I think nutrition and healthy living is important to being mentally healthy, but true mental disorders and illnesses are a different ball game. They go beyond what vitamins or food can do to fix it; there's a difference between being depressed as a temporary mood and having depressed, for instance. They're caused by chem imbalances, traumatizing situations, etc. Counseling is usually the method I think people should try first then meds.

The proof is easily found by doing research online or in medical journals. I am absolutely NOT suggesting that mental illness doesn't exist! I'm just advising that other causes be ruled out and other, SAFER, avenues be explored before taking prescription drugs. What is so bad about that?

Edited to add: Furthermore, this thread is about thoughts on Lithium, which I am not even remotely opposed to, so long as it's not the synthetic, TOXIC crap that is routinely prescribed. As for "chemical imbalances", you may as well be saying nutritional imbalances, because they're essentially the same thing. Our bodies need certain nutrients to create these "chemicals" that allow our brains to function properly

Again, I'm not saying that real mental illness doesn't exist, I'm just saying that it's not as prevalent as one might think, what with everyone and their dog (literally) taking Prozac these days...

 

[Beauty Mark]

I think medications can be over-prescribed and I think some people are hypochondriacs, but I just hesitate to give diet advice in lieu of medicine over the internet without knowing the person's situation entirely (like how long she's been feeling like this, what else has been tried.) She may really need the medicine. Not going on meds can be just as dangerous as going on them.

It's their responsibility, of course, to take everything with a grain of salt, but some people don't and they put themselves in dangerous situations as a result of things they read online from other people.

Despite what a lot of people think, I think meds (and counseling, but that's another story) still have a serious stigma and that while there are people who shouldn't be on them, there are plenty of people who should but deny that they need them in order to be "normal."