I am currently taking lithium carbonate for bipolar. I also currently enjoy using drugs. I was curious if any of you know if there are any kind of interactions between lithium and, say, meth, x, shrooms, weed, alcohol, etc., etc., etc. I know that lithium isn't really some kind of hardcore chemical to watch what you're doing too much with, but I also know that it is an anti-manic and may have some properties that might do something when mixed with some of the other shit I spend much of my time consuming. Just looking for a little helpful info. Thanks.
-
OD Moderators: Keif’ Richards | Tryptamino
Lithium interactions...
- Thread starter ~edemon
- Start date
PhreeX
Bluelight Crew
Nope, none of the drugs you're using will really fuck withthe lithium, however, those drugs will do NOTHING to help your bi-polor disorder..
------------------
"I am not one of those weak-spirited, sappy Americans who want to be liked by all the people around them. I don't care if people hate my guts; I assume most of them do. The important question is: 'What are they in a position to do about it?'" (William S. Burroughs)
------------------
"I am not one of those weak-spirited, sappy Americans who want to be liked by all the people around them. I don't care if people hate my guts; I assume most of them do. The important question is: 'What are they in a position to do about it?'" (William S. Burroughs)
See, the thing is, and maybe it's the bipolar talking, I don't give two shits or a fuck about the other things I do messing with the lithium. Hell, I don't really care about much. I was just curious about anything that might happen if I were to mix shit around like I am more than likely to do. Actually, PhreeX, you are pretty much the one that I was looking to for any kind of an answer about any kind of unfavorable interaction. You seem well-versed in the field of prescription medication, among other things. I am on my fifth day of this lithium crap-festival, and am not only already thinking of quitting this poop, but also thinking of marching into the good 'ol neurologists' and psychiatrists' offices and inquiring about, nay, demanding the only thing that has ever made me feel at ease; chronic cluster headache and mood swing free: hydrocodone. Now, I am both as much a pharm fiend and not a pill seeker as anyone else on this splendid board, but Vicodin is, honestly, the only thing I have found in the past 9 months or so that has kept me in check. I know that these docs aren't even going to consider it for a second, but I have found that this is the only thing I need for both the cluster headaches and the rapid-cycling bipolar. PhreeX, do you have any kind of advice for a boy with good doctors and a legit problem? I'm 22 with enough sense and enough charisma and finesse to work people the right way, but am having trouble receiving the medication I need and deserve. I realize that TAOS isn't available for my sticky fingers yet, but I am in quite a bind and could use some kind of education, if you see fit. You see, I've stolen all of my mother's Vicodins, bought all of my friends' Vicodins, and milked every dentist in town for all the Vicodin I could possibly get my hands on, and I was hoping I could find an answer to my mental and physical query through the knowledge of a BL captain. Thank you........
[This message has been edited by ~edemon (edited 14 October 2001).]
[This message has been edited by ~edemon (edited 14 October 2001).]
Curious_George
Ex-Bluelighter
- Joined
- Nov 24, 2000
- Messages
- 184
I don't know what to tell you about the hydrocodones, but to answer the original question, mixing lithium and LSD is a serious no-no.
What's the deal with mixing lithium and LSD? What happens? P.S. Thanks about the alcohol and rolling reply. For some reason, that was the furthest thing from my mind. Of course, dehydration. I didn't even think of that. See, this lithium shit is really making me feel pretty retarded. It's kind of hard to recall the most simple things or even perform remedial tasks. They say it just has to get into your system, I guess. Hopefully, things will improve.
Curious_George
Ex-Bluelighter
- Joined
- Nov 24, 2000
- Messages
- 184
Lithium doesn't get better as far as memory problems. It's some fairly nasty shit. It also made my hands tremor enough so that I couldn't write at times. I don't know why it doesn't mix well with acid, but it definitely doesn't. It intensifies the trip in a bad way is the best way I can describe it. If I were you, I would tell my doctors to put me on something besides lithium. Good luck.
i personally have been taking lithium for 5 years and it makes alcohol more potent. I also can roll on half a pill really hard while my friends need more. I don't know if it's the lithium or the bipolar. As far as you feeling crappy now, it will go away and hopefully the lithium will help you. As far as shrooms and meth, I did shrooms once a bout a month ago and I ate very little to get off. I did meth for the first time last night, so I don't kno if it is different, I have nothing to compare it to. Lithium has no recreational value, it is a salt. It is the 4th element on the periodic table of elements. I hoped I helped. Lithium really changed my life even though the quarterly blood tests suck and I had a hard time with it at first. Good luck-it sure is no fun being bipolar.
fairnymph
Ex-Bluelighter
The main thing to watch on lithium, as someone already mentioned, is your salt intake/balance, as lithium is a salt and even by itself can cause problems, but especially so in high doses.
Another thing is, whatever doctor told his bipolar patient to smoke weed is BAD doctor! Weed is really NOT good for bipolar people -- it is very psychologically and quite possibly physically (though this latter part has not been proven, it is suspected) addicting for them. As it is, bipolar people (like most psychologically fucked up people, but particularily so) are extremely prone to substance abuse.
Another thing is, whatever doctor told his bipolar patient to smoke weed is BAD doctor! Weed is really NOT good for bipolar people -- it is very psychologically and quite possibly physically (though this latter part has not been proven, it is suspected) addicting for them. As it is, bipolar people (like most psychologically fucked up people, but particularily so) are extremely prone to substance abuse.
Tell my about it, fairNymph. I mean, I have the drug use under pretty tight discipline- a few times a month at the most- but I find myself fiending quite often; thinking about getting fucked up all the time, wanting to get lifted. I notice that the urges flow with the moods- down, drugs and up, no drugs. In between, drugs.
This lithium is really getting worse by the day, though. I think this is the sixth day. I have an appointment with my neurologist tomorrow and with my psychiatrist next week, so we're keeping an eye on me. I'm going to give this shit more of a chance than most other things I've taken, but who knows? I could just be in that 15 percentile that isn't positively effected by lithium. Who knows? Maybe I'm not even bi-polar. Who knows?
This lithium is really getting worse by the day, though. I think this is the sixth day. I have an appointment with my neurologist tomorrow and with my psychiatrist next week, so we're keeping an eye on me. I'm going to give this shit more of a chance than most other things I've taken, but who knows? I could just be in that 15 percentile that isn't positively effected by lithium. Who knows? Maybe I'm not even bi-polar. Who knows?
I personally tried about every anti depressant in the book and none worked, only lithium. But then again, drugs effect everybody differently. You have to give it 2 weeks. When I first took it, I broke out really bad, was extremely tired, and had severe migraines. After 2 weeks, excedrin migraine, and vitamin e for my face, it worked wonders. Somehow taking an antimanic drug for bipolar also helped the depressive side, too. There is also depakote and a new one ( I can't remember the name). Maybe you aren't bipolar. Maybe using different sunstances are making your moods swing. Who knows. You're right though, bipolars abuse drugs because they try to self medicate and regulate their moods.
fairnymph
Ex-Bluelighter
edomon: I'm glad that you are aware of these patterns...perhaps then you will be able to use drugs and not totally screw yourself over -- and I wish you the best of luck in this. Regarding your questioning whether you really have bipolar -- what are your symptoms? I'm not a psyhciatrist but depending on what type of bipolar you have I might be able to give you some decent input.
PhreeX
Bluelight Crew
Due to problems with the publisher (Feral House), TAOS v2.0 will be publised in an up-comming edition of my new e-zine... more to come... but it will NOT be published in a book form like we originally thought and hoped... ahh I had such big dreams of being a famous author that would sit around in coffee houses and cybercafes smoking heoin other people offer me.... god damnit!
------------------
"I am not one of those weak-spirited, sappy Americans who want to be liked by all the people around them. I don't care if people hate my guts; I assume most of them do. The important question is: 'What are they in a position to do about it?'" (William S. Burroughs)
------------------
"I am not one of those weak-spirited, sappy Americans who want to be liked by all the people around them. I don't care if people hate my guts; I assume most of them do. The important question is: 'What are they in a position to do about it?'" (William S. Burroughs)
Well, here goes....
All my life, I've had insane mood swings. When I was a kid, I threw fits and broke shit and was completely out of control at times. But I was always very smart- I still am. I'm self-educated. I have a remarkably good understanding of how things are and how things work, problem-solving skills and shit.
When I was 17, my dog got loose and ran across the street from my house to a church and barked at a few people. The city I live in can't have that so they decided to murder my dog.(euthenasia, whatever) From that moment, I became rediculously depressed. I started drinking excessively, taking any drug that was within my reach, cutting my arms and chest and stomach with razor blades and knives, burning myself and had constant, almost overbearing thoughts and dreams of suicide and murder. Generally, I not only didn't give a fuck about myself or anything else, but I really hated everyone and everything and I didn't know why. This was for about two years or so. Of course, I had plenty of decent times, usually drug-fueled, but this burning hatred for humanity and for myself was always in the back of my mind. Just like that, I started to snap out of it.
I had a good year and a half where I really felt like I had a pretty good handle on my depression. Of course, I was still tortured by the terrible headaches I've been having since I was about fifteen.
I got a good-paying job, a really nice car, a wonderful girlfriend- shit was looking up. What happens? As quickly as my depression seemed to fade away before, I started to feel like I was losing my mind. This was about four or five months ago. I started having unbearable mood swings every few minutes, literally. I would be completely elated and without any provocation become furious. Moments later, I'm practically tweaking, only to nearly burst into tears for no good reason the next. I started slicing my forearms open with a box cutter one night- something I hadn't done in over two years and something I promised myself I would never do again. That told me I needed some kind of help- especially since I finally had insurance again.
Off to the neurologist to see why I am having these damned headaches. Maybe he could refer me to someone who could tell me why I'm having these damned mood swings. After shitloads of tests and bloodwork and an MRI, he decided that I have chronic cluster headaches. He gave me indomethacin.(grass clippings) They didn't do shit. I was referred to a psychiatrist who, after written tests and a few long consultations with a psychologist, diagnosed me with rapid-cycling bipolar. The neurologist decided that lithium would be good for both the headaches and the bipolar. So far, it hasn't done a thing for the headaches and it's definitely choked the moods a bit, but I really feel like I'm not myself. I'm usually the funny guy, you know? On this shit, I don't act up at all. I know that's what its purpose is, but I think I'd rather have my mood swings than this. Anyways, thanks for reading. I'll be back later. Peace.
All my life, I've had insane mood swings. When I was a kid, I threw fits and broke shit and was completely out of control at times. But I was always very smart- I still am. I'm self-educated. I have a remarkably good understanding of how things are and how things work, problem-solving skills and shit.
When I was 17, my dog got loose and ran across the street from my house to a church and barked at a few people. The city I live in can't have that so they decided to murder my dog.(euthenasia, whatever) From that moment, I became rediculously depressed. I started drinking excessively, taking any drug that was within my reach, cutting my arms and chest and stomach with razor blades and knives, burning myself and had constant, almost overbearing thoughts and dreams of suicide and murder. Generally, I not only didn't give a fuck about myself or anything else, but I really hated everyone and everything and I didn't know why. This was for about two years or so. Of course, I had plenty of decent times, usually drug-fueled, but this burning hatred for humanity and for myself was always in the back of my mind. Just like that, I started to snap out of it.
I had a good year and a half where I really felt like I had a pretty good handle on my depression. Of course, I was still tortured by the terrible headaches I've been having since I was about fifteen.
I got a good-paying job, a really nice car, a wonderful girlfriend- shit was looking up. What happens? As quickly as my depression seemed to fade away before, I started to feel like I was losing my mind. This was about four or five months ago. I started having unbearable mood swings every few minutes, literally. I would be completely elated and without any provocation become furious. Moments later, I'm practically tweaking, only to nearly burst into tears for no good reason the next. I started slicing my forearms open with a box cutter one night- something I hadn't done in over two years and something I promised myself I would never do again. That told me I needed some kind of help- especially since I finally had insurance again.
Off to the neurologist to see why I am having these damned headaches. Maybe he could refer me to someone who could tell me why I'm having these damned mood swings. After shitloads of tests and bloodwork and an MRI, he decided that I have chronic cluster headaches. He gave me indomethacin.(grass clippings) They didn't do shit. I was referred to a psychiatrist who, after written tests and a few long consultations with a psychologist, diagnosed me with rapid-cycling bipolar. The neurologist decided that lithium would be good for both the headaches and the bipolar. So far, it hasn't done a thing for the headaches and it's definitely choked the moods a bit, but I really feel like I'm not myself. I'm usually the funny guy, you know? On this shit, I don't act up at all. I know that's what its purpose is, but I think I'd rather have my mood swings than this. Anyways, thanks for reading. I'll be back later. Peace.
Thanks for the well-wishing, fairnymph. It means alot to me. I know I have it in me to get through this; it's just a bit of a struggle right now. There's no way I would let something like this finish me off. I've been through way too much in my life. Peace.
PhreeX
Bluelight Crew
WOW! Don't take this the wrong way, but you're messed up man.. you should definitly work with your psychitrist to straighten out yourself... the diagnosis is accurate, and I think you should stop using recreational drugs until your bi-polar is under control - at least stay sober long enough for the lithum to take effects, and once you find out the right combo of drugs to manage your condition, you can then party again.. but just reading your story scared me - I would think your girlfriend might also be a little edgy if you have these mood swings around her...
Good luck with treetment! I would definitly make it a top priority to get on a good management plan for your mental health, then the fun stuff can come into play...
------------------
"I am not one of those weak-spirited, sappy Americans who want to be liked by all the people around them. I don't care if people hate my guts; I assume most of them do. The important question is: 'What are they in a position to do about it?'" (William S. Burroughs)
Good luck with treetment! I would definitly make it a top priority to get on a good management plan for your mental health, then the fun stuff can come into play...
------------------
"I am not one of those weak-spirited, sappy Americans who want to be liked by all the people around them. I don't care if people hate my guts; I assume most of them do. The important question is: 'What are they in a position to do about it?'" (William S. Burroughs)
fairnymph
Ex-Bluelighter
edemon: Yes, the diagonis is definitely accurate. I am really really sorry that you have had to endure so much before finally discovering why you were the way you were (and still are). Certainly your dog's murder (my first cat was murdered -- our neighbour ran over her b/c he was a bird watcher and my at ate birds, like a typical cat) was a trigger, but what came after it was too extreme to be normal.
I also suffer from a psychiatric disorder that was only diagnosed a year ago (and I had been suffering from OCD for at least 10 yrs at that point). It can be tough to come to this realization so late but it is ultimately very insightful and helpful to finally make sense of it all. If your doctor is good, he will be able to guide you through the bipolar medicine cabinet until you find the drug(s) that work for you. This can take a while, but eventually you should find a combination of things that work for you. My ex-boyfriend (who suffered from severe bipolar, much like yours) found a combo that worked for him after 2 years of treatment; it consisted of 9 pills a night, but it did the job.
Again, good luck. I wish you well, and keep with it, keep working at the treatment and you will find a way to make your life truly liveable.
I also suffer from a psychiatric disorder that was only diagnosed a year ago (and I had been suffering from OCD for at least 10 yrs at that point). It can be tough to come to this realization so late but it is ultimately very insightful and helpful to finally make sense of it all. If your doctor is good, he will be able to guide you through the bipolar medicine cabinet until you find the drug(s) that work for you. This can take a while, but eventually you should find a combination of things that work for you. My ex-boyfriend (who suffered from severe bipolar, much like yours) found a combo that worked for him after 2 years of treatment; it consisted of 9 pills a night, but it did the job.
Again, good luck. I wish you well, and keep with it, keep working at the treatment and you will find a way to make your life truly liveable.
Thanks alot. Yeah, I wasn't trying to scare anybody or tell every intimacy of my entire life or anything. I guess I figure that you needed the whole story(well, a good amount of it) in order to make any kind of accurate comparison or relation to your or someone close's situation. 9 pills a night doesn't sound like it would be up my alley, but I guess if it would alleviate the bullshit, or at least curb it a little, I might be game.
By the way, I saw my neurologist yesterday and told him much of the same things I have written above as far as the lithium effects and how it does nothing for my headaches(because he was positive it would take care of them as it's a prophylactic) and he basically instructed me to continue with the treatment for the next month while he goes through every bit of information, MRI results, etc., and thinks of another medication that might help if the lithium doesn't. That's fine. I wouldn't quit taking it after a week anyway. Like I said, I'm going to give it a chance. Besides, it's slowly starting to get better, I think.
P.S. PhreeX, I thank you for your concern. Just to let you know, I really am not doing drugs but once or twice a month. I appreciate the advice, I just don't want to come off like I get fucked up every minute like I used to. I am making a pretty good attempt. You know how it is, though. You need speed or Vicodin at least sometimes. At least, I do.
By the way, I saw my neurologist yesterday and told him much of the same things I have written above as far as the lithium effects and how it does nothing for my headaches(because he was positive it would take care of them as it's a prophylactic) and he basically instructed me to continue with the treatment for the next month while he goes through every bit of information, MRI results, etc., and thinks of another medication that might help if the lithium doesn't. That's fine. I wouldn't quit taking it after a week anyway. Like I said, I'm going to give it a chance. Besides, it's slowly starting to get better, I think.
P.S. PhreeX, I thank you for your concern. Just to let you know, I really am not doing drugs but once or twice a month. I appreciate the advice, I just don't want to come off like I get fucked up every minute like I used to. I am making a pretty good attempt. You know how it is, though. You need speed or Vicodin at least sometimes. At least, I do.