Mental Health Lithium - what to expect?

[T1gersxjaw]

hi everyone.
For the past 3 years, I've gone into a pretty extreme depression. The diagnosis is either MDD or Bipolar 2, depending on the doctor.
I've just recently been put on lithium after a stint in my first inpatient mental hospital and am anxious about it.

Did lithium turn you into a zombie? Has it helped you?
I'm willing to try anything at this point, I'm tired of living in a constant black hole.
Just to add, I'm 17 and also on 80mg Latuda, 20mg Brintellix, 100mg Trazodone, and 50mg naltrexone. My lithium dose was bumped up today to 1200mg (2 pills in the morning and 2 at night).

I guess i just want opinions on what its like and if you think it'll work or not, as I've become desperate.
Thank you

 

[Vaya]

The following is my experience, and mine alone.

Lithium has treated me very well over the years. It is neither an antidepressant nor an antipsychotic, and as such, lacks nearly all of those side effects seen with the aforementioned medications. Most notably is the lack of things like weight gain, excessive sleepiness and sexual dysfunction. My emotions aren't screwed with dramatically, either.

Lithium is considered a mood stabilizer, and that's exactly what I have to feel that it does do for me. It doesn't feel unnatural at all - I'm just generally in a better, smoother mood. After being labeled 'treatment resistant' for years through out most of the medications I'm able to list, Lithium was a welcome arrival in my life.

Make sure to plan for semi-regular lithium level checks to make sure your body's absorbing and distributing the lithium correctly and that the lithium levels are between 0.6 and 1.2, so they're not in the toxic range!

~ Vaya

 

[rainbow_098]

Like all medications, it really depends on the person. A family member was put on Lithium in High School, and she COULD NOT stop eating, and felt like a zombie, although I'm not sure how common these side effects are. A close friend of mine was recently put on lithium with no side effects, but with little effect on her mood. It's a mood stabilizer, and as far as I can recall, is *technically* the only one approved in people under 18, so that's a plus.

Not trying to scare you at all. As I said, it really depends on the person. Some people have had great success, this is just some of MY personal experience with loved ones. There's a lot of factors to take into consideration, so many that without knowing all about you, people probably couldn't predict how it would work for you as an individual.