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        New Message Board Archives >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies 2005 >> Lithium
        
(Message started by: Spirit on Mar 6^th, 2005, 12:36pm)

Title: Lithium
Post by Spirit on Mar 6^th, 2005, 12:36pm

My husband is taking 300mg of Lithium for his clusters. Does anybody have any experience with Lithium and the associated side-effects/personality changes?
Thank you

Title: Re: Lithium
Post by unsolved1 on Mar 6^th, 2005, 2:30pm

I'm taking Lithium again (3rd time). I'm taking 300mg twice a day and 450mg at night. It's not helping :-/

Unsolved

Title: Re: Lithium
Post by nani on Mar 6^th, 2005, 2:49pm

According to my neurologist, lithium will not affect mood or personality at the levels CHers use. It's very important to get your blood lithium levels checked every six months, however, as too much can be dangerous. He told me that all it might do is keep me from having "manic" type moods where I would have increased energy. At the time I told him if I was any less "manic" I'd be in a coma.

Title: Re: Lithium
Post by PerryGR on Mar 6^th, 2005, 7:24pm

Hello Spirit.

I've been on Lithium for the past 6 months (900 mg/day for the first 4 months and 600 mg/day for the last 2). Here's a link that i found quite helpful when i started taking it: http://www.mentalhealth.com/drug/p30-l02.html
There's a whole section about side effects of Lithium on that site. Like nani said it is very important to frequently monitor the lithium levels in one's blood serum since the worst side effects occur when when lithium exceeds a certain level.

As far as personality changes go... During the first week or so of therapy with lithium i demonstrated signs of manic behaviour (significally more energetic than usual, better mood than usual, alot less sleep than usual without feeling tired). That is pretty much the opposite of what is expected when starting to use lithium. My doctor didn't have an explanation for that but it all got back to normal after the first week or so. The fact that there's history of bibolar disorder in my family could be relevant but honestly i don't have a clue.

PFDAN to all,
Perry.

PS: unsolved1 sorry you're not finding relief- really hope for a break for you.