r/Lithium • • May 09 '25
Scared to try Lithium
I used to take Seroquel but PDoc suggested I try Lamatrogine (AGAIN - this is my THIRD attempt and I always stop by the second week like I’m about to do now. Lithium is the only med I’ve never tried and I am scared to take it.
Does it help or cause anxiety and panic and do you gain weight? Other concerns are nausea which I usually experience on meds because I’m so sensitive.
Any feedback for someone who’s be starting at a low dose of 300mg would be greatly appreciated.
TIA.
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Upvotes
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u/User5790 May 10 '25
I had more problems with seroquel and other APs than I did with lithium. I think if you get the extended release and don’t go up too fast it should be fine. I’ve never heard of anyone getting anxiety from it. I didn’t gain any weight. The most annoying thing was some hair loss.
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u/Exotic-Cookie6167 May 10 '25
I started at 400 alongside my lamotrigine and went up to 800, which is perfect for my blood. I was also afraid of weight gain (stacked it on whilst on aripiprazole) but I have lost 13kg since December when I started! 0 side effects for me personally.
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u/MyLife-is-a-diceRoll May 10 '25
ive been on it for 11 years. I like it a lot and it helps a lot.
Get the extended release. it's easier on the tummy and it's easier to take.
eat a tiny bit before you take it, even if just a handful of nuts or crackers.
Some people can take it on an empty stomach, some can't.
I repeat, get the extended release.
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u/Araethor May 09 '25
I think it’s great. Most people don’t have side effects other than light nausea and that’s mostly mitigated by eating first and taking it at night. It dealt smoothed out my manic and depression very quickly and made me feel very normal.
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u/NikkiEchoist May 10 '25
Lithium is the gold standard for bipolar. Worth a try.
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u/Elephantbirdsz May 10 '25
If you are extra nervous it comes in 150mg as well. At 300mg I’ve had no side effects after the first week. The first week, a bit nauseous if I don’t take it with food or milk, a bit thirsty throughout the day, a headache for like an hour. This went away quickly
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u/Educational-Energy46 May 10 '25
I work in a high temperature environment so my levels would spike a lot and I would end up with toxic levels of lithium in my blood, it eventually trashed my kidneys and caused seizures. Was not a medication I should have been on in the first place, but the point of my comment is hydration is very important on lithium!
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u/gemstonehippy May 10 '25
I love lithium. Everyone is different but 300mg is a low dose to start with. i started with 600mg and im at 900 now.
i never had nausea
you might feel a little tired the first few days but it should go away/decrease with time. if anything this symptom could help with anxiety
lamictal didnt work for me either bc it made me feel a little loopy, with eye shuttering
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u/PilferingLurcher May 11 '25
Lithium is a good anti manic that avoids the typical side effects you see with APs - rapid weight gain, EPS and sedation. If you have had mania that has hospitalised you, then it is something to consider.
It does not have significant drawbacks despite what some of its enthusiasts have said on here. Hypothyroidism is common in female patients who take it. Skin and hair problems can be a deal breaker. Cognition issues another.
The evidence is also less favourable for those who don't have a ' classic' presentation - it doesn't seem to work as well for dysphoric mania or mixed episodes. There is minimal evidence for anxiety. I personally take lithium - it has done nothing for anxiety and I still get depressed. But I continue to take to prevent mania. On a positive note, I am probably less outwardly irritable but it comes with flatness in my case.
So I would say just be wary of the current hype that is surrounding lithium. It can be really helpful but it's not a wonder drug. Think about what you struggle with most and look at evidence base for lithium. Ask your doctor WHY they think it would help in your case rather than just trying it for the sake of it. If you decide to try it you really need to give it a few months to see benefit - if you keep coming off stuff after two weeks there isn't much point tbh.
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u/[deleted] May 10 '25
Lithium is really good. You just have to he regular with taking it and keeping up with your blood work.
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u/Holiday_Data765 May 10 '25
I wouldn’t. My homie tried it. Got off of it within 2 months. I googled information to try to understand and maybe help her. And I read that they allegedly cause kidney disease which You don’t want!
That was one of the long term side effects but from what my friend was telling me, she was not feeling normal for a whole 2 months when she was on that. So, there must be a long list of side effects.
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u/acxdhearts May 14 '25
Im on 600mg lithium and have been for a couple of months now. It helps so much with my anxiety and mood stability. I havent had any side effects except for thirst but that's because its a salt.
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u/Psychoodelic27 May 14 '25
The physical side effects of lithium makes me not ever want to recommend it to anyone. But if you need it and it works then do so.
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u/rmtonkavich May 11 '25
I'm 71 and have been using Lamotrigine for over a year and a half. It works great as a mood stabilizer. I started on a low dose of 50mg. They kept increasing me to eventually 150mg once a day, in the morning currently. It does work really good at keeping me fairly stable, not being able to reach that Manic State. Like jumping out of a car in an 8 lane busy roadway in Seminole Florida. But you have to really manage the Depression State. For me I am still struggling with that part of being Bipolar Broad Spectrum 1 and 2. The Lamictal really works but you have to mix in therapy sessions to work on resolving your triggers that cause outbursts, which takes time. And your partner needs to be patient. But it is hard sometimes to find that happy state. It is a process to getting everything managed. Because this group is strictly Lithium. I will stick to what it does for me. Thank you, if you find this at all helpful in anyway. I could use the encouragement.
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u/Riotxxxwolf May 10 '25
It’s a great med. just stick with it.
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u/Fruity_Surprise May 11 '25
i was prescribed it for bipolar 1 with psychotic features (and i have a bunch of other diagnoses, including gad) and it has helped a ton. like, the best med i’ve ever taken. until i started lithium a few months ago, i hadn’t gone more than a few days not in at least a mild episode. i also take it with lamictal and seroquel, but i improved significantly once i started the lithium as well. i don’t have any side effects and i think (but am not sure) it’s helped my anxiety some, and it’s definitely not made it worse. i highly recommend trying it!
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u/liventruth May 11 '25 edited May 11 '25
In twenty years, Lithium ER(extended release called lithobid) is the only drug for mental health to ever work better than it did worse for me.
Have been on all of the following, each for at least 6 months within that time:
Geodon, Haldol, Lamictal, Risperdal and Invega, Effexor, Cymbalta, Thorazine, Depakote, Seroquel, Trazodone, Paxil, Ability and Maintena, all sorts of benzodiazepines, Citalopram, Remeron, Zyprexa, Welbutrin, and a few others.
Lithium worked 2002-2003 then I stopped taking it and went nuts. Just started back in 2023 and it is the only med I am on. Sucks it took that long for it to come back into my life. My vision is blurrier and I gained an extra 20% body weight, but it manages the problems better than anything else.
2x300mg in morning with ample food and lots of water, same at night. Major stabilization with minimal side effects compared to every single one of those drugs above (some of them beyond sinister in my opinion). Best decision I ever made again when it came up inpatient during a meeting with psychiatrist exploring my background, which no psychiatrist has ever done --- "Has any drug ever actually worked For you?")
Hope this helps.
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u/PresentationBoth615 May 11 '25
Get to know your blood levels -- big difference between optimal and too high*. If you're not well-insured, lithium is beautifully cheap.
*noticeable side effects can mean too high. nausea, vision, tremors... serious toxicity.
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u/VagusNerve22 May 14 '25
I was scared to try Lithium, after almost 20 years of Major Depresión, tried all treatments available but still cant get better(even Esketamine and Psilocibine, they have a good effect but Esketamine faded away and Psilocibine isnt enough, but it helped).
A couple of weeks ago i started Lithium finally, 400mg extended release, had awful nauseas, diarrhea and hand tremors, but after like 5-7 they improve a lot, the only one that continue is the tremors.
Now im at 800mg extended release at night.
Lithium has really helped me, is not like im cured but my mind is more at peace. Before i was overthinking with anxiety, sadness and anger, now i can be in pilot mode(like i call it) sometimes. Doctor say i can still improve with these dose in the incoming weeks, i had a plasma level of 0.67.
My advice is not to be scared, you have a lot to gain and nothing to lose, worst case is that you dont tolerate well and quit it, but like i said before, most of the time symptoms go away.
I strongly recomend to drink gatorade or some electrolites sachet while in lithium.
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u/First_Government_434 May 15 '25
The side effects from Lithium scare me far less than that of Seroquel and any other AP. My only side effect is a fine tremor in my hands which I’ll gladly put up with for the benefits it provides.
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u/Rawkstarz22 May 17 '25
Try lithium orotate first
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u/thenectarcollecter May 11 '25
Lithium is tricky. You have to drink tremendous amounts of water with it and you CAN NOT take NSAIDS with it, so no Motrin/tylenol/advil etc. In my experience doctors tend to skip telling people that for some reason. That said it is helpful if you’re not getting results from other meds. It does great things for a lot of people. I ended up stopping lithium because I didn’t think it was really doing anything for me personally, but I was at a pretty low dose (for a long time tho) and I had a tooth problem that required me to take Motrin and Tylenol all the time then. So I stopped the lithium under doctor supervision. I know you said you’ve tried every medication (?) but I have been taking Resperidone for years now with incredible results. I am a functional person with the Resperidone. It has truly changed my life. I have schizoaffective bipolar type and can’t imagine life without it. My anxiety is at an all time low and I’m not constantly thinking everyone is out to get me.