lithium.......?

Question

i am on lithium eskalith and have been on it for 2 months for paranoia and bipolar...i dont feel like it is working. my mind is still racing. has anyone ever been on it and did it help?

Answer 1

Hello, I am 26 and was diagnosed as bipolar at the age of 21. I've been on just about every mood stabilizer BUT Lithium. I will say that I am scared of Lithium and it is my final and last resort as far as meds go. There are so many risks involved in taking Lithium, I just don't see the value outweighing the side effects. My reason for answering though is to say that there are so many other meds that you could give a go if the Lithium doesn't work out for you. Usually when you're on a med for a few months the doc will up the dosage and if that does not help the problem they will consider other meds. Also you may need to take another med in conjunction with the Lithium, or another mood stabilizer, to stabilize your moods and paranoia. For the record I am on: Abilify 20mg, Klonapin 3mg, Tofranil 50mg, and Welbutrin XL 150mg

Answer 2

I am on Lithium, and it works for me. You need to talk with your doctor, you may need a higher dose, but talk to your doctor first. I am also on Seroquel (it is wonderful). I know where you are coming from with the racing thoughts. Seroquel helps me sleep at night. Before I got on Seroquel, I would try to sleep, but my mind was going a million miles a minute. The Lithium helps me with the highs and lows I would have with my bipolar. I have a few people in my family besides me who are bipolar, and if people don't have bipolar then they don't understand how bad it really is. Even with the medicine I'm on, I still have trouble thinking and sometimes get angry and upset. Lithium and Seroquel work well, but still I have my days. Best of luck to you, and remember to talk to your doctor first and ask him or her about Seroquel also. Hang in there. I know how it feels to be bipolar.

Answer 3

I'm sorry. Anyone having to take these types of drugs have issues and supposedly they are supposed to help. They don't always. Ablify, Wellbutrin Klonapin, all of those are serious medications. Psycotropics are heavy duty and I've dispensed evey one you can imagine. In huge mg. doses as well and let me tell you, the side effects are worse than the drug and the behaviors affiliated horrendous......good luck...

Answer 4

It is the drug of choice for many -- including my grandmother (God rest her soul..) and Kay Jamison who wrote a memoir and a textbook on bipolar disorder.

You should go to the doctor as many times as necessary to get it fixed.. preferably a psychiatrist. I have bipolar disorder, and it can be treated.

do you get more paranoid when up? (manic) or down? (depressed)

Yahoo Health is one of the best health portals around.

Best,
--Sam
([e-mail])

Answer 5

I have chosen not to answer your question but instead urge you to report this to your prescriber. You may need a dosage increase (first resort) or a different med altogether (last resort).

Answer 6

You need to talk to your prescribing doctor. He may have to increase your dosage or change your meds. Hopefully he listens to you. Some psychiatrists are so bad.

Answer 7

I was on Lithicarb for about 12 months, it certainly helped me but I don't like the side effects and stopped it just recently.

Answer 8

I've heard that once you stop using it, it won't work ever again. So, if its not working now, you might need something else. maybe an alternative healing method.

Answer 9

get a med consult the dosage may have to be increased what about lamictal

Answer 10

Tell your doc