Lithium? Weird Side Effects?? Dreams??

Question

I was recently diagnosed with bipolar and 2 personality disorders. I recently have been proscribed Lithium along with other meds, but I was wondering if weird dreams and dreaming in general could be a possible side effect of Lithium. I'm just curious because 80% of the nights since I've been on Lithium I've had weird dreams. Just wondering!!

Answer 1

Lithium is a very power-full antipsychotic antimanic. I am a clinical psychiatrist, France. An if you doctor put you on Lithium as out patient and did not place you in a hospital where you can be carefully monitored by the doctors until the lithium dose is stablized he is out of his/her mind.

Hope your doctor told you that Lithium should be only taken with a normal diet, including sodium salt and lots of fluids because Lithium can cause a natural reduction in body salt levels. You should be taking lithium immediately after meals or with food or milk.

The reason why I stress being in a hospital while being stablized on Lithium is that there are very serious side effects. You can become toxic witout frequent blood samples, because anything above 1.5 mEq/L levels of lithium in your blood can cause severe reaction to organs in your body like your liver and kidneys.

20% on average of people who take Lithium for long-term will develop structural changes to their kidneys and reduced liver function, also rduced thyroid activity. If you experience frequent urination and thirst, assoicated with Lithium this may be a sign of a condtion known as "diaetes insipidus".

Most patient if not all experience side effects (with first time use), fine hand tremor, thirst, and excessive urination.

As for weird dreams you don't state what other durgs this doctor mixed with Lithium. (The combinations can be wrong and this is why you have these weird dreams).

Please go back to this so called doctor an advise him/her of the side effects that you are having.

If you have insurance, demand that you be placed in a hospital until you are stablized on Lithium an any other combination he/she may have prescribed for you.

I am very shocked that a psychiatrist, would give you Lithium as a out patient and not place you in the hospital for observation.

Wish you all the best. Please don't let this go as Lithium is nothing to mess with. Stablization is of utmost imporance an also frequent blood samples taken, being it is very easy to become toxic on Lithium. An I have seen doctors fail to perform these blood test and their patients died on them because of their failure to order blood work on a frequent basis.

You can email via "minddoctor" if you need more info.

Clinical Psychiarist, France

Excuse my english

Answer 2

I am on Lithium and Effexor. I've had weird dreams with Effexor. I never thought about it being the Lithium as well. I have never heard of it as side effect, though. Only swelling and weight gain.

Answer 3

You know what?I use to be on lithium a long time ago when I was like 9 yrs old until I was 11.And I was on 500mg.I was on it because I was so hyper I use to harm myself.Nothing like with knives,like fall and bruise myself real bad or trip and bust my lip[ just not paying attention.And I did use to have weird dreams when I was on it.I remember telling my mom,but she said that she could'nt take me off it because she was afraid of the damage I wou;ld do to myself.My dreams was kike ppl chasing me trying to shoot me or stab me,or dreams about demons,like I was one or in the company of them.I did'nt know what they was because I was to young to understand the whole thing,but now that I am older I know.My mom ended up taking me off and putting me on something called dextrine,almost like the diet medicine,I think that's how you spell it.I'm not sure,and I stayed on that until I was 13.And I'm 30 now soon to be 31 and I'm cool.I think back and laugh because I remember how hyper I was and I say to myself now if that's all my mom did to me God bless her because she was a single mother.LOL!

Answer 4

I take lithium.effexor..and other meds ...ive never had a weird or bad dream ...infact i very rarely if ever dream ..or if i do ..i have no memory of them .. im Bipolor too

Answer 5

This is a very good blog, a beginner’s guide to abnormal psychology.
Short, clear and simple; and you can even post your question and contact the author regarding particular subject you are interested in

http://sensitive-psychoworld.blogspot.com/

PS. also http://spirita.blogspot.com/ might help

Answer 6

Report all side effects to your psychiatrist, but remember to maintain your med compliance.

Answer 7

Hi, I want to sign up for this question to obtain latest answers, so how can i do it is anyone able to help.

Answer 8

I agree with Michael, it shouldn't have these types of effects.

Answer 9

Maybe it's bad