lithuim....?

Question

what long term effects does lithium have on your body? (female)

Answer 1

http://www.psycheducation.org/depression/meds/lithium.html

Answers some of the questions. But I'll also explain my grandmother's experience. After having been diagnosed with Bipolar II disorder, she was put on lithium. She took it, and I can't tell you the exact dosage, for 20 years or better. In the time I was old enough to know, I only saw her get completely manic twice, so after the first time I knew what to look for if something was wrong with her medication. Well, after a year since her sister (who was in a wheelchair for 40 years and cared for soley by my grandmother) I started to notice the manic symptoms again. They finally decided it was time to slowly wean her off the lithium, but it was too late. After two months and two court dates and two different mental institutions, she was up north of us being cared for by the same facilty where her grandmother had been, when she died. I got the call from my mother in the late afternoon that she was in the hospital with a septic blood infection. Her kidneys were failing. It was the same sort of infection and kidney failure that had taken her sister. 40 years of being in a wheelchair caused her kidney problems, but 20 years of lithium caused my grandmothers failure. She died later that night before I could get me and my brother there to tell her we loved her. Lithium was an effective treatment, her disorder was kept under control for a long time. Just don't let them keep you on it for too long.

Answer 2

My sister was on it for a while, and it really all depends on how long you take lithium. There are tons of side effects like tremors, hair loss, slow speech, dry mouth, thyroid problems, and even memory loss. Check out the website that I listed as my source, it has tons of information.

Answer 3

It is a strong reducing agent and is therefore a metabolic poison.

Answer 4

The ROCK says....hes got no clue!