Lithium...Anyone on it or has been on it?

Question

I started taking lithium on Tuesday. It is Thursday morning right now. I am wondering if anyone has experienced muscle type pain shortly after starting lithium. I am also wondering about small tremors. I can't see myself tremor but I can feel it, like everything keeps contracting and releasing. And I just generally feel like crap. Please anyone help. I realize that some of these things might go away after awhile but if I am going to be like this physically I would much rather be manic or depressed and not feel like crap all the time.

Answer 1

when i was depressed, the stupid doctor diagnosed me with manic disorder but i only had major depression.. anyway, he put me on lithium and you are right, it does give you tremors and make you feel like crap. going back to my experience, i don't remember tremors going away, on the contrary, they increased with time and they became very obvious. now i remind you that i was not bipolar so it might be different with you. tell your doctor about the way you're feeling, maybe he/she can decrease the dose or put you on some different medicine. it's still your third day so it might be because it's new for your body. hope you feel better soon..

GOOD LUCK

Answer 2

I've been taking Lithium for 2 years. Small tremors are a common side effect, my hands would shake when I started taking lithium, but if they become too severe it could mean your lithium levels are too high. Your blood has to be checked every few months or so to monitor your lithium levels because there is a very small gap between the necessary dose of lithium you need and an overdose. I didn't notice much muscle pain but I did get thirsty a lot. Keep drinking fluids. I also take mine with chocolate milk or yogurt or something because I have to take 3 tablets at bedtime and they are a salt so they can really irritate your stomach. Just follow your doctor's/psychiatrist's instructions and know that the side effects do go away eventually. Your body is just getting adjusted.

Answer 3

Hi. I have been on Lithium for over 10 years. When you first start taking it, you might experience several side effects including tremor, diarhea, lightheadedness, fatigue, hunger, upset stomach, extreme thirst, using the bathroom alot, and some confusion.

These will eventually go away. I had terrible diarhea and thirst when I first started taking Lithium. I also had a tremor. But once the dose got settled and I switched to the extended release version, I felt sooo much better. It took a couple of weeks to get settled.

Make sure that your Lithium levels in your blood are tested frequently since you first started. Most doctors try and keep levels between 0.6 and 1.1.

In the beginning it is hard, but once your body gets used to the drug, you will feel so much better.

Answer 4

My mother has been on Lithium for years, and I was on it for a while when I was first diagnosed.

The first thing you need to understand it is can take up to a month, or maybe more for an anti-psychotic to work in your system. When it kicks in, most of the side effects will go away.

I did not have muscle pains, but tremor is a very common side effect of Lithium. If it doesn't go away by the time you see your psychiatrist again, mention it to him. You can probably get on a beta blocker to stop the shaking.

Please give your medication a chance though, it always takes some time for a new medication to "kick in" and start altering your mood for the better.

Answer 5

I have no specific experience with lithium, but my experience with reacting slightly tough on medication tells me you should drink enough water/liquid. that is Always a good idea to start with if you have muscle problems. :)