Lithium

How many of you guys are on Lithium?

Do you have to take it more than once a day? How often do you have to check your blood levels?

Thinking of asking my psychiatrist or the hospital (whichever I see first) , that I try it.

I was on Lithum for a long time, usually between 750-900mg at bedtime. At first the blood tests are frequent, couple times a week, for them to figure out how much you need. After they figure out the right dose for you, blood tests will become more and more infrequent. Maybe once a month, then once a couple months.

The window for a theraputic level isn't all that large, so you gotta take it under the supervision of a doctor.

That's the thing holding me back. All the blood tests...

yeah, I've gone through about 50 blood tests and I still don't have an easy time with them. Almost passed out once, that really wasn't fun.

But you can try some tricks like keeping your eyes closed, focused breathing (a slow, but forceful breath out at the time of the prick), pinching another area of the body to keep the mind focused on the self inflicted part of it rather than the needle, curling your toes up, flexing the muscles in your legs or some other part of your body.

-- Mon Jul 04, 2011 6:46 pm --

Oh, and you can also try rewarding yourself. Like, plan to get ice cream after or something.

Thanks for the advice. I really do hate needles. It's so... barbaric, to me. I still remember the time I went to the hospital, they put an IV in my hand & I almost passed out. Like, I started getting tunnel vision & they had to lie me back.

I'm not sure if I need Lithium or not. I had extreme mania over the past few days but now it slowed down & I feel almost normal. I'd ask my psychiatrist but he doesn't even believe I'm Bipolar (Not even Borderline!), even though my therapist gave me the diagnosis (who sees me every week & sees my mood changes). I wouldn't mind being on Lithium & getting a needle every few months or even once a month. But, it's the starting period that scares me. I really hate the thought of needles.

I take it twice a day for a total of 600mgs. I get my blood checked once every 3 months. It's not too bad. It has helped my mania tremendously.

I've been on lithium about 10 months now. After being on the correct dose I get my blood checked every 3 or 6 months depending on doctor's orders and liver function once per year. For a liver function test they take blood same as your lithium level test. I used to almost pass out from shots, but have grown so used to blood tests that I can watch the blood go into the vial. A positive side effect. Most of the nurses I have had put the needle in with barely a prick, but the one I had last time I could really feel the needle.

I am on 1200 mg lithium, taking 300 in the morning with breakfast and 900 in the evening with dinner.

Yeah, if the person who is taking it out is skilled it really makes a difference. There's this young lady at an independant lab who somehow makes it feel like nothing!

MMonroe wrote:I'm not sure if I need Lithium or not. I had extreme mania over the past few days but now it slowed down & I feel almost normal.

I retract this statement.

Thanks for the replies everyone!

Glad everything is okay and stuff