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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 12 of 12. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by rjlockhart37 on August 26, 2020, at 21:04:23
i read various sources, that people who take lithium for mood stablization, it has to build up in their system. But say if you take a 300mg lithium carbmate tablet, would it right away, and feel stablized? or is it over a period of time
by the way 7up softdrink and litha water had lithium in them for hang over drinks
but does anyone know awnser to this, people take lithium
Posted by stargazer2 on August 27, 2020, at 0:37:08
In reply to how long does lithium take effect, posted by rjlockhart37 on August 26, 2020, at 21:04:23
For me lithium seems to kick in right away. I take 300 ER only 1x/wk and I said to my new doc it works but she wanted me to Increase it to every day. Every doc wants to change the formula that works even though they dont understand why it works. So I started with every other day and it made me so tired I knew it was too much. Maybe I just need the lowest dose of the Immediate release which would be 100mg.
I am ultra sensitive to most meds but that hit me pretty hard. Then I tried to go up to 300 every day before my MD appt to meet her expectations and I had troubling talking. Now Im back but taking maybe 2-3x/wk to just have a higher dose in my system w/o side effects.
I think Ill go down to 100 though. My call as I know how I feel, docs never will in psychiatry.
Posted by linkadge on August 27, 2020, at 8:57:11
In reply to Re: how long does lithium take effect » rjlockhart37, posted by stargazer2 on August 27, 2020, at 0:37:08
It can have antidepressant effects right away (it actually shares some targets of fast acting drugs like ketamine). However, for bipolar mood stabilization, it usually takes a few days or weeks to fully stabilize. There is evidence too that longer term lithium therapy can help improve brain structure (which, over time also helps with stabilization).
It might look something like this:
https://www.desmos.com/calculator/a0lxnm3cus
Linkadge
Posted by rjlockhart37 on August 27, 2020, at 19:25:53
In reply to Re: how long does lithium take effect, posted by linkadge on August 27, 2020, at 8:57:11
what happens if....i take lamotragine, 400mg. It does have an antidepressant effect, so adding lithium, ultra mood controlled.
Wonder if it would have more antidepressant benefits, my doctor was about to use lithium one time. But we changed mind, and used deplin, instead. Lamotrragine is depressive bipolar, but lithium i've read has many benefits, i just don't know how those 2 antidepressant effects would synergy together.
Posted by rjlockhart37 on August 27, 2020, at 19:29:21
In reply to Re: how long does lithium take effect » linkadge, posted by rjlockhart37 on August 27, 2020, at 19:25:53
i can notice lamictal, in the mornings, 400mg. When i take prozac in the morning, i will notice antidepressant lift, and i feel back to myself. Then we added lamotragine, and now sometimes i take 2 200mg tablet of it. Prozac, will always stay on it, the mood lift it gives in the morning, to keep depression away. I've gotta stay with it.
but lithium i've been curious about, like a 300mg capsule for antidepressant effects
Posted by rjlockhart37 on August 27, 2020, at 19:34:17
In reply to Re: how long does lithium take effect, posted by rjlockhart37 on August 27, 2020, at 19:29:21
side comment - mood stablizers actually do work in some ADHD, when they pulled me off everything. Adding seroquel, lamotragine, olazpine, it kinda has slowed me down, but in a way i grew, after the years. Adderall is pep pill and you can strung out on it, dexedrine i hated the crash, i would drink hard liquor after dexedrine worse off
Posted by SLS on August 27, 2020, at 23:55:12
In reply to Re: how long does lithium take effect » rjlockhart37, posted by stargazer2 on August 27, 2020, at 0:37:08
> For me lithium seems to kick in right away. I take 300 ER only 1x/wk and I said to my new doc it works but she wanted me to Increase it to every day. Every doc wants to change the formula that works even though they dont understand why it works. So I started with every other day and it made me so tired I knew it was too much. Maybe I just need the lowest dose of the Immediate release which would be 100mg.
> I am ultra sensitive to most meds but that hit me pretty hard. Then I tried to go up to 300 every day before my MD appt to meet her expectations and I had troubling talking. Now Im back but taking maybe 2-3x/wk to just have a higher dose in my system w/o side effects.
> I think Ill go down to 100 though. My call as I know how I feel, docs never will in psychiatry.
>For me, lithium improves depression at low dosages and exacerbates it at high dosages. I ran across a paper describing a biphasic effect of lithium on glutamate:
1. Low dosage = increased glutamate activity = antidepressant?
2. High dosage = decreased glutamate activity = antimanic?
Lithium does so many things, its hard to keep up with.Antidepressant.
Anti-suicide.
Anti-manic.
Anti-Alzheimer's Dementia.
Anti-brain cancer.
Prevent or improve the outcome of radiation treatment on brain tumors.
Increase BDNF.
Linkadge should be able to put together a longer list of uses for lithium.
- Scott
Posted by Stargazer2 on August 28, 2020, at 0:30:22
In reply to Re: how long does lithium take effect, posted by SLS on August 27, 2020, at 23:55:12
I would also add Lithium is considered a neuroprotective agent
and it has been shown to protect the brain from damage luring severe depression that is not treated successfully.
Posted by linkadge on August 29, 2020, at 9:14:25
In reply to Re: how long does lithium take effect/SLS, posted by Stargazer2 on August 28, 2020, at 0:30:22
A number of health experts have actually recommended adding trace amounts of lithium to the drinking water (regions with higher lithium in their water have lower rates of suicide and perhaps violent crime - although there could be other factors involved).
I find that even lower levels of lithium (i.e. 150mg) have a positive impact on my mood, especially if taken for a longer timeframe. Some psychiatrists have recommended lithium even in lithium-unresponsive patients, arguing that there may be longer term benefits that are not seen right away.
Lithium is used with lamotrigine all the time. I briefly used the two together, although lamotrigine wasn't agreeing with me at the time. I wish I had given lamotrigine a longer trial.
Linkadge
Posted by Lamdage22 on August 29, 2020, at 9:49:10
In reply to Re: how long does lithium take effect/SLS, posted by linkadge on August 29, 2020, at 9:14:25
Anti-suicidal: In my case: Immediately
Posted by rjlockhart37 on September 1, 2020, at 15:05:31
In reply to Re: how long does lithium take effect/SLS, posted by linkadge on August 29, 2020, at 9:14:25
but added lithium, to lamotragine, i take a moderate high dose, 400mg. I take 2 200mg tablet every morning with Prozac. seems to level out and bring me out of depression.
But if lithium was added to lamotragine - say like 300mg lithium, what exactly would happen
Posted by Lamdage22 on September 1, 2020, at 15:30:38
In reply to Re: how long does lithium take effect/SLS, posted by rjlockhart37 on September 1, 2020, at 15:05:31
May help suicidal thoughts. I take 225. And it does help with that.
These are the interactions.
https://www.drugs.com/interactions-check.php?drug_list=1477-0,1430-0
This is the end of the thread.
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