u/Fresh_Mountain5397

I’ve had 11 sessions so far (two weeks at 5 days/week). On the days I get treatment (at 8:30 am), I have been having at least a couple hours of improved mood in the afternoon. (Time of onset and duration of relief vary). The weekends in between (two weekends thus far), however, have felt unbearable.

Notably, I stopped all controlled substances (occasional alcohol, moderate cannabis, prescribed ketamine, prescribed Vyvanse, prescribed Xanax) the Friday before my first treatment, as directed by the TMS team. A couple weeks earlier, I had stopped Cymbalta with a cross-taper to Effexor, but I had to stop Effexor after about 2 weeks due to intolerable side effects (restless legs, insomnia). Predictably, I was miserable the weekend before my first treatment, and I hoped that things would improve quickly. The past two weekends, though, I have remained miserable, perhaps even more so because I am discouraged and unable to use medication or other substances for temporary relief. I am also noticing an increase in mental fatigue and pronounced irritability that has led to a couple instances of poor judgment, after which I feel ashamed.

At my worst, I feel like I have a “head full of bees,” distracted by inner noisy dialog and mental anguish, which precipitates an increase in SI. I am concerned that I am at risk for harming myself during these periods, given the instances of poor judgment that have occurred already. Hence, I have used 988 and support from a trusted friend to manage.

Can anyone relate to any of what I just described? Thoughts? Suggestions?

Hi - I just joined this subreddit, and this is my first time on lithium. It was prescribed for SI during a severe depressive episode (ongoing) at a dose of 150mg at bedtime. I have many reservations about the medication, and so I think my psychiatrist intentionally held back information when listing potential risks, complications, and side effects.

For example: why are people saying to avoid ibuprofen and naproxen? The MD did not caution me about this, nor did he say to avoid alcohol. Instead, he said that I could expect relief from SI quickly, “sometimes even after 1-2 days.” I have always doubted his competence, but not mentioning these things to avoid seems like malpractice. Am I over-reacting? I mean, what else didn’t he tell me???

For context: I am a clinical psychologist with 24 years of licensed experience. I am not stupid; just a little out of my mind right now. What else should I know?

I’ve had 11 sessions so far (two weeks at 5 days/week). On the days I get treatment (at 8:30 am), I have been having at least a couple hours of improved mood in the afternoon. (Time of onset and duration of relief vary). The weekends in between (two weekends thus far), however, have felt unbearable.

Notably, I stopped all controlled substances (occasional alcohol, moderate cannabis, prescribed ketamine, prescribed Vyvanse, prescribed Xanax) the Friday before my first treatment, as directed by the TMS team. A couple weeks earlier, I had stopped Cymbalta with a cross-taper to Effexor, but I had to stop Effexor after about 2 weeks due to intolerable side effects (restless legs, insomnia). Predictably, I was miserable the weekend before my first treatment, and I hoped that things would improve quickly. The past two weekends, though, I have remained miserable, perhaps even more so because I am discouraged and unable to use medication or other substances for temporary relief. I am also noticing an increase in mental fatigue and pronounced irritability that has led to a couple instances of poor judgment, after which I feel ashamed.

At my worst, I feel like I have a “head full of bees,” distracted by inner noisy dialog and mental anguish, which precipitates an increase in SI. I am concerned that I am at risk for harming myself during these periods, given the instances of poor judgment that have occurred already. Hence, I have used 988 and support from a trusted friend to manage.

Can anyone relate to any of what I just described? Thoughts? Suggestions?