r/Lithium

hello, f21 here. i’ve been on lithium for about 9 years now. 300 mg, no issues. but i recently was prescribed an antibiotic called diflucan when i went to the med center. 2 days after taking it, i started experiencing the worst symptoms of my life: i can’t concentrate, i don’t feel real, im so dizzy and nauseous, my mind won’t stop spiraling, i don’t want to do anything, im exhausted, my anxiety is sky high.

it has been 7 days since i took the diflucan and i am still so dizzy, nothing looks/feels real, i can’t focus or think. it should’ve stopped by now. my work life is deteriorating.

has anyone have anything life this happen to them after an antibiotic? is this something to go to the ER for? i’m genuinely scared and feel like i’m losing my mind, im praying i am hopefully not going into psychosis or something.

I need to go back to work. I'm currently in the process of being made medically redundant in my current role, but I'm not eligible for any benefits (UK) and waiting for my pip tribunal.

But in the meantime a recruiter contacted me about a role in a sector I'm keen to get into.

But my question is, how do you manage work and the fatigue? It would be 4 days a week with 2 in the office. However, today I managed to do the washing up and take the bins out and then needed to lie down because I just felt so unbelievably tired. I'm not even on a high dose for my mdd (400mg)

So how are you all coping? Any advice is so so welcome

Edit: I've been on it for 2 months, I also take 50mg of quetiapine and 300mg of trazodone

for my young people out here I’m 26F and finding my skin looks so old after I up a dose? like dark circles the elasticity is bad I even got Botox and does not have the normal effect. wtf is this does it go away and what has helped people?

Is anyone on both meds together?

I got a Foundayo rx with the stipulation that I discuss it with my psychiatrist before the first dose. Not that it couldn't be prescribed with my lithium but just that it would require closer monitoring. Messaged my psych and she basically said no because of the *potential* for interactions. However, I have read published medical articles on using GLP-1s with lithium, and the recommendations were decrease the lithium before starting/increasing dosages, monitor self for signs of lithium toxicity, and more frequent blood draws to check lithium levels. Boom. I'm all in on this, fully on board. But my psych is not. The problem is she's pretty new to me, only 2 sessions together, an NP (don't respect as much as an MD), BUT... she prescribed me the controlled meds I need. That last part can be hard to find.

Do I wait to see her in person and advocate for myself harder? Or just start the hunt for my unicorn psychiatrist? I'm willing to start cutting down on my lithium to make a GLP-1 work. I only plan on using it for 3-6 months anyway. Ugh. Any insight appreciated.

I have bipolar I (with psychotic features) and I'm waiting for the lithium to take full effect before starting a demanding, unpredictable corporate job at the end of the year. I'm pretty worried because I can't afford to have a severe manic or depressive episode at work. I can't crash and disappear or act noticeably manic. It could damage my reputation or get me fired.

I've had episodes in office settings before, but it was fine because my boss was pretty chill. For example, during one manic episode, I stayed in the office for three days, then crashed and disappeared for days without contacting anyone. The office ended up calling my emergency contact. I can't let something like that happen again in this role.

Do you feel like lithium made it realistically possible to function in a high-pressure career with bipolar I? Are you able to hide it?

I'd really appreciate any real-world experiences from people managing bipolar while holding down demanding jobs where you can't disclose this.

I’ve been on Lithium for two years now. Within the first few months my hair started to fall out more often. I used to have thicker hair, and I’ve been trying to grow it out for a long time now.

It’s currently down to my waist, but it doesn’t even look like it. It’s been slowly thinning out these past couple of years, especially after I bumped my dosage up to 600 then 750 since last May. If I part the bottom half of my hair, it’s shoulder length compared to the rest of it. The ends are thin and frail and the overall health of it is plummeting. I don’t know what to do. I use great hair products, rarely use heat, I have a good diet. I’m being told to take biotin, but I’m an impatient fuck and stopped taking it after two months from no instant dopamine results. I’ve been so close to cutting it all off.

I know hair loss and growth is a strenuous journey that needs patience, but this is such an insecurity that I just end up throwing my hair up and trying to ignore it, pretend it’s not happening. Is this normal? Has anyone else experienced gradual hair thinning on lithium?

Hi guys, i’ve only been taking lithium (450mg) for 5 days now after putting it off for a month because I was scared. Today and yesterday i have been feeling myself slip into a depressive episode. I just wanted to see if that’s a normal thing right after you start or if I should be concerned?

so lithium made me gain about 15-16lbs. i don't like it at all. my doctor prescribed metformin but i havent lost any weight on it yet. anyone else have better luck?

I feel more tired and unmotivated on lithium. Im not classic bipolar more nos but before lithium i had energy and interest in doing stuff and now much less. Have you dealt w this and how did it improve?

My son just started his first dose last night. I know everyone is different but when did you all start feeling better or feel a difference per say. Are we parents in for anything crazy, not sure how much more I can handle with my kids mental health journey but we are here too help him get back to who he used to be.

Lithium has me peeing a lot. Sometimes 3x per night. Does that happen to anyone else? How do you deal with it?

hello! no negative feedback please, only looking for positive responses! i have severe treatment resistant depression, and was curious when the first signs of improvement may show up? i’ve researched things a bit but i don’t like looking into things too much— i try to avoid as much negativity as possible. any comments are appreciated!

A week ago, my psych decreased my dose from 1350 to 1200mg after my bloodwork showed a 1.2. In this past week, I’ve become extremely sensitive and have cried a lot over everything, big and small.

Does anyone have experience with this? I’m hoping this will pass because I do need my lithium levels lower, but I feel awful.

Any advice is welcome 🫶🏼

Hey guys I take a very low dose only 150mg a night, it’s been helpful for me but I’ve seen other people post about constant peeing and dryness. I have had both these issues for the whole time I’ve been in it about a year an a half) I know I need to drink more water but I was wondering if any other women have issues with dry and itchy labia and folds around the vagina, sometimes burning urethra that’s not consistent. It could be unrelated but I feel I haven’t had this issue before I was on lithium. And I clean myself regularly and unscented soap and whatnot. It’s very annoying.

Also I’ve gained like 60lbs on this and was wondering if you go off of it is it easy to loose the weight?

I've just started kind of urgently, last four days I've been on 200, and will go up to 400 after a week.

I don't feel anything. Does anyone know how long it takes to have an effect, in your experience?

I have a stomach virus (not food poisoning), I feel nauseous, threw up once and have been having diarrhea multiple times an hour. Haven’t eaten anything aside from one piece of toast, but I can keep down water and stuff.

Not really worried about toxicity (my levels are low) but the diarrhea and vomiting, as lithium already tends to cause nausea for me. Would it be ok to skip? Or should it not make much of a difference taking it?

Recently diagnosed and trying to find my cocktail.

Lithium caused dandruff on my face. Has this happened to anyone else?