Posted this on the Holistic thread but wanted to put it here as well. Don't want to scare anyone but needs to be said......
I am Bipolar 1 and recently started taking Lithium Carbonate for manic episodes. Please be careful taking this - it is natural, yes, it is a salt, yes - BUT it can become toxic in your system very easily if you don't have it monitored by a Dr (blood levels) and you don't drink enough water, or you eat a low-sodium diet, or if you drink lots of coffee, or if you drink too much water, or if you have thyroid issue....
Please see a doctor before trying this....it is "natural" but it can be extremely toxic in high blood serum levels (and that does not necessarily mean you take high dosages - it depends on your kidney function, how much you drink etc etc etc - you will also need to be tested for kidney function before taking it, and you need to get your thyroid checked as can cause problems with that as well).
It is a bad drug to take if you are drinking alcohol - alcohol dehydrates you and increases Lithium concentrations in your blood - this can be dangerous, very dangerous.
Lithium is also shown to slow the metabolism by up to 15%, so it can cause weight gain too. There are always problems with fluid retention (it's a salt after all), and you can also get tremors.
Please guys, tread carefully with this one - and get checked out by your Dr before you start taking it - it's not something you can just self-treat with. Put it this way - my P-doc told me that when doctors commit suicide it is most often with Lithium as it can get very toxic very quickly and works very well for a bad outcome.
It is the first treatment of choice in Bipolar as a mood stabiliser, but it needs to be monitored. Bipolar affective disorder is a chronic condition and the relief gained from lithium can be enormous - to the patient and their family - mania is horrible. However, it comes with risks and there are many other drugs on the market to assist with cravings.
Please be very very careful.
Cashy
I am Bipolar 1 and recently started taking Lithium Carbonate for manic episodes. Please be careful taking this - it is natural, yes, it is a salt, yes - BUT it can become toxic in your system very easily if you don't have it monitored by a Dr (blood levels) and you don't drink enough water, or you eat a low-sodium diet, or if you drink lots of coffee, or if you drink too much water, or if you have thyroid issue....
Please see a doctor before trying this....it is "natural" but it can be extremely toxic in high blood serum levels (and that does not necessarily mean you take high dosages - it depends on your kidney function, how much you drink etc etc etc - you will also need to be tested for kidney function before taking it, and you need to get your thyroid checked as can cause problems with that as well).
It is a bad drug to take if you are drinking alcohol - alcohol dehydrates you and increases Lithium concentrations in your blood - this can be dangerous, very dangerous.
Lithium is also shown to slow the metabolism by up to 15%, so it can cause weight gain too. There are always problems with fluid retention (it's a salt after all), and you can also get tremors.
Please guys, tread carefully with this one - and get checked out by your Dr before you start taking it - it's not something you can just self-treat with. Put it this way - my P-doc told me that when doctors commit suicide it is most often with Lithium as it can get very toxic very quickly and works very well for a bad outcome.
It is the first treatment of choice in Bipolar as a mood stabiliser, but it needs to be monitored. Bipolar affective disorder is a chronic condition and the relief gained from lithium can be enormous - to the patient and their family - mania is horrible. However, it comes with risks and there are many other drugs on the market to assist with cravings.
Please be very very careful.
Cashy