Lithium users?

[goosemuffin]

I have finally decided to stay on the lithium. I have been on 600 mg for about a year, the new pdoc prescribed me 1200mg, double ok? I took the doubled dose for a week or two ( cant remember honestly) and was even more foggy and drugged feeling so I stopped all of it. After yet another melt down, I restarted the lithium but only on 600 as I know it helps without making me more stupid. So my q's are anyone else who has been on lithium or has any experience with it, Does the increase in mg make everyone loopy or is it just my tolerance? Will the loopy level out ?(therapist said it should level out in a week) I'm just not confident. Is going from 600 to 1200 kind of extreme?  What are the common dosage others are on and how does it help you?

Thank in advance to anyone who answers any of the q's. I always read here I just don't always respond cause my brain is on buzzkill.

[Dreamline]

That is a big increase!  I'm on 900mg right now and no problems accept its not working right now LOL.  I was on 1200mg (blood level 0.9) and it worked really good but I was so spaced out, couldn't remember shit and couldn't read very good.  I have a feeling my pdoc will try 1050mg next like he mentioned before.

[Paz]

 I used to take lithium, and I was on 1200mgs...then they put me on 1050 mgs. I took that dose for like 3 years. 600 mgs is not even a therapeutic dose! No wonder you were still getting loopy. 1200 is not that uncommon, but they will be checking your levels closely to make sure you don't get toxic. When I first was on it, I was really spacey, but that went away after awhile. It did affect my memory though...I had to write every thing down. I took the lithium and Depakote ER and an antipsychotic and a benzo for a long time cuz I was so crazy and was just learning about coping skills. Maybe the larger dose will help with the severity of your symptoms...the spaciness will go away eventually.