Lithium toxicity or temp side effect?

[Dreamline]

I talked to the nurse today, they were calling to see if I was ok, my level is 1.4    Fuck that, no wonder it worked so fast.  How the fuck could it go from (1500mg) 0.9 to 1.4 (1800mg)??  Fuck this, I am telling my pdoc I want less.

[donna14]

1.4 is probably too high and is why you feel agitated.  Ideally you should be at 1.0.  Personally I have had tremors for years.  When you take Lithium, you get tremors.  You just need to learn to deal with it.  Accept that you are going to write like a three year old and that small buttons are a bitch.  Don't feel bad though.  Tremors are better than unstable.

Donna

[Dreamline]

Using a fork is a bitch too but a spoon, two hands required.     Oh well, for the most part I'd rather be stable and deal with side effects than deal with doing crazy shit.   My pdoc's office called after the labwork.  He wanted me to stay on the 1.4 level for a few weeks (probably to level my manic ass out)...and then go from there at the appointment.  I see my pdoc monday. 

FYI Paz, I am going to write a list of stuff to tell him, my memory is shot. (a whole sentace w/o a cuss word and a page w/o a single f---) LOL

[Dreamline]

I got a reduction!!!   I'm on 1650mg per day now instead of 1800mg.  My pdoc wants me to try a lower dose (like 1500) of lithium plus another mood stabilizer at a lowish dose.  I wasn't sure what he meant by "another mood stabilizer" and I didn't ask.  I sure hope this works out.  I can't stand these side effects but don't want to relapse.  I also said that I am very cautious of drugs even though at one time I was all about trying new things (ilicit) LOL.  I talked to him more than I usually do, about all that anxiety/panic stuff.  He wrote a bunch of stuff down.  He didn't write me a script for a benzo but I'm not manic so I didn't directly ask (in my experience it makes you sound like a "druggy" to ask, unless of course you're obviously manic at the time).  Hopefully this dose will work, or I am fucked and I'll have to try something else.

[Dreamline]

Ok, at a slightly lower dose, 3rd day, I already feel more alive...is it good or bad?  I'm not sure yet.

[Paz]

 If you feel alive, then it's probably good. 

[Dreamline]

I had to take some GABA to sleep last night, it worked and I slept 10 hours but feel jittery today.

[Paz]

 Jittery happens sometimes, that's why having a Benzo script is so handy. Valium takes away my jittery nerves, but I am very "high strung" according to everyone who knows me!   Shocking, huh? LMAO! 

 How are you doing otherwise? 

[Dreamline]

But I'm not normally high strung!

Other than that, ok.  I just met w/ a lady @ the pdoc's and she is helping me apply for disability, food stamps and stuff.  I still have a meeting w/ the DRS next week.  I have no money at all...my parents have to provide until I get income, food stamps etc.  So other than feeling inadequate, I'm ok.  How about you?

[Paz]

l am glad to hear that you are being so pro-active and really getting a handle on things! Way to go!   
I hope that any paperwork that you have to file will be quick and easy, it's great that you have someone to help you with all of that. Filling out forms can be confusing, especially if you are a bit dopey from meds. 
 I feel inadequate all the time, I'm such a helpless fucking child.    It sucks big time.

[Dreamline]

I guess most of us w/ BP are in the same inadequacy boat.

Hey I doped myself up with a GABA supp and it helped me sleep last night.  The GABA didn't work so well when I was manic but its been helpful lately.

[Dreamline]

Shit I need to try and sleep..dammit I am going to get a script for another med I can see it now.

[mooddisorderedmind]

I just started Lithium and I got tremors too. I talked with my doctor and he said it was a normal side effect and that it should go away over time, if it did not then it was the wrong drug. My tremors have all but disappeared. I have tiny shakes, but it does not affect my writing or driving or anything like that. The only trouble I had was when i picked up an object like a glass of juice, my hands would shake terribly, but that is gone now.

[LadyAshley]

I keep reading the same things. The common side effects are the same as what they say to "call your doctor immediately." So how the frig do you know what is normal?