Posted by RiFi on March 12, 2012, at 19:04:51
Hi All,
Perhaps the title should read Lithium 'potentiated' hypomania and anxiety, but I wanted to make it searchable for those who've experienced a similar paradoxical effect.
Short version:
Lithium potentiated (increased the potency of) the effect of my anti-depressant and caused serotonin syndrome. For me, the symptoms included: hypomania, increased anxiety and irritability, excessive rumination, diarrhea, headaches, body aches, stiffness (the muscles in my neck and shoulders became rock hard), heightened tendency to startle and excessive sweating. I am a slow metaboliser (a term that used to confuse me because of the rapid onset of drug effects I always experience) which means that the blood levels of medication remain high for much longer and the body isn't able to clear the drug as quickly as other people.Long version:
I have Bipolar II and over the last 3 years have trialled at least 5 mood stabilisers, the latest one being Lithium. Each time I started the new medication I'd feel better within hours - mood lifted, increased energy and motivation. The positve effects would last for about 3 days, then anxiety would kick in, my mood would drop, and 2 days later I'd have an enormous crash. As I'm sure many of you have experienced, if you have bipolar, sometimes these crashes can be fundamentally different from good old depression. For me I can go from feeling flat but ok, to an one hour later being on my knees with the deepest, darkest sadness where tears, unbidden, roll day my face and my heart aches with emotional pain. Cont...
poster:RiFi
thread:1012906
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20120302/msgs/1012906.html