Posted by BarbaraCat on September 13, 2003, at 14:46:24
In reply to Lithium Orotate » fluffy, posted by katia on September 12, 2003, at 13:51:11
First of all, thanks Katia and Katy. I'll write more on all the recent stuff later. I'm doing much better, got in touch with alot of old pain. Not that that makes things magically better, but it helps with the self disgust part (I really OUGHT to be over this. I really SHOULD get my act together, blah blah).
But anyway, on to the Lithium Orotate question. I tried it last year and before going into the why of why it didn't work, my humble opinion is that it don't work!
I too saw many of the very intriguing ads, and hoping to minimize the side effects of lithium (primarily thyroid related), I wanted to believe that much less was needed due to the more efficient orotic acid transporter.
I ordered a couple bottles for $30 a pop thinking to give it a try. In the meantime, my pharmacy mail order for lithium got lost, needed authorization and I ended out of lithium for almost 2 weeks. I started to get definitely hypomanic. At first, it was just more energy, more of a sense of urgency, plans whizzing through my head. I decided to totally re-landscape our yard and went out and bought literally palletts of plants, all kinds of gardening tools and clothing, books, landscaping software. Having a great old time spending lots of money we didn't have and making plans and then getting home and not having one whit of interest in the un-fun part, like unloading the plants, watering them, digging the holes, until they withered.
My husband pointed out to me that I was seeming a trifle scattered and I thought, slapping my forehead, Ah yes! No lithium! That very day, my shipment of Lithium Orotate arrived that I had recently ordered and I was convinced in true BP fasion that this was surely a sign from God. So I took it faithfully and got worse and worse. Even once my prescription arrived I held off, thinking that I had to give Li Orotate a fair chance. I even doubled it and kept getting worse. By 2 weeks later, I was in full blown mixed states depression, sobbing every time I passed by those pathetic plants. So I went back to good old Lithium carbonate and within 1 week I was back to 'normal'.
There's alot to argue here, like maybe I should've started taking it when I was stable first instead of already heading into a mania, or maybe I should've given it some more time, or maybe it really was the Li Orotate kicking in around the same time I restarted my old prescription. But I really don't think so. I think it just doesn't work the way they say it does, especially for people with BP illness. Perhaps it's good for the neuro protective qualities for people without BP, but not for us.
There have been some recent posts on this topic about two months ago. Try doing a search on it. Some babblers well versed in the biochemistry of it gave it a thumbs down. Thanks to you for caring about me. We live very interesting lives. - Barbara
> Have you or your clinic ever heard of Lithium Orotate? There are some posting on here about it, but nothing I coming from research or "doctors" (not that that ultimately matters). Just wondering what you've heard about it - it could be something for both of us actually.
> I asked my pdoc about it and he had never used it or I dont think he's even heard of it. So I don't really want to be his guinea pig. I'd like to hear from other people's doctors.
> thanks./
> Katia
poster:BarbaraCat
thread:9730
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030912/msgs/259679.html