Posted by james_ukglasgow on November 25, 2009, at 0:43:49
In reply to Re: BP II meds? » james_ukglasgow, posted by hopefullynow on November 23, 2009, at 6:25:55
Hi there
I also take 400mg, I am just looking at the box and it is sustained release and contains 10.8mmol of Li (Priadel is the brand name). I take the tablet at bedtime.
When I first started it it only took a week to "put me back together". There is a thread at the top of the page about Lithium in which someone describes it saving their life. But I think it is a definite case of YMMV, everyone seems to need a different amount to get to the same blood level and/or start to get better. My blood level is currently 0.4
I understand your fears about it, in particular weight gain and muscle weakness. I am already overweight from the need to take oral corticosteroids, which I cant do much about but I dont think you would gain much at 400mg. It has not affected my muscles so far.
Hope you find something that helps soon.
I have tried just about every medicine in the book and this must be one of the best, for me at least. It does to me, the same as the poster at the top of the page, cause my hair to fall out (circular patches of beard hair), which is annoying. But, in the end I had to decide what was more important, which is very difficult, especially when you are used to living in your body only to find it changed by medication. I tried other things to avoid lithium's side effect but eventually went back to it.
poster:james_ukglasgow
thread:926170
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20091117/msgs/926912.html