Posted by RiFi on March 12, 2012, at 19:22:08
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 my body isn't able to clear the drug as quickly as other people. The combined effect of being a slow metaboliser and the Lithium potentiation of my anti-depressant meant that my seratonin blood levels rose too high for too long, resulting in Seratonin Syndrome.
Continued below...
poster:RiFi
thread:1012906
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20120302/msgs/1012911.html