Posted by preventa on August 2, 2011, at 21:05:54
I have been on varying doses of lithium for over 11 years. It is what saved my life. I had been hospitalized over 5 times in a 4 year span. I began taking lithium consistently in 1999, and I haven't been hospitalized since. My illness is Bipolar I. I have only had manic episodes. During this time I managed to graduate college and function in very good jobs, for long term.
I am currently 35, and for the last 2 years have been trying to figure out why my hair is so brittle and literally falling out. Why I have acne. I have struggled with my weight especially in the last 10+ years. So my psychiatrist thinks I'm crazy---pun intended, sorry--and that I should be able to deal with these side affects. She is cautious since I have had such success and am so high functioning on lithium.
I feel like I wasn't bothered by the thirst, weight gain as much until the brittle/falling out hair and lashes happened this year. I know that it is vain. But I am a female and I kind of liked my hair before now. I already saw my ob/gyn doctor, who ruled out any hormone abnormality that would cause the oily skin and falling out hair.I see a therapist (Psy.D) every two weeks and a shrink (MD) every few months. My therapist is against the change. My shrink is on the fence. Note: My shrink has only known me for 2 years and my therapist has for 12.
My health is of the utmost importance to me. I don't drink or do recreational drugs. I eat well 90% of the time. I just got a level and it was a 0.6. It has always been low. I also have no thyroid reaction. Kidneys still good. So, Shrinky raised my dose one year ago because she didn't like how low my levels came up. I was on 1350mg at night, now I add a morning dose to make it 1650mg.
I am just wanting input if anyone is in a similar situation or knows someone who was.
I have read and been told how the more you go on and off lithium in my situation, the less it works overtime.
At one time we had added abilify to my mix. I am wondering if I would be ok on just that. I have low enough self esteem to be fat, losing hair and have a face full of acne. I'm 35, not 13. Any advice is appreciated. Thanks in advance!
poster:preventa
thread:992641
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20110728/msgs/992641.html