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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 10 of 10. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by linkadge on April 30, 2003, at 14:09:48
I am taking Celexa 10mg and Lithium 600mg.
I have tried Lithium 300-1500mg and Celexa 10-20mg
but whatever I do they just won't mix.The ground feels like its moving under me. I feel like my body is waving back and forth. Objects look close, then far away, I feel light then heavy. All sorts of crazy stuff.
Does depakote mix better with Lithium ? I don't know why this is a happening, I don't feel in the slightest manic, in fact I feel rather normal, and am angry that I have get these effects.
ThanksLinkadge
Posted by Jack Smith on April 30, 2003, at 15:25:57
In reply to Help: Lithium and SSRI not mixing, posted by linkadge on April 30, 2003, at 14:09:48
There is very little clinical research on combining Lithium with SSRI's but there is a ton on combining them with TCA's. Perhaps you should try a TCA. Are you bipolar? or just unipolar because the research I am talking about is the use of Lithium to further potentiate antidepressants.
Posted by linkadge on April 30, 2003, at 17:09:34
In reply to Re: Help: Lithium and SSRI not mixing, posted by Jack Smith on April 30, 2003, at 15:25:57
The doctor says I'm bipolar but I'm not too
sure what I am.I am still fairly young (20) and a little concerned about the TCA's cardiac side effects.
Linkadge
Posted by Ritch on April 30, 2003, at 23:25:17
In reply to Help: Lithium and SSRI not mixing, posted by linkadge on April 30, 2003, at 14:09:48
> I am taking Celexa 10mg and Lithium 600mg.
>
> I have tried Lithium 300-1500mg and Celexa 10-20mg
> but whatever I do they just won't mix.
>
> The ground feels like its moving under me. I feel like my body is waving back and forth. Objects look close, then far away, I feel light then heavy. All sorts of crazy stuff.
>
> Does depakote mix better with Lithium ? I don't know why this is a happening, I don't feel in the slightest manic, in fact I feel rather normal, and am angry that I have get these effects.
>
>
> Thanks
>
> LinkadgeTry a different SSRI and see what happens. I was on Lithium and Prozac for seven years and it worked rather well.
Posted by SLS on May 1, 2003, at 9:44:09
In reply to Help: Lithium and SSRI not mixing, posted by linkadge on April 30, 2003, at 14:09:48
Hi Linkadge.
> I am taking Celexa 10mg and Lithium 600mg.
>
> I have tried Lithium 300-1500mg and Celexa 10-20mg
> but whatever I do they just won't mix.
>
> The ground feels like its moving under me. I feel like my body is waving back and forth. Objects look close, then far away, I feel light then heavy. All sorts of crazy stuff.
>
> Does depakote mix better with Lithium ? I don't know why this is a happening, I don't feel in the slightest manic, in fact I feel rather normal, and am angry that I have get these effects.
>
What other effects are you experiencing? There is a remote possibility that your symptoms are due to serotonin syndrome. There are a few anecdotal reports on Medline describing serotonin syndrome developing when adding lithium to an SSRI. The syndrome can look very different for each individual.Here's a list of symptoms:
1. Serotonin Syndrome
The symptoms of serotonin syndrome include the following:- Mental status changes
Confusion (51%)
Agitation (34%)
Hypomania (21%)
Anxiety (15%)
Coma (29%)- Cardiovascular
Sinus tachycardia (36%)
Hypertension (35%)
Hypotension (15%)- Gastrointestinal
Nausea (23%)
Diarrhea (8%)
Abdominal pain (4%)
Salivation (2%)- Motor Abnormalities
Myoclonus (58%)
Hyperreflexia (52%)
Muscle rigidity (51%)
Restlessness (48%)
Tremor (43%)
Ataxia/incoordination (40%)
Shivering (26%)
Nystagmus (15%)
Seizures (12%)- Other
Diaphoresis (45%)
Unreactive pupils (20%)
Tachypnea (26%)
Hyperpyrexia
Posted by linkadge on May 1, 2003, at 12:20:32
In reply to Re: Help: Lithium and SSRI not mixing » linkadge, posted by SLS on May 1, 2003, at 9:44:09
I had an experience with serotoin syndrome
with ST. John's wort before, and this is
definately different.
The meds seem to be fighting with one another.
Strange symptoms like someone is tilting
the earth beneith my feet. Also like someone
is pushing me from behind.It's kind of scarry.
I don't know what to do
Linkadge
Posted by Ritch on May 1, 2003, at 13:21:20
In reply to not quite that, posted by linkadge on May 1, 2003, at 12:20:32
> I had an experience with serotoin syndrome
> with ST. John's wort before, and this is
> definately different.
>
>
> The meds seem to be fighting with one another.
> Strange symptoms like someone is tilting
> the earth beneith my feet. Also like someone
> is pushing me from behind.
>
> It's kind of scarry.
> I don't know what to do
>
>
> Linkadge
>
Is there any partciular time of the day/evening that it is much worse? IOW, does it seem the worst when your Celexa blood level is peaking (2-6 hrs post-dosing)? Can you take your meds at different times to see if one or the other makes the symptoms worse (i.e.-take all your Li at bedtime and take the Celexa in the afternoon of the next day)?? You might be able to find the "culprit" this way-or possibly having them peaking at different times instead of together might eliminate the symptoms. The last time I tried lithium (added to Depakote and Celexa) about three years ago I noticed scale distortions (everything seemed tiny). Maybe there is something specific about Lithium and Celexa causing the weirdness?
Posted by SLS on May 1, 2003, at 14:18:39
In reply to Re: not quite that » linkadge, posted by Ritch on May 1, 2003, at 13:21:20
> > The meds seem to be fighting with one another.
> > Strange symptoms like someone is tilting
> > the earth beneith my feet. Also like someone
> > is pushing me from behind.
It sounds kind of like vertigo. Vertigo is listed as an "infrequent" side effect for Celexa.
- Scott
Posted by McPac on May 1, 2003, at 18:50:13
In reply to Re: not quite that, posted by SLS on May 1, 2003, at 14:18:39
These are characteristics of Remeron:
NE-alpha2 antagonist
5-HT2a antagonist
5-HT2c antagonist
5-HT3 antagonist
H1 antagonistZoloft:
5-HT reuptake inhibitorNow the question....if someone were to take Remeron AND Zoloft together.......if Remeron is an ANTAGONIST of different 5-HT receptors and Zoloft is a 5-HT inhibitor, would the two meds be CANCELLING each other out at these sites (thereby producing little good effects)? THANKS!
Posted by Ritch on May 1, 2003, at 23:38:29
In reply to Re: not quite that, posted by SLS on May 1, 2003, at 14:18:39
>
> > > The meds seem to be fighting with one another.
> > > Strange symptoms like someone is tilting
> > > the earth beneith my feet. Also like someone
> > > is pushing me from behind.
>
>
> It sounds kind of like vertigo. Vertigo is listed as an "infrequent" side effect for Celexa.
>
>
> - Scott
Scott, I'm glad you brought that up, because I used to get some occasional SEVERE vertigo spells when I was taking Prozac+Lithium (which I had forgotten about). There was a couple of times where I couldn't drive to work it was so bad. All I could do was crawl around and feel nauseous and dizzy and then poof! it would disappear. This was when the Prozac dosing was peaking. Maybe Linkadge's concern about lithium+SSRI not mixing is applicable here? Maybe there is some inner ear thing that is happening in response to both meds?
This is the end of the thread.
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