lithium side affects leadng to inpatient?

[BeeKeeper]

Deemd every couple of months my meds are increased to keep me under "control".  Recently increased lith. from 600 to 900.  I am literally crawling out of my skin.  I can't focus or think straight.  have an extremely hard time putting words together to type....hands are tremblling like mad and my eyes are darting all the time.

Sleep comes few and far between...an when I do dream it's night mares...so I don't sleep.

I truly, truly want out of this body!!!   To know what's like to b free and find peace.  Choices are to take enough pills to knock me out, our go to the inpatient clinic and have thnu me.

Anyone with like experience and ideas?

[irishwriter]

cutting!! well done again for stopping.

[jst4shanell]

I don't understand what you are talking about?

[irishwriter]

well done for stopping sh but it is not always easy. it can take a long time. i have tried everything possible and reducing from 30/90 in one day to 10 is the best i have done in long time.

baby steps!

[irishwriter]

just to reiterate what everyone said, get bloods checked, they may be able to do this in emergency room. some of those side effects might pass quickly if not toxicity. have you been having regular blood work? cutting is difficult to stop. i started sh of this typle last july and it excalated. recently i have reduced to 10/day and this helps. i didn't find it had anything to do with lithium but everything to do with extreme agitation induced by effexor xl. burned then too. have stopped that but have tried everything to stop cutting including contract with pdoc. the most i have gone is six days.

some helpful things that are recommended are:

holding ice in hands
flicking elastic band on wrist instead
diverting (like listening to mozart, this one i find the most helpful)
exercise
talking before it with trusted person
reducing each day if possible

it is a difficult thing to stop. i hope you get everything back to an even keel if possible for you. thinking of you.

[jst4shanell]

The blurry vision and forgetfulness really sounds like Lithium toxicity.  Get checked so you don't destroy your kidneys

[freebird227]

During some really dark times in my life as an adult I have wanted to cut so bad it hurt not to. But I didn't, my therapist had me sign a contract with her that I would not accidently or on purpose hurt myself and before I did I had to call her.Because of my delusional thinking during those times she had me remove all guns out of the house, because I might accidently shoot the wrong person ( ME )
Maye you have a good friend that you could do this with.
I will light a white candle for you tonight than you may find freedom and peace from this place your in.

[BeeKeeper]

Thank you friends...today is no better.  I actually fell over in a meeting and almost did the same thing several times.  Have non-stop hallucinations, blurry vision and very forgetful (even typing this).

I have to get through this work day first.  I will go to the hospital first thing in the morning.  I have serriously thought about checking myself into inpatient...just scarred of what that means....and scarred to admit my disorders have beat me.

I know...the cutting is not good...but better than holding a pistol to my chest to find my peace and experience the pain I've caused others.

Will go to the hospital tomorrow if I make it through the night.

[LeftCoastChick]

I have to agree with everyone here, get your blood levels checked, BUT if you can't stop or continue to have thoughts of harming yourself like cutting, you should really consider going inpatient, there are much worse things out there, and you won't have scars which you will regret.  It sounds like your symptoms aren't be controlled properly and I couldn't begin to guess whether it's from the meds or your BP(though you do sound quite manic), you need a specialist to check you out,
take care of yourself,
LCC

[jst4shanell]

Stop cutting yourself.  I know it makes you feel better, but it is not healthy.  It is not the medication.  You are using this as a coping mechanism and it's not good.  You do have control over your life.  I used to cut and I still look at the scars and it will always bring me sadness.  There are others ways to cope.  I know sometimes it just feels too overwhelming, but next time you want to cut, write this forum and talk it through.
You should really have your blood checked ASAP.  No joke.

[jimgreg]

just as  jst4shanell   said i went trough all these last December 08

i was on 600 mgs  did great on it..it helped me the best in the world feelings..then i wanted my gpdoc to up me to 900 mgs my serum leves at this time were .6  at the low end but was realy good enogh..i wanted to be at .9  so with in a month..i went toxic and didnt even know  it..i strared timbling so bad that i couldn't think how to get on medhelp to find out anything..but i was very calm..and relaxed..i slept good till this point was up 9 days in a toxic sate..i had wild dreams that seemed so real.. then i stopped taking it..that made it worse so i called cvs they said to take 1.i did i stooped shaking and even drove there to get meds..but got delusional  bad..hallucinated 3 day off and on..its like i knew what was going on but couldnt bring myself to call the squad..

my daughter came here and called them..i was in i.c.u.. for 4 days about lost my 1 kidney..was a bad experience..people think i,m nuts but i loved that drug and i,vie got a appt monday to see my 1st pdoc since i became bp..he might want to put me back  ..if you feel this bad   PLEASE GET TO THE ER  THEY WILL CHECK UR BLOOD LEVELS DOESNT TAKE LONG TO TAKE BLOOD..AND THEYU WILL TAKE A CHEMATRY PROFILE..I NEVER FELT BAD UNTIL I REAECHED TOXIC STATE..WITCH IS 1.2-1.5  I WAS PAST THAT TO MY SEREM LEVEL WAS 3 THIS WAS SEVRE..THEY THOUGHT I TRIED TO OVERDOASE..BUT A SPELIST CAME ON AND SAID THIS WASENT THE CASE..I HAD DEHYDRATED AND THAT MAKES THE TOXIC ALOT FASTER.AND IM ON BLOOD THINNERS ALSO it made my blood go thin......THIS CAN BE TOXIC  STATE THAT YOU COULD BE IN..IT  USSALY MAKES PEOPLE SLEEP GOOD AND HELP THEM IT DID ME GOOD TILL THIS HAPPEND.....GO GET CHECKED..LET US KNOW    JAMES

i was s

[jst4shanell]

Lithium toxicity in no special order-
Blurry vision
Forgetfulness
off balance (running into things)
really  bad hand tremors
hallucinations
not eating
frequent urination

Now all of these sound like some normal Lithium side effects.  If you are in doubt get you blood level's checked.  You can become toxic from 600mg to 900mg.  It happened to me and the worst part was people telling me something wasn't right with me and I didn't believe them.  Better to be safe.

[ILADVOCATE]

You need to speak to your psychiatrist about this. Its of concern as things are not working out. I've had this feeling from raising the dose of antipsychotics which is akathesia a temporary movement disorder that can be easily treated with a side effect pill. Lithium can increase the blood level of an antipsychotic but if you are not taking an antipsychotic I have not heard of that as a side effect of lithium by itself though. Speak to your psychiatrist as its seems things are not working out and there is some side effect you can't handle.

[BeeKeeper]

Added note to this is that making small cuts on myself seems to momentarily take awy the crushing feeling I have to do more harm.  Is this also the lithium?