lithium and ms?

[Deludel]

Hi guys, I haven't checked in much since my diagnosis in October .. I guess symptom - free it's normal to try to pretend the dx never happened, except every night when I take my shot and get pissed?

Anyway, I've long been treated for bipolar issues .. nothing major, always Low doses of mood stabilizer. The one I took for years seemed to have run its course and my doc wants to change (as do I) ... She suggested lithium and as always I Googled it. The first thing I read was, it works on your central nervous system. That made me pause .. so I asked the doc about ms and lithium .. will lithium make it worse, or get in a disagreement w the Copaxone?? Ugh she had no clue -she's never treated anyone w ms (she is behavioral health)

I'm unable to call my MS doc today or tomorrow (in a meeting at work) so I thought I'd ask to see if anyone else has experience here?

When I do call my MS doc I want to ask her for a behavioral health referral .. If she knows anyone who knows ms patients.

Thanks ..
Lori.

[HVAC]

You can take Lithium with MS. It is important the Doctor prescribing knows all the drugs you are on. Like if you were taking Gabenpentin for MS pain. Many people with MS have other conditions. I take mood stabilizers and anti depressants. Many people with MS have mood disorders as well. Many MS doctors are doble board certified in Psychiatry.

I took Lithium for many years with no issues. It finally quit working and I had to switch to Depakote.

Alex

[Candykane77]

I'm have not heard much on these two drugs being used together however there was/is a clinical trial that was done involving both medications. I was unable to find any type of results (conclusive or early) but possibly this link may be able to lead you in a good direction.

Good luck and I hope everything works out.

http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01259388

[essdipity]

Hi. I don't know anything about lithium specifically, but have a general thought: Don't all psych meds, sleep meds, pain meds, mood alterers, etc., affect the central nervous system? I'd think the answer is yes, because they are processed in the brain and change the brain somehow.

So maybe it would help to investigate what long-term effects lithium has on the brain and the rest of the body, not singling it out as somehow different from other such meds. Good luck with this.

ess