started lithium on wed when will i feel good?

[mcshane]

I have been hooked on painkillers for a year and went off of em and went into a deep deppression and lost my new wife.  I broke my leg and good hooked on vikes and perks and loved life with em and now I feel dead.   I have been on celexa 40 mg for 10 years and they quit working.  Now I am on 10 mil of lexipro and he just put me on lithium 600 a day.  I also am an alcoholic to self medicate.  My mind is working overtime on everything about my ex how she's already seeing someone else.  I just want to feel better

[Xila31]

Also until you are on the right dosage it may take a while. You'll need to have your blood tested to make sure you're handeling it well. Otherwise the only side effects I've noticed are you get really thirsty, have to use the rest room a lot, and can have some slight hand tremors.

[Vapor_A_Trail]

I'm sorry that you're suffering.  I've been through withdrawal before, having gone off of ativan cold turkey (a very stupid thing to do) and went to hell and back, so I can relate to your feeling "dead."

I've been on lithium in the past and although I know that for many it takes some 10 days (or even a few weeks) to begin feeling better, some like me swear to the drug starting to work in 2 or 3 days.  Don't know how much of this is mental (the mind is a powerful thing as we well know!), but it leveled out my depression/mania in short order.  At the present time I'm being stubborn and trying the drug free route - something that is probably foolish for me to do.  My guess is that I'll quit this experiment and go back on.

Drinking alcohol while on psych meds is NOT a good idea.  Lithium causes dehydration and guess what - alcohol does too!  It is important to drink lots of water while on lithium to prevent toxic levels from building up in your system.  I've suffered from lithium toxicity and let's just say that I do not recommend it!  Also consider that alcohol is a depressant - and you're trying to come out of a depression.  You're only complicating your situation.  

I hope you get relief quickly.  Be sure to drink lots of water, and try to take your dose at the same time every day.

Check back and let us know how you're doing.  :)

Vapor