does lithium bring severe insomnia

[adel_ezz]

I take:
risperidone 1mg
seroquel 75mg
stelazine 2mg

then i added lithium 200mg for the purpose of raising the dose to 400. Yesterday i woke up at 4am. today i woke up at 1am. i am really worried. does it bring insomnia or it's the interactivity with the other drugs.

I kept erring in the house at midnight walking and walking like mad
pls help

[Xila31]

Hi,

I would say it must be something ILADVOCATE was saying about a reaction between your other medications, or it is something in your own body chemistry causing this reaction.. I have been taking Lithium, first 300 mg, then 600 mg, and now 1200 mg, since December 2009. I have not had any insomnia caused from it at all. The only insomnia I've had is from my hypomania, which is not that often. I do not see any change in my sleep at all. If it is the Lithium then I don't have this side effect.

[ILADVOCATE]

Yes akathesia causes insomnia (if that's what is occuring) as motor restlessness can easily make it difficult to sleep. I was told by many psychiatrists that lithium increases the blood level of antipsychotics.

[bernie40]

hiya, having read the other post on insomnia which I actively engaged in back in 2008 (seems a million years ago).  I can now say from experience that this particular side effect did not last.  Sadly i can't remember how long it lasted but all I know is that it did subside and I slept well.  Hope that gives you some encouragement :)

[adel_ezz]

does akathesia include insomnia ? Because one of the side effects of lithium on the net is restlesness. I kept walking and walking at night so perhaps this is more than restlesness iot's akathesia. So could be as you said that it's the AP's increase in blood level

However does lithium increase the blood level of AP's for sure ??
thx

[ILADVOCATE]

Lithium can increase the blood level of antipsychotics and in this manner worsen akathesia. You could ask your psychiatrist about a side effect pill for that if they determine that's the cause of it.

[adel_ezz]

my insomnia is definitely from the lithium. NO DOUBT.
should i stop lithium and take depakine. i am running out of ideas.
or stick to seroquel near therapeutic dose. But what about taking AD's, CAN I stop taking them
thx