tripper Posted August 11, 2008 Report Share Posted August 11, 2008 I am currently withdrawing from 900mg of lithium daily taken away from me cold turkey. I am up and down and all over the bloody place, yikes!! I also have this overwhelming feeling of dread since coming off it. The dread feeling takes over and I can't sleep or eat or anything. Its like a bad case of nerves.Does anybody else out there have problems coming off lithium? I am up one moment to the point of cheering for the olympics and the next I am crying in the corner. I am finding it terribly hard to self soothe also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wednesday Posted August 11, 2008 Report Share Posted August 11, 2008 Forgive me , I must have this wrong, - I thought once you were on Lithium, you had to stay on it????????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saharah Blue Posted August 12, 2008 Report Share Posted August 12, 2008 Trip,Keep up going back to the self soothing over and over, as much as you can. I know it is hard to keep up with. I have to do this too (constantly), not being on meds.Remember your 5 senses, make a list of all the things that help in each area:1. Visual experiences that soothe me2. Sounds that soothes me3. Aromas that soothes me4. Tastes that soothes me5. Touch that soothes meGo back to the list when you forget or your moods start shifting faster than you feel you can keep up with.Self Soothing Thoughts Include:1. Validation - It's okay that I hurt and that I want to feel better.2. Reassurance - I can handle this pain, even though it hurts and I don't like it.3. Perspective taking - I have felt this way before, the feeling did not last forever last time, and it won't this time either. So, I know I can handle it.Love you,Sah*don't abandon yourself. It only grows the pain and chaos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tripper Posted August 13, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2008 Thank you sah. I have these written down on a page I put on my wall to look at when I start to lose it.Wednesday I was taken off lithium because it is very dangerous in OD situations and I threatened to OD on a very large amount of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fucktheworld Posted August 13, 2008 Report Share Posted August 13, 2008 Remember your 5 senses, make a list of all the things that help in each area:1. Visual experiences that soothe me2. Sounds that soothes me3. Aromas that soothes me4. Tastes that soothes me5. Touch that soothes meGo back to the list when you forget or your moods start shifting faster than you feel you can keep up with.Self Soothing Thoughts Include:1. Validation - It's okay that I hurt and that I want to feel better.2. Reassurance - I can handle this pain, even though it hurts and I don't like it.3. Perspective taking - I have felt this way before, the feeling did not last forever last time, and it won't this time either. So, I know I can handle it.Love you,Sah*don't abandon yourself. It only grows the pain and chaos.These are wonderful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
summersun Posted August 14, 2008 Report Share Posted August 14, 2008 I was stopped COLD TURKEY in march by my GP. I was on 800mg a day. I still feel that the side effcts of not being on lithium are going on. I am not allowed any meds now but I am challenging this. Its pretty bad when you have been on lithium and then it is stopped. You don't realise until it comes right out of your system several months later that it was doing something for your mental health. The doctors are all cruel bastards, its no different making someone stop any street drugs suddenly and then expecting them have to manage the withdrawals. I have seeked legal advice and pursuing a complaint. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
summersun Posted August 14, 2008 Report Share Posted August 14, 2008 p.s I found I was really hyper when I came off lithium. and also my anxiety and panic attacks came back. If you don't have to come off it then I wouldn't personally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tripper Posted August 14, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 14, 2008 summersun I totally hear you about the anxiety! In the past few days I've been getting so jumpy over nothing. I never settle to sleep properly and am constantly on edge. Also (and this is weird), my skin has dried out a lot which is making it extremely flaky and itchy. No matter how much moisturiser I use, its not enough. My blood serum level of lithium was taken yesterday and it is now 0.0mg/kg. It worries me, it really does! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
summersun Posted August 15, 2008 Report Share Posted August 15, 2008 Tripper, where you taken off lithium or was it your own choice ? I am only allowed propanolol for the anxiety now. It ok for the physical effects but for mental stuff its crap and you do need psych drugs to stop your mind racing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tripper Posted August 15, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 15, 2008 I was taken off it because I threatened to OD on it. It wasn't my choice, it was something the pdocs decided to put their head together and do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
summersun Posted August 15, 2008 Report Share Posted August 15, 2008 That was the same for me then. I did mess around with it and now they wont let me have anything except propanalol for the anxiety. I am now forced to buy prescription meds off the internet. I take diazepam every now and again and I am going to get some citalopram as I found that the best for anxiety and depression. They keep telling me 'cos I have BPD then I dont need meds- they were the ones that kept offering me it all like sweets and now they take it away. So cruel....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tripper Posted August 16, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 16, 2008 They know I need meds for my illnesses but take my mood stabilizer away. I think its a matter of time before shit hits the fan with that and something gives. I can't take the side effects of the withdrawl and not being on it. I feel like I am out of control! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nobody Posted August 20, 2008 Report Share Posted August 20, 2008 They know I need meds for my illnesses but take my mood stabilizer away. I think its a matter of time before shit hits the fan with that and something gives. I can't take the side effects of the withdrawl and not being on it. I feel like I am out of control!Could you re-approach them and "Honestly" say you wouldn't O.D. on them, or let you have scripts for a few days or a week at a time (That's what they've done for me for the past couple of months)... Might be worth a try anyway Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ann51 Posted August 21, 2008 Report Share Posted August 21, 2008 "Nobody" makes a good suggestion(even though she is not a "nobody"). It angers me that these doctors have done this this way. They treat heroin addicts better!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tripper Posted August 22, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 22, 2008 I am going to sheepishly request I go back on lithium. I know I need it now. Things are just weird without it to the point one moment I am pretty normal and the next I am crashing through the floor or worse... jumping out of my skin. I'm not even bipolar but this med was basically given to me to stop me wanting to neck myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ann51 Posted August 22, 2008 Report Share Posted August 22, 2008 Please let us know how it goes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tripper Posted August 25, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 25, 2008 Well I asked and got a big fat NO.Now I have to weigh up my alternatives... do I get them online? Or simply go to a really dodgy GP in my town who will give me almost anything? I am seriously considering the second option. I don't need to be told by my shrink (who thinks he knows how I am feeling) how I should be feeling 100% of the time. Sure today isn't a disaster but whats to say tomorrow won't be and the day after and the day after? If I am cured of suicidal thoughts then why did I just last night write another letter? I still have photographs of certain things on my laptop which are left to be desired also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ann51 Posted August 25, 2008 Report Share Posted August 25, 2008 I wish I could offer some sage advice, other than to ask you if your doctor would just give you a few days' or even one days' worth of medication at a time. I guess the one day at a time thing would be too much. (?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomaC88 Posted September 26, 2008 Report Share Posted September 26, 2008 I'm sorry to hear you're having trouble. How are you managing now?I was on 800mg of Lithium for six years, but decided after six years that it wasn't doing anything for me. My consultant helped me stop Lithium but I was weened off it, cutting each dose by half every two months. i never had any withdrawel effects this way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomaC88 Posted September 26, 2008 Report Share Posted September 26, 2008 Trip,Keep up going back to the self soothing over and over, as much as you can. I know it is hard to keep up with. I have to do this too (constantly), not being on meds.Remember your 5 senses, make a list of all the things that help in each area:1. Visual experiences that soothe me2. Sounds that soothes me3. Aromas that soothes me4. Tastes that soothes me5. Touch that soothes meGo back to the list when you forget or your moods start shifting faster than you feel you can keep up with.Self Soothing Thoughts Include:1. Validation - It's okay that I hurt and that I want to feel better.2. Reassurance - I can handle this pain, even though it hurts and I don't like it.3. Perspective taking - I have felt this way before, the feeling did not last forever last time, and it won't this time either. So, I know I can handle it.Love you,Sah*don't abandon yourself. It only grows the pain and chaos.I'm making a note of that too. That's really well described. Thank you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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