Let's talk about lithium carbonate. It's an oldie but a goodie, the first drug used to treat manic depression, back when bipolar disorder was, in my humble opinion, more accurately named.
It's very cheap, which is why my broke, uninsured self is taking it right now. Years ago (1999 or 2000 perhaps) I took it and had problems with coordination (couldn't hang up a phone in the office). I think there were other adverse effects, but who can remember that long ago. I stopped taking it, is the main point here. On to the next drug experiment to try to level me out ...
But here we are. 2014. For financial reasons, I'm giving lithium a go once more. It requires lab work, as the line between a therapeutic dose and a toxic dose is thin. My levels came back low, which means I need a higher dose. I am sure when I see the physician's assistant last this week an increase will be recommended.
Not so fast. I don't want to take this shit anymore. I don't care if it might work at a higher dose. I don't care if it's cheap. (Yes, the biggest obstacle to bipolar folk's being stable and well is noncompliance. I don't f---ing care right now).
I had to call Poison Control not too long ago (2 and a half weeks maybe?) because I was having SOME but not ALL of the acute toxicity symptoms. I was advised by the prescribing doc that if I had these symptoms, I should stop taking the lithium immediately and go to the ER. I was unsure if I was toxic or not. And who needs an ER bill if you don't really require care? So I called Poison Control, explained that I didn't THINK I was toxic but needed more information about what I should be watching out for. The woman was extremely helpful. Since I wasn't throwing up, she didn't think I was toxic. She was concerned enough to call back in two hours to see how I was doing though. And then she asked if I lived alone. Yes, I said. This bothered her. She said one of the symptoms of toxicity is confusion. So if I started having the other symptoms I'd learned to watch out for, I might not realize I need to or be able to call an ambulance. We agreed I'd call the BFF and have her ring me at midnight and again at 6 a.m. to see if I was confused. (My BFF needs her own super hero costume, as much as I have been relying on her to save the day lately). I called the BFF and explained the plan, and she agreed to make the calls. I warned her that the Seroquel I'm taking knocks me out, so I advised her to call three times in a row before giving up and calling 911. She called, I answered and made sense, all was well. No toxicity.
But that was all scary as shit. (Google "acute lithium toxicity" if you want more info).
And there are other side effects too. Lithium makes my mouth taste like salt ALL THE TIME. Like I'm sucking on a salt rock. My palate is completely off kilter. I have to drink a ton of water to avoid being dehydrated, as that can make me toxic. I can't take NSAIDS (like the Mobic for plantar fasciitis) as that can make me toxic. There are other drug interactions, but I stopped listening to the doctor and just made a note that if I ever take anything OTC or prescription, I will inform the docs and pharmacists of my lithium dosages so they can tell me if it's safe.
So about my mouth tasting like the Gulf of Mexico. This means I can't comfort myself with food. At all. And I actually prefer Pepsi to Coke these days, because somehow my taste buds are just that f---ed up. And another thing. That Seroquel is making my mouth dry. So I need sour candy to make me salivate more. And sugar free so I don't rot out my teeth. I have yet to FIND any sugar free sour candy. I have settled on sugar free Werther's. The caramel apple kind. That is expensive. Furthermore, the Seroquel makes me eat all the time. Like, three meals a day plus a couple snacks, plus waking up three or four times a night to snack. I AM SO HUNGRY. Worse than being-on-Atkin's hungry. My fashion choices revolve around "What won't look like pajamas if paired with my yoga pants?" Because none of my jeans fasten anymore. I realize that my pants size woes pale in significance to getting myself well mentally. But damn. Getting fatter never helps me feel LESS depressed. *sigh*
Oh, I'm also taking Lamictal. It makes me slightly nauseated all the time. It's annoying but not overly so. I took it for years, and it helped me stay stable for good, long stretches. I can tolerate the queasy.
There are other adverse effects to this combo of drugs, but I'm out of motivation to detail them. I think this is the worst of it. Though I should mention that the Seroquel might give me diabetes or heart disease, things I'm already at a high risk of developing due to family history and my own Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (endocrine system disorder). So there's more lab work that goes along with that one too.
Ugh. It's enough to make anyone go off her meds. I won't, because that's what got me in my current nightmare. But I do hope I can go off the lithium in favor of something more effective and also more tolerable.
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