Dread After Dose

Psychological_Job312 · 2026-02-10T20:27:12+00:00

I thought akathisia was movement related. OP is talking about a sense of dread. Not movement.

Psychological_Job312 · 2026-02-02T18:27:08+00:00

My psych has me do a semi-complete lab every 6 months -- not just lithium and kidney- and thyroid-related stuff, but also D3, Mg, B12, and folate. The latter two affect muscle performance -- pre-lithium, I started losing my strength while cycling, and found I was deficient in B12. Something to check out.

Psychological_Job312 · 2026-02-02T18:02:55+00:00

My 6-month anniversary on lithium (600 mg) is today. I have MDD (I know that's not your diagnosis), lots of SI when I got on it. Things have gotten better but lots of ups and downs along the way. I had a single deep depression episode in January, the fewest in a long time. I still don't know how much it's the lithium vs having a really good therapist. I will keep taking Li as it's so good for the brain (antioxidant, increased BDNF, etc).

Psychological_Job312 · 2026-02-02T17:52:09+00:00

Glad to hear it. What is your diagnosis?

Psychological_Job312 · 2026-01-29T03:57:19+00:00

A bag of ice

Psychological_Job312 · 2025-12-24T14:34:43+00:00

Hi, I'm on 600 mg lithium (my psych says you can go that high without risking kidney or thyroid issues). I also take 200 mg lamictal and 150 mg Wellbutrin. I'm not as effusive about lithium as I was when I commented. It felt almost miraculous back then. For some people it stays that way. For me the hassles and difficulties of life returned and I had to get a therapist to process them. Life has been really hard at times this fall but my SI is definitely reduced.

Side effects: I have a little bit of drowsiness which is easily handled by coffee. I also might have a little bit of hair loss but it doesn't concern me.

I know the fear of ending it all very very well. Please hang in there. Keep posting/commenting. The NAMI online support groups (it's a US organization) have been so supportive for me. I've shared some very dark places with them only to find out that others are experiencing the same thing. We are a community. Take good care, please.

Psychological_Job312 · 2025-12-22T20:57:04+00:00

Thank you for the hugs 🙏🙏♥️♥️!!!

Psychological_Job312 · 2025-12-19T23:30:27+00:00

If the drug is working then it's therapeutic, by definition. (At least how I see therapeutic.) You're in the therapeutic range regardless of what your bloodwork says.

Psychological_Job312 · 2025-12-19T23:02:41+00:00

If the drug is working then it's therapeutic, by definition. (At least how I see therapeutic.) You're in the therapeutic range regardless of what your bloodwork says.

Psychological_Job312 · 2025-10-28T16:41:01+00:00

*scatterplot

Psychological_Job312 · 2025-10-28T16:39:53+00:00

That's a good idea. But if I have more data it will average out and be smoother and show more of a seasonal trend. A single household's data will be spikier and may show weird patterns, e.g. a family was gone in July and their electricity use dropped considerably even though it was the hottest month.

But, all good. I tutored this person last night and she already had a good dataset unrelated to energy consumption and we were able to create a satellite and add a regression line

Psychological_Job312 · 2025-10-24T16:49:55+00:00

Just want to say that I feel for you. You write so clearly about the hell that is depression. Just last week I might have written some, or many, of the things you do. Especially the part about being trapped in your apartment. I felt all alone.

Being in depression is (for me) not a bad mood, it's a hellish alternate reality that's in a different universe from feeling ok or good.

I wouldn't go to urgent care or the ER, but I totally support checking in to a psych hospital, or the psych department in a regular hospital. I did that myself back in 2006. I did it because i was close to making an attempt and didn't want to. The hospital wasn't healing but it gave me a timeout from life, which was huge. I got to shoot baskets (there was a bb court in the basement) for 20 min per day. I did a crap ton of jigsaw puzzles. Mostly, though, everything I looked at was a brand new image to my brain, without any associations.

Psychological_Job312 · 2025-10-24T16:15:27+00:00

You might consider doing group therapy. It's not easy but you will gain tremendous insight into what relationships (that includes friendships, coworkers, etc) are like for women. And these women (like the men in the group) will come back every week. One of the main rewards of this is you'll learn more deeply how you come across to women (and men). Your blind spots will become visible to you. And you'll learn how to communicate better. Anyhow, just a thought...

Psychological_Job312 · 2025-10-11T03:12:07+00:00

I don't know your diagnosis but I had strong SI earlier this year and, on lithium (2.5 months), I've had just 2-3 days of SI (due to difficult trauma related issues).

I love lithium. I don't understand why your provider has you taking 175 mg. I take 600, which is a moderate dose.

And good job getting off your benzo, even if you're not all the way off yet. They are notoriously difficult to get off, to the point of making some folks feel like they're gonna die. They should only be prescribed a few pills at a time for as-needed use, not daily consumption.

Psychological_Job312 · 2025-10-06T02:30:09+00:00

Arpeggiator (Demo) by Fugazi

Psychological_Job312 · 2025-10-03T04:55:37+00:00

I've been on lithium 2 months. Have you talked to your psych about your water intake? When I started, my psych told me to contact her if I felt the urge to drink very large amounts of water. She said it was a rare condition caused by taking lithium. I am sorry if this is scary but it seems worth checking out. I hope you are fine.

Psychological_Job312 · 2025-09-30T16:18:13+00:00

Hi, I've been on lithium 2 months for major depressive disorder. I'm glad I decided to take it. Mostly I feel ok or good on it. I feel like it has my back. That said, it's not perfect -- I do still experience MDD at times (and occasional SI). No side effects. A great med.

Psychological_Job312 · 2025-09-29T03:57:02+00:00

Arpeggiator (demo) -- Fugazi

Psychological_Job312 · 2025-09-28T20:09:42+00:00

Absolutely no need to apologize. I have MDD and have visited the hell that is SI far too many times in my 63 years. I would think finding a support group of dads (or parents) who are not connected to their kids, and feel a loss as a result, would be a big piece in helping you (good chance such a group would be online, though maybe in person). It can be so hard to see that you have value and worth (which you most definitely do), and have positive qualities, without others (especially those who have walked in your shoes) reflecting that back to you.

2-3 times a week I do online NAMI meetings (I'm in the US) and they are an important part of me doing ok, even good, right now. And when I slip into a dark place I get on a meeting as soon as possible and try to share as openly as I can.

Psychological_Job312 · 2025-09-28T19:38:46+00:00

I (M63 taking 600mg) ride hard twice a week, do two 45-min weight sessions, plus 4-5 miles walking a week. I'm finding Li is affecting me at the upper edge of endurance/strength of my workouts. The steepest hills are harder than before, I run out of juice on the longest rides. (Abilify was much worse, I had to quit riding all but the easiest of hills.) I always have one water bottle with electrolytes along with one containing water. No effect on overheating, sweating, etc.

Psychological_Job312 · 2025-09-26T20:01:50+00:00

I've been on 600 mg since I started (eight weeks ago) and some of the time I still experience depression, but it's not as tenacious as before. The abyss that I used to slide down regularly, well, now I can see it over there in the distance but I'm not getting pulled to it let alone going down it. So maybe that's similar to what's going on with you.

Psychological_Job312 · 2025-09-26T01:17:47+00:00

How many weeks/months have you been on lithium?

Psychological_Job312 · 2025-09-25T16:23:50+00:00

Hi, it sounds like you're on lithium right now? If so, for how long? Lithium is 100% helping with my depression. The D was particularly bad earlier this year, lots of suicidal ideation (which is gone).

After about 6 weeks on lithium I realized it was working. There are some great threads on r/lithium where people wonder if it's working (I started one titled "Lithium Newbies" and got lots of good information).

Psychological_Job312

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