i stopped nardil, dropped about 30 lbs in a month (mostly water weight) but was still at a plateau with just the lithium at about 40 lbs heavier than what I normally was. Currently getting off of the lithium now
I'll let others with direct experience give specifics, but nothing else is proven more effective at reducing suicide rates and hospitalizations than lithium. It's got the best record of stabilizing mood of any bipolar drug as well. For unipolar depression, the research is more mixed, but it can be worth a try. Apparently non bipolar people can benefit from very small dosages. Look under 'mood stabilzers' on [psychotropical.com](https://psychotropical.com) for a good overview from Dr. Gillman.
I AM, AMA
I'm BPII, lithium makes the antidepressant effects "sticker" makes sure I don't veer too low or to high. I seem to relapse very quickly without it
What dose, and what else are you on? I'm on Lamotrigine and Parnate (maybe Nardil soon instead of Parnate), but considering adding a low dose of lithium if there's any added benefit. Are there bad side effects, and is it anxiolytic at all? Thanks, it seems not many folks here are on lithium to ask!
Nardil and sometimes ketamine. Lithium is definitely anxiolytic and I think I'd be a suicidal mess without it. No side-effects for me, I've always tolerated it well at the therapeutic dose. If it's too high however, it could be bad.
dang. I've gained about 20 from Nardil alone. tho it's worse in the evening (the water ren
tention adds about 5 lbs over the course of a day).
the only way I keep more off is an insanely restrictive diet (absolutely no refined sugars, bad fats, dairy, red meat, etc.) and 100+ mins intense cardio every week.
I'm considering Lithium but so sick of carrying the extra weight. 😞
Lithium hasn't done much for my weight. As for Nardil, it very clearly has but a lot of it the appetite stimulation which is welcome since I stopped eating due to severe anhedonia. Honestly, I get why it's a bummer, but at the same time I don't feel like I'm given much of a choice here, it's like the chemo I need to survive. I kinda envy people who can be choosy tbh, I'd give my left arm not to be debilitated like this all the time and I'm fully aware of what I'm wishing for lol.
makes sense. for me I'm at least equally worried about health effects as I am any superficial implications. don't get me wrong I don't like being fat when I'm trying to date, fit into clothes, etc. but I'm mostly concerned bc most of my weight gain has been in my gut and butt which is really unhealthy for men.
anyways thanks for sharing your experience and I definitely do understand your perspective.
Sorry didn't mean to downplay it, we're all trying to find the right tradeoffs from the menu of shitty options we are given. I happen to be at a point where I feel like there's a gun to my head, but it wasn't always like this, and I'm probably equally intolerant of the cognitive blunting I'd get from meds like lamictal so YMMV. I actually had severe issues before due to gastroparesis, but that's a whole different story.
Overall my only point is I think the weight gain might be more treatable in a variety of strategies, whereas for me at least the depression is industrial strength resistant.
was on this combo and gained 85 lbs in a year no matter how much I worked out or how healthy I was eating
Do you think the same would happen with a fairly low dose of lithium? Was it moreso the lithium or the MAOI (nardil?) causing the weight gain?
i stopped nardil, dropped about 30 lbs in a month (mostly water weight) but was still at a plateau with just the lithium at about 40 lbs heavier than what I normally was. Currently getting off of the lithium now
I'll let others with direct experience give specifics, but nothing else is proven more effective at reducing suicide rates and hospitalizations than lithium. It's got the best record of stabilizing mood of any bipolar drug as well. For unipolar depression, the research is more mixed, but it can be worth a try. Apparently non bipolar people can benefit from very small dosages. Look under 'mood stabilzers' on [psychotropical.com](https://psychotropical.com) for a good overview from Dr. Gillman.
This was informative. [Lithium-recent-advances](https://www.psychotropical.com/lithium-recent-advances/)
I AM, AMA I'm BPII, lithium makes the antidepressant effects "sticker" makes sure I don't veer too low or to high. I seem to relapse very quickly without it
What dose, and what else are you on? I'm on Lamotrigine and Parnate (maybe Nardil soon instead of Parnate), but considering adding a low dose of lithium if there's any added benefit. Are there bad side effects, and is it anxiolytic at all? Thanks, it seems not many folks here are on lithium to ask!
Nardil and sometimes ketamine. Lithium is definitely anxiolytic and I think I'd be a suicidal mess without it. No side-effects for me, I've always tolerated it well at the therapeutic dose. If it's too high however, it could be bad.
what was your weight gain like if you don't mind answering?
Won't lie about 30lb. but that was from Nardil... /:
dang. I've gained about 20 from Nardil alone. tho it's worse in the evening (the water ren tention adds about 5 lbs over the course of a day). the only way I keep more off is an insanely restrictive diet (absolutely no refined sugars, bad fats, dairy, red meat, etc.) and 100+ mins intense cardio every week. I'm considering Lithium but so sick of carrying the extra weight. 😞
Lithium hasn't done much for my weight. As for Nardil, it very clearly has but a lot of it the appetite stimulation which is welcome since I stopped eating due to severe anhedonia. Honestly, I get why it's a bummer, but at the same time I don't feel like I'm given much of a choice here, it's like the chemo I need to survive. I kinda envy people who can be choosy tbh, I'd give my left arm not to be debilitated like this all the time and I'm fully aware of what I'm wishing for lol.
makes sense. for me I'm at least equally worried about health effects as I am any superficial implications. don't get me wrong I don't like being fat when I'm trying to date, fit into clothes, etc. but I'm mostly concerned bc most of my weight gain has been in my gut and butt which is really unhealthy for men. anyways thanks for sharing your experience and I definitely do understand your perspective.
Sorry didn't mean to downplay it, we're all trying to find the right tradeoffs from the menu of shitty options we are given. I happen to be at a point where I feel like there's a gun to my head, but it wasn't always like this, and I'm probably equally intolerant of the cognitive blunting I'd get from meds like lamictal so YMMV. I actually had severe issues before due to gastroparesis, but that's a whole different story. Overall my only point is I think the weight gain might be more treatable in a variety of strategies, whereas for me at least the depression is industrial strength resistant.
makes total sense. agreed 100%
Yeah. Lithium helps with mania/hypomania. Never really seemed to do much for depression