Lithium Experiences

[REOSIRENS]

Have you actually ever had a severe
depressive episode? You don't just get up out of bed, hop on a plane, travel and meet new people!!
You get out of bed....maybe
... and then you take your bloody medication.
A lot of seriously bad advice on this thread - uninformed, positive illusion, self helppy, pop psychology BS. Really not helpful.

I had once a very nasty depressive episode...I have experience on the subject of depression... Depression is a nasty physiological black hole that consumes mental energy and your nutrients (so you feel freaking tired and feel like doing nothing and just be sleeping)... To beat depression you have to do what depression tells you not doing(socialize...Going out of your home...Eat healthy...Walk...Take care of yourself ... Lighting up your room... Do something for others... Make yourself pretty...Finish your projects)

... And to fight and conquer depression you will need some nutrients and sometimes drugs... We are here to tell you what worked for us...

My success was
Lithium/cyproheptadine
Dhea/pregnenolone
Thyroid


This stuff helped me be positive but I still had to push myself to succeed in life... Because meds/supplements will not make you happy just by swallowing them... They will give you nutrients and fill imbalances that will help you having the positive thinking and motivation to fight for your life... But if you waste this nutritional kick still isolating yourself or staying on bed or not finishing college or waiting for a perfect situation you will not be able to climb the mountain...
It is harsh to say but it is the true...I had to hear these words as well and fight to be in better place... Had to fight to meet my woman to have better job to keep my friends(my depression was annoying them because for them I seemed not wanting to fight it)...Finish my projects...


Will tell you about one situation...Suffering from severe depression with a trip already booked I have tried to cancel it but last minute I decided to go... First day almost crying all day I have decided taking thyroid throughout the day and it didn't took depression away but gave me freaking energy to go visit places and meet(talk) people...And in the end I had an amazing week in Barcelona spoke with lots of people...Made some friends(not the lasting ones but still...) Enjoyed company of young bright intelligent people...Had company eating out... Took plane back home reenergized... Not saying to copy ... Just trying to give some examples... Life is not fair... But we have to fight our own battles and depression is a disease you will take on your back certainly until late life... But if we don't fight for ourselves who will?

I know depression will strike me some day in future but I feel better prepared and know the meds or supplements that really work...

 

[tankasnowgod]

Thx tankasnowgod. It's this product:
advanced research lithium orntate
I had it here. (?)
Do you have an idea of what would be an appropriate does of this?

We were discussing it in this thread- A Realisation - Why Doesn't Every Teenage Boy Have Prostate Cancer ? (Haidut mentions Lithium for the first time in the forth response, and as an exciting bonus, both John Goodman and Claire Danes are involved in the discussion)

Basically, much higher doses of Lithium (in the areas of 50-300g of the element) are used therapeutically in mental conditions, but those get into toxicity ranges. 5-10mg can be very effective, even for serious mental problems, and that's considered a "low dose." That would translate to 1-2 pills of 120mg Lithium Orotate a day. Even microgram doses seem to have a positive effect (I think 200-300mcg is discussed), so even nibbling on the pill over the week, or a weekly dose of a pill or two of orotate could have positive effects (I think Paul Jaminet used to recommend a weekly dose).

 

[x-ray peat]

According to this article, lithium could be anti-thyroid. Any thoughts?
Low-Dose Lithium: A Different, Important Tool | Psychiatric Times
"Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels must be monitored even with low-dose lithium. In women, induction of hypothyroidism is extremely common—and almost predictable in women with a family history of thyroid problems. The latter may be an uncovering of an autoimmune disorder. If your patient has a high-normal TSH value before lithium (eg, 2.5 mIU/L or above, and certainly above 3 mIU/L), she is at even higher risk for lithium-induced hypothyroidism.1"

 

[Regina]

We were discussing it in this thread- A Realisation - Why Doesn't Every Teenage Boy Have Prostate Cancer ? (Haidut mentions Lithium for the first time in the forth response, and as an exciting bonus, both John Goodman and Claire Danes are involved in the discussion)

Basically, much higher doses of Lithium (in the areas of 50-300g of the element) are used therapeutically in mental conditions, but those get into toxicity ranges. 5-10mg can be very effective, even for serious mental problems, and that's considered a "low dose." That would translate to 1-2 pills of 120mg Lithium Orotate a day. Even microgram doses seem to have a positive effect (I think 200-300mcg is discussed), so even nibbling on the pill over the week, or a weekly dose of a pill or two of orotate could have positive effects (I think Paul Jaminet used to recommend a weekly dose).

Thx tanksasnowgod. (Yea, it is on Jaminet's adjunct supplement list)

 

[Pointless]

Yeah it does seem to be suppressing my thyroid. My temp just measured 96.8 when it should be 98.3+ at this time of night with the coffee I just drank. It could be related to the ndt I'm taking but my dose hasn't changed that much. 5x/WK instead of 3x/WK. Still doing 5 mg 2x/day but I think I'll stop.

 

[REOSIRENS]

Just my opinion here... High doses of lithium are not beneficial... Why not start with very low dose of 50mcg and see how it goes? T3 helps depression as well but high dose causes hyperthyroidism and do more harm than good... just my advice guys... Start slow and then up the dose... Started low with lithium then increased as high as 450mcg but now I went low again for just 150mcg and I still feel really good

 

[Waynish]

Best lithium sources you've tried? Links please :)

 

[mujuro]

Ray has written back to me recommending pure Lithium Carbonate.
I buy (optical grade) Lithium Carbonate on Ebay.
Be sure you monitor blood levels, overdosing can land you in the ICU.

Regarding kidney effects, most people should be safe on 250mg carbonate, which is sold as Lithicarb. Even 125mg will produce a therapeutic effect. I take 450mg (Quilonum) and get infrequent blood checks, but in the past I was on 900mg and required 2-3monthly blood checks.

Anyone with kidney issues would be advised to start extremely low.

 

[High_Prob]

Best lithium sources you've tried? Links please :)

Memory Protect by Life Extension

 

[whodathunkit]

Yeah it does seem to be suppressing my thyroid. My temp just measured 96.8 when it should be 98.3+ at this time of night with the coffee I just drank. It could be related to the ndt I'm taking but my dose hasn't changed that much. 5x/WK instead of 3x/WK. Still doing 5 mg 2x/day but I think I'll stop.

5mg/day of lithium for a couple/few weeks affected my thyroid. For a week or so I felt great, improved, and then things started to deteriorate. So I stopped it, but then noticed I lost the gains, so I started back with very, very small amount. Like, mcg's per day. Little more than trace amounts but not much. Dribbled into my drinking water. Everything is fine now. I seem to have the good benefits without the drawbacks. IMO lithium is necessary for a lot of us but once we make up a deficiency with mg doses we just don't need that much (although we do need some).

 

[CoconutEffect]

@dilantinoid Thanks for clarifying. What you said about self-help is interesting; are you saying that stabilizing your mood stopped rumination?[/QUOTE]

YES - absolutely and instantly about an hour after taking 100mg of Dilantin, hence my username.
Check out this book -https://www.amazon.com/Remarkable-Medicine-Been-Overlooked-Autobiography/dp/0826410693/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1489691657&sr=8-1&keywords=a+remarkable+medicine+has+been+overlooked

Or google the 1 hour Dilantin test.
The same thing that happened to me happened to this guy, ^Jack Dreyfus, famous at the onset of his illness for being the "Lion of Wallstreet" oddly enough.
Decreased trait neuroticism
Increased conscientiousness
And made me immune to depression

 

[charlie]

My lithium arrived yesterday and I broke open the capsule and only took a tiny bit(trying to keep it in the micrograms) in some apple juice. Today I do feel a bit calmer, more focused. However, I broke out in hives. A huge hive will pop up for a couple hours then completely disappear as fast as it came. Itches a bit, but not much.

This is the one I took:
Lithium Orotate - 120 Capsules

Got another brand on order which doses in the micrograms and will give it a try.

Any thoughts on the hives? It's an odd thing to see such a huge hive show up, then gone as quick as it came. Other people report this around the net.

 

[High_Prob]

Pure Encapsulations sells Lithium drops. One full dropper is 2000 mcg which makes it somewhat easier to obtain smaller doses. It is the Citrate form which I know is not the ideal form for many...

 

[Pointless]

I've been taking <1mg doses of lithium orotate lately, and my exercise endurance has increased while eliminating subclinical depression and social anxiety. Great stuff.

 

[LeeLemonoil]

Any idea on these kind of Li-supplements? It's "ionic" Lithium ... and low doses would be easier achieved while avoiding fillers. I'm not sure though
if ioninc" Lithium is legit and effective

Amazon.com: Lithium - Premium Liquid Ionic Mineral (100 days at 500mcg per 10 drops) 50 ml bottle: Health & Personal Care

 

[CoconutEffect]

Any idea on these kind of Li-supplements? It's "ionic" Lithium ... and low doses would be easier achieved while avoiding fillers. I'm not sure though
if ioninc" Lithium is legit and effective

Amazon.com: Lithium - Premium Liquid Ionic Mineral (100 days at 500mcg per 10 drops) 50 ml bottle: Health & Personal Care

Isn't it necessary to reach therapeutic blood levels of Lithium in order to experience benefit? This is standard practice in medicine and I'm sure there's good reason for doing it. It's the most studied substance in psychiatry even if it is currently in competition with the newer more expensive drugs.

 

[Queequeg]

Any idea on these kind of Li-supplements? It's "ionic" Lithium ... and low doses would be easier achieved while avoiding fillers. I'm not sure though
if ioninc" Lithium is legit and effective

Amazon.com: Lithium - Premium Liquid Ionic Mineral (100 days at 500mcg per 10 drops) 50 ml bottle: Health & Personal Care

I would stick with the orotate as it has more data to back it up. Also advertising it as ionic lithium isn't exactly true and is a bit misleading. Lithium is very reactive so if it is lithium in water you are actually ingesting lithium hydroxide, an industrial chemical.

 

[CoconutEffect]

I would stick with the orotate as it has more data to back it up. Also advertising it as ionic lithium isn't exactly true and is a bit misleading. Lithium is very reactive so if it is lithium in water you are actually ingesting lithium hydroxide, an industrial chemical.

and Lithium Carbonate has the most data

 

[encerent]

My lithium arrived yesterday and I broke open the capsule and only took a tiny bit(trying to keep it in the micrograms) in some apple juice. Today I do feel a bit calmer, more focused. However, I broke out in hives. A huge hive will pop up for a couple hours then completely disappear as fast as it came. Itches a bit, but not much.

This is the one I took:
Lithium Orotate - 120 Capsules

Got another brand on order which doses in the micrograms and will give it a try.

Any thoughts on the hives? It's an odd thing to see such a huge hive show up, then gone as quick as it came. Other people report this around the net.

Where did you get the microgram source of lithium?

 

[LeeLemonoil]

I would stick with the orotate as it has more data to back it up. Also advertising it as ionic lithium isn't exactly true and is a bit misleading. Lithium is very reactive so if it is lithium in water you are actually ingesting lithium hydroxide, an industrial chemical.

It thought so, (Ionic meaning hydroxide) thanks for clarifying. I'll give low dose Li-orotate a try and see if it improves mitchondria.