Lithium Orotate

[Mark L]

Ever tried it?

 

Does it work?

[boosh]

What does it do? Is it a software compressor or Reverb?

[Super 8]

Ever tried it? Does it work?

 

Dude, are you trying to self-med depression or a bi-polar disorder, or something?

 

Don't piss around with these supplements. Get some real help. This stuff is largely unregulated, and there is often only hearsay and exaggerated claims of what it will do. Usually no scientific studies. You might as well be taking weight-loss pills you ordered from television. At best it does nothing, at worst it's harmful to your body.

 

If you're dealing with a mental illness please get some professional treatment for it.

[rasputin1963]

Ease up, you guys! Saul is asking a legitimate question!

 

Lithium is not a "supplement"... It is a legitimate medical treatment for a range of mental ailments. Even though entirely new and improved "families" of antidepressant, anti-anxiety and antipsychotic drugs have emerged with great success over the last 30 years, Lithium is still widely prescribed as an adjunct to these, simply 'cause it works so well.

 

Many who suffer from Bipolar Disorder-- as do I, I'm very out-of-the-closet on this---- either take a Lithium product... or they take a Divalproate synthetic that mimics Lithium, but without the side-effects, like Depakote.

 

I myself take the Depakote, but some people do very well on Lithium. Only your psychiatrist knows for sure.

 

True story: The city of Odessa, Texas has an extremely low murder/violent crime rate fror its size.... recently it was revealed that the town's water supply has an unusually high, naturally-occurring lithium salt content. It seems Odessans are just feelin' too mellow to kill each other. They'd rather sit on the front porch and watch the sun descend over their oil derricks.

 

De-mystify and de-stigmatize mental illness now, I say!

[rjt]

I would be very wary regarding Lithium orotate. It is a dietary supplement and is NOT the same thing as Lithium Carbonate (which is widely used to treat Bipolar Disorder.) If you feel you or a loved one has or may have a bipolar disorder or what is called a bipolar spectrum disorder (such as cyclothymia) please consult a licensed treatment provider. There is no stigma here regarding mental illness.... see your family practitioner (who is often the first line of defense), psychiatrist etc. If you cannot afford one, most communities have a Community Mental Health Center which can assist you. No offense to the fine community here, but asking musicians for information on serious and potentially life-threatening or life-altering medical conditions is not the way to go. There is no way to make a reasonable/accurate diagnosis or generate a useful treatment plan other than through personal contact. Please, consult a professional ASAP.

 

I have to go with Super8 on this one...... get some real help now!! Your life can get better.

 

There is no evidence for the use of lithium orotate in clinical treatment in preference to lithium carbonate, and some suggest that it may be harmful........It should be noted that self-treatment of a psychiatric disorder without medical monitoring is potentially dangerous....... (see link below)

 

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithium_orotate

[rasputin1963]

I stand corrected on the nature of Lithium Orotate. Never mind!!

[Mark L]

Ease up, you guys! Saul is asking a legitimate question! Lithium is not a "supplement"... It is a legitimate medical treatment for a range of mental ailments. Even though entirely new and improved "families" of antidepressant, anti-anxiety and antipsychotic drugs have emerged with great success over the last 30 years, Lithium is still widely prescribed as an adjunct to these, simply 'cause it works so well. Many who suffer from Bipolar Disorder-- as do I, I'm very out-of-the-closet on this---- either take a Lithium product... or they take a Divalproate synthetic that mimics Lithium, but without the side-effects, like Depakote. I myself take the Depakote, but some people do very well on Lithium. Only your psychiatrist knows for sure. True story: The city of Odessa, Texas has an extremely low murder/violent crime rate fror its size.... recently it was revealed that the town's water supply has an unusually high, naturally-occurring lithium salt content. It seems Odessans are just feelin' too mellow to kill each other. They'd rather sit on the front porch and watch the sun descend over their oil derricks. De-mystify and de-stigmatize mental illness now, I say!

 

 

I refuse to see my doctor or a psychiatrist about my gloomy demeanour. So I was just seeing if any of you fine fellows had any experience of lithium

 

I just might give it a whirl. What have I got to lose?

 

Your Odessa story made me laugh, mate!

[rjt]

As someone with many, many years of experience in the field [yes, I am older than dirt] (and way more education than any reasonable person would want!)..... there are many things which contribute to a gloomy demeanor. They range from genetic problems, chemical imbalances, personality style, depressing life situations etc. If it is a problem, what would it hurt to see someone? Medication is not the answer to everything, but it sure helps a lot of people....some (with chemical imbalances) are on for a long time.... others need a little push dealing with a particular stressor and for some.... no meds needed. But medicating yourself with Lithium Orotate or alcohol or ?!??! is a dangerous path. Often, in psychiatry as in the rest of medicine (say diabetes or cancer) early detection and treatment makes dealing with the problem a lot easier. If you can find a provider whose opinion you value, talk to them. If not, you could be in for a lot more heartache. I won't post anymore in this thread, as I don't want to nag, but this is my business. Think about taking yourself seriously.

 

ps. Experience with lithium carbonate is NOT the same as experience with lithium orotate. One is a well regarded and frequently prescribed medication. One is a dietary supplement which may cause harm. That's right, lithium can be fatal..... use it carefully and with supervision.

[Super 8]

I think you would be wise to listen to RJT.

 

By the way, I used to be quite depressed myself. I've been med free for a few years now. I still have valleys, and there are still some issues I'm dealing with, but the counseling and medication were very helpful for me during the Dark Times. I highly recommend it.

 

As with RJT, this is all I'm going to post on the subject unless you have a specific question.

[rasputin1963]

 

I refuse to see my doctor or a psychiatrist about my gloomy demeanour.

 

 

 

Yet perhaps you should... No stigma in it these days at all; every fifth person you meet on the high street is on the damned things. GP's hand them out like peanuts.

 

I myself am a believer in psychopharmacology; these meds do work where "talk therapy" alone is not enough. No amount of trying to "cowboy up" or muster a British "stiff upper lip" or "pulling yourself up by the bootstraps" can do what a regimen of ZOLOFT can do in three weeks' time.

 

And Lancashire has plenty of dark, gloomy weather which scientists know can exacerbate depression... Seattle, Washington apparently leads the way in American suicides because of their endless days of rain and overcast...

 

Depression also has ethnic links... Irish people are prone to it genetically... all those moody and tragic Irish tales are no coincidence; it is thought that Irishmen have often used alcohol to self-medicate their depression, hence the unfortunate stereotype of the Irishman as a drunk.

 

The thing that ZOLOFT does for me is to give me a "floor beneath my feet". A floor below which I know I'll never sink. In other words, I still have life's ups and downs, my depressive moments... but the depression never sinks below a certain level, because ZOLOFT has put a floor beneath my feet....

 

One tremendous blessing ZOLOFT gave me was the ability to think again.... In a depressive state, I would open a book.. only to find myself reading the same paragraph over-and-over again.... until I just finally tossed the book down in disgust. When one is badly dysthymic, it can be hard to think clearly and sequentially; at least it was for me. With ZOLOFT, I can read and think again-- no small advantage.