Lithium Libido

[FBR]

i have been complaining about Lithium for a long time - even though I have only been on it for roughly 6 months.
My libido is NIL and I feel blank and lethargic at times.
My psych has recommended Lamictal as a potential replacement.
Any difference ?
To my horror, i have read that Lamictal can cause sleep problems. Very unsure about this drug now.
As for Lithium, it seems to be sedating - is it sedating for some people? I take it with Mirtazipine, which might what is making me sleepy.

[uni]

Hello FBR. Six months is a fair amount of time to assess the effects of a medication. I wonder if the trouble is because it's lithium, or is it the amount/dosage of the lithium? Tweaking the dosage sometimes does the trick, but of course that comes down to the doctor and you and trial and error, which all takes time to sort out. I'm not sure where you're at with that.

Regarding Lamictal, I take the generic version (lamotrigine) as an add-on to my antidepressant meds to lessen the depth of any lows I experience. I can't say whether it causes sleep problems for me or not, because I take other meds too. My sleep problems began around the time I started menopause, which was also around the time I started lamotrigine, and there has been major situational stuff too, so it's hard to say what's what. My dosage is split between morning and evening, which the doctor did on purpose in case it affected my sleep.

[justken]

I took Lamictal in the morning, so had no sleep problems. My psych actually pointed out to me that a lot of people take it in the evenings and then complain about sleep problems. My problem was that I developed a constant cough, which is not described as a possible adverse event. Disappeared in two days after I stopped taking it.

Someone I worked with, her son is bipolar and takes it. Reckons that it is the best treatment he has tried.

[Rich]

Hi FBR, the first 6 months that you described was exactly what I experience for the 1st year - then it started getting better.