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Owlstoe

5mo ago

Tapering off Lithium: Any Withdrawal Symptoms?

I’ve been on lithium consistently for 11 years but blood work showed it’s affecting my thyroid, I was just diagnosed with hypothyroidism and now I’m coming off of lithium. Has anyone tapered off of lithium? How did it go? Any withdrawal symptoms?

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MissyKayF

5mo ago

I was on a fairly high dose of lithium for about 6 or 7 years. I finally felt like I was ready to see if I still needed it after years of CBT so I decreased and eventually got off of it. I am still taking Lamotrigine so not med-free, just med-reduced. Anyways, I tapered off over the course of a couple of years because I was afraid of how a rapid taper would feel. I experienced a lot of depression over those years and, in hindsight, I wish I would have tapered off much faster. It will be hard for a time but your brain will adjust and your doctor can help you find other, and hopefully less harmful, medications that will help balance you out. Just hunker down and have a solid support group. You'll get through it!

The content in this post is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

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