How to Take Lithium Orotate With Prozac

There's nothing simple about treating bipolar disorder. Mood stabilizers help smooth the wild highs and lows, but do not put an end to episodes of mania and depression. Patients with bipolar disorder must communicate with their psychiatrist and pharmacist regarding their past and current medications, as well as any homeopathic or holistic remedies they want to try. Interactions can occur with devastating effects, as is the case between any form of lithium (a first-line mood stabilizer) and fluoxetine (brand name Prozac, an antidepressant).

Instructions

• 1

  Find a good psychiatrist. Do not expect your regular physician to prescribe psychiatric medications. A psychiatrist specializes in mental health. Begin by checking your insurance plan's list of participating providers. From that list, your physician, pharmacist or therapist may be able to refer you to someone known and trusted.

• 2

  Ask your psychiatrist why he recommends a particular mood stabilizer. Lithium carbonate is the first-line drug of choice, the "gold standard," for many psychiatrists treating bipolar patients. Lithium is a naturally occurring metal element in the body, and it has been proven to smooth the manic-depressive cycle. Lithium carbonate, however, can be toxic so your psychiatrist will regularly monitor its levels in your blood while you're taking it. Immediate-release forms are taken in three or four doses daily; long-acting forms are taken twice a day. The blood test will also help your psychiatrist determine the right dose for you.

• 3

  Propose lithium orotate as an alternative. If your psychiatrist is unfamiliar with this variation, ask her to look into it before making a decision. Lithium orotate is a more bioavailable form of the metal, and it is more absorbable by the body. Purveyors of lithium orotate say it is less likely to produce the unpleasant side effects associated with long-term lithium carbonate use. Lithium orotate also comes as a nasal spray. Follow dosing directions scrupulously.

• 4

  Follow dosing instructions exactly. Know what to do if you miss a dose or take too much. This is especially important if your psychiatrist recommends an antidepressant along with the lithium. Prozac, for example, is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), and if you use it in the wrong combination with any form of lithium, it can lead to a dangerous interaction called Serotonin Syndrome. Your psychiatrist may gradually increase your dosage of Prozac depending on how you respond, and she will carefully monitor and adjust your dosage until you feel better all around.

• 5

  Keep track of any changes. Lithium and Prozac are mind-altering substances intended to help you to feel well. Your psychiatrist will need to know if nothing happens at all or your moods grow more extreme. By the same token, if your mind feels better but your body is ravaged by side effects including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, tremors, racing heartbeat, fever, hallucinations, abnormal dreams, or especially, thoughts of hurting yourself or others, then your psychiatrist will also need to adjust your medication. Write down how you feel each day so you can immediately and accurately report to your psychiatrist, and always tell the whole truth, no matter how scary.