Posted by BarbaraCat on March 7, 2002, at 18:53:14
In reply to Remeron and Lithium -Barbara, posted by JackD on March 7, 2002, at 14:05:05
Hi Jack,
Glad to offer any help I can. I've had depressions and panic like symptoms periodically since my teens. Was on most of the old antidepressants and finally the SSRI's when Prozac became available. Zoloft was the one I was on for the longest, about 6 years. After 3 years of successful treatment, the depression started breaking through, as well as the panic attacks, so my doc kept upping the dose. This actually made me feel worse and so I tried going off ADs. Four attempts at quitting, some as long as 1 year and I felt OK, but the cycling of depression/panic would start up again and I'd have to go back on. Tried everything, celexa, effexor, paxil, wellbutrin, serzone. They'd all work for a short time then poop out and any increase would leave me feeling agitated and depressed, not to mention sexually and emotionally numb.Remeron was a different feeling altogether from the start and for two months at 30mg I have never felt better. Motivated, happy, calm, wonderful. Then at month 3 it pooped totally and I went into a bleak, dark and scary depression, feeling the rug had been pulled out yet again. This was back in late November.
My pdoc had been suggesting lithium as an augmentor all along, but I resisted, mainly because of the health cautions. Lithium requires monthly blood and urine tests since it has to fall within a window of blood level or can be toxic and cause renal failure. I'm very health conscious and this scared me, but figured the emotional stress I was under was probably killing me so what the heck. I'm also *so far* only taking 300 mg a day instead of the usual much higher doses for bipolar disorders.
While in the midst of a crushing depression, I started feeling better within 3 days of the lithium and could feel the same earlier effects from Remeron kicking in. The two act synergistically. The extra mood elevation has allowed me to get back to exercising which for me is the most effective antidepressant, but totally impossible when my brain in miswired.
I suspect I'm bipolar II as well from my past history of occassional hypomania (never long enough, alas), followed by horrible depression, as well as my non-response to AD's. So to make a very long story come to the point, I once again LOVE Remeron, but without the Lithium (and klonopin and thyroid as well which are crucial for me), it would be worthless. Hopefully I can remain at the low end of 300 mg and avoid the health stuff. Feel free to converse anytime. BTW, what makes you suspect BP-II for yourself? - Barbara
poster:BarbaraCat
thread:96147
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020307/msgs/96937.html