Posted by barbaracat on June 14, 2005, at 14:35:49
In reply to Re: bipolar sleep problems » barbaracat, posted by yesac on June 14, 2005, at 11:58:08
> Do you know how lithium affects people who are *normal*? My guess would be that it just kind of dulls them out, flattens them...**That's my understanding. They get sort of drooly and dumb. The ones taking it for neuroprotective benefits are using very small amounts, and yes, we should be grateful that there is that aspect to lithium. We may have screwed thyroids and kidneys, but by God, our dendrites are popping!
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> I'm not sure what to take. I've been on SO many drugs with no luck.**What all have you taken? Let me give you my list just for grins: Elavil, tofranil, suromontil (these were all in the late 80's),then trazadone, prozac, zoloft, celexa, buspar, wellbutrin, serzone, remeron, nortriptaline, St. John's Wort, ritalin, SAM-e, Lamictal, lithium, topmax, depakote, seroquel, zyprexa, Cymbalta.
I liked the way nortriptyline made me feel but couldn't stand the side effects. So far, low dose Cymbalta along with lithium has been the best by far. Too many highly sensitive people start out at the standard 30mg dose, freak out and swear off ADs forever. No need to. One 60mg capsule lasts over a week for me, no side effects, and provides a very nice lift.
Nothing's perfect. I'm not euphoric and I still have periods of grief and irritation, but it's appropriate and manageable emotion, not the toxic overwhelming kind. I can't guarantee that a few pellets of Cymbalta will be as miraculous for everyone as for me, but certainly worth a try.
I personally wouldn't go on Lamictal again for anything, but that's only I had an extreme allergic reaction to it. All of these drugs have risks, but Stevens Johnson rash has been known to kill people. You don't think these kinds of things will ever happen to you. I sure didn't.
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> Thanks! And- I think that we have to be tenacious-- what other choice do we have?**Well, there is an alternative, but one we tenaciously refuse to give in to.
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poster:barbaracat
thread:509410
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20050611/msgs/512631.html