Posted by SLS on August 31, 2009, at 3:40:27
In reply to Re: Going back to old-school - lithium. » SLS, posted by Bob on August 31, 2009, at 0:01:54
Hi Bob.
I really appreciate your concern and input. I am particularly grateful for your sharing that it was the lower dosages of lithium that you did best with.
> I may have missed it, but what specific symptoms or situation brought you around to giving the lithium a go?
1. Simple clinical logic: I never tried lithium with the combination of drugs that I have been taking.
2. My illness is probably closer to being bipolar I disorder than bipolar II because of the severity of my drug-induced manias. Bipolar I disorder is more amenable to lithium treatment than is bipolar II. It is interesting that lithium never acted as an antimanic drug for me. Higher dosages were of little value to control my mania acutely. Depakote and Zyprexa are far more effective for me.
3. I wanted to take lithium indefinitely for its potential to produce neuroprotection and neurogenesis.
4. Desperation.
> Were you experiencing instability,
No. I was quite stable in my depressed state.
> or maybe the AD cocktail just wasn't making you feel as good as you thought it could be? I guess stated another way I'm wondering if you were looking for a 'smoothing out' or maybe an actual augmenting boost to your antidepressants?
There was really nothing to smooth out. My objective was to use lithium as an augmenter of antidepressants in the low dosage range that it is often employed when it is used in this role (300-600mg). I am more comfortable at 450mg than I was at 600mg.
In what ways were higher dosages of lithium not good for you?
- Scott
poster:SLS
thread:904699
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20090826/msgs/915010.html