Posted by SLS on January 13, 2016, at 15:40:03
In reply to Want to try Viibryd and Lithium Carbonate(Dr: No!), posted by Lamdage22 on January 13, 2016, at 6:45:01
I'm curious, what were your reasons for taking lithium orotate rather than lithium carbonate?
I think it is very reasonable for you increase your intake of lithium. In a study performed 15 years ago, the folks at Harvard / Massachusetts General Hospital recommended 300-600 mg/day of lithium to add to Prozac in treating unipolar depression. They reported that the average effective dosage was 450 mg/day. My personal experience with lithium carbonate is that 150 mg/day is too little and 450 mg/day is too much. At 450 mg/day, I begin to experience a flattening of affect and a feeling of mental malaise. I become somewhat passive.
The question is, what is the relative contribution of lithium orotate to blood concentrations? Does 200 mg/day of lithium carbonate + lithium orotate = 300 mg/day of lithium carbonate?. Without having more information about lithium orotate, I wouldn't know. You could always get a lithium ion blood level. If it were me, with my limited information, I would discontinue the the lithium orotate and titrate lithium carbonate, which is a known quantity.
I would ask your doctor what are his reasons for being reluctant to prescribe Viibryd. My doctor has come to like it. That stuff almost worked for me. I began to respond to it for about a week before it gave out on me. For me, it was a very clean drug. I can't remember having a single side effect. It did not affect me at all sexually. Both libido and orgasm remained unaffected. Of course, I am only one person: n=1.
As mentioned by C_E, Wellbutrin often makes a good adjunct to other antidepressants to make them work better. It might make Effexor (venlafaxine) work better. Wellbutrin is also given as a remedy for the sexual side effects produced by serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI, SNRI, etc.). I don't know how well it works, though. I know one person who has remained orgasmic while taking a combination of Pristiq (desvenlafaxine) 100 mg/day and Wellbutrin XR 300 mg/day.
This is how I feel about things right now. Unless you have already demonstrated an intolerance of Wellbutrin, I think you should entertain the idea of discontinuing lithium oratate, adding 300 mg/day of lithium carbonate, adding Wellbutrin 300 mg/day and continue with Effexor while very gradually increasing the dosage. If, however, you are intolerant of Wellbutrin, then I think it makes sense to give Viibryd a try.
Brintellix is an interesting drug. Like Viibryd, I'm pretty sure it is devoid of sexual side effects. It is unique in its ability to enhance cognition, even before there is an antidepressant effect. I don't know how effective it is, though, only because I haven't seen enough of it.
Just remember, there are going to be differences of opinions between us based upon what we have learned and experienced personally with our treatments.
- Scott
Some see things as they are and ask why.
I dream of things that never were and ask why not.- George Bernard Shaw
poster:SLS
thread:1085357
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20151225/msgs/1085364.html