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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 10 of 10. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Slinky on December 13, 2004, at 21:39:37
I came to the conclusion that my trial of lithium(added to paroxetine/gabapentin)boosted the effects of paroxetine.
Start up of SSRI's always sends me into hell for 2 weeks.
I seemed to have settled down somewhat now 2 weeks in.
I know the doc will raise the lithium again so it will agrevate the paroxetine again.
I feel I'm losing my 'spiritual' comfort zone.
I feel weired as reality is sharper and is more in my face...not sure if I like it..I got used to a spacey world.
I see pdoc tomorrow..not sure if I should tell him that I'm taking more gabapentin for a smoother head filter.
Posted by Ritch on December 14, 2004, at 10:31:48
In reply to another 2 weeks of lithium madness-Mitch-, posted by Slinky on December 13, 2004, at 21:39:37
> I came to the conclusion that my trial of lithium(added to paroxetine/gabapentin)boosted the effects of paroxetine.
> Start up of SSRI's always sends me into hell for 2 weeks.
> I seemed to have settled down somewhat now 2 weeks in.
> I know the doc will raise the lithium again so it will agrevate the paroxetine again.
> I feel I'm losing my 'spiritual' comfort zone.
> I feel weired as reality is sharper and is more in my face...not sure if I like it..I got used to a spacey world.
> I see pdoc tomorrow..not sure if I should tell him that I'm taking more gabapentin for a smoother head filter.
>You might tell your doctor that you generally prefer the gabapentin.. and the lithium *is* helping, but that you just don't feel like topping your tank with it right this very week thank you very much :) Just tell them you want more time to adjust to it. Personally, I kind of miss lithium.. if my stomach could only handle the stuff. I was on low-dose Prozac and lithium for years and did rather well. If it is helping you at lower doses, you don't want to bail due to side effects at higher doses (hey there's a good argument to present to them). How much gabapentin are you taking? Just curious..
Posted by platinumbride on December 14, 2004, at 12:33:13
In reply to Re: another 2 weeks of lithium madness-Mitch- » Slinky, posted by Ritch on December 14, 2004, at 10:31:48
Personally, I kind of miss lithium.. if my stomach could only handle the stuff.
________________________________________I don't know if you ever tried this, but using metamucil has helped my stomach tremendously, in spite of the lithium issues.
I take all of my lithium at night and the metamucil in the morning, so, I understand that the metamucil doesn'nt absorb the lithium and render it ineffective.
Just a thought....
Diane
Posted by Slinky on December 14, 2004, at 12:35:52
In reply to Re: another 2 weeks of lithium madness-Mitch- » Slinky, posted by Ritch on December 14, 2004, at 10:31:48
Thanks for replying Mitch..hoping you're well and sparkling.
As expected he raised my dose to 600mg my blood test result was 0.4 .
I don't gel with this doc he makes me nervous..I didn't tell him I'm buying xtra gabapentin.
He prescribes 600mg twice a day..he knows nothing about this med.
If I go outside I usually take an exra 300mg but usually I can stick to the prescribed dose unless I'm feeling ready for hospital mode then I take an extra 600mg in the evening- I dare not tell the doc that it's supposed to be taken 3/4 times a day ...
I'll continue doing what he says..unless I become an agitated loony but who knows my brain may welcome the lithium guest...meanwhile I'll continue playing violent pc games to calm me down : )
Posted by Ritch on December 14, 2004, at 13:31:05
In reply to Re: another 2 weeks of lithium madness-Mitch- » Ritch, posted by platinumbride on December 14, 2004, at 12:33:13
> Personally, I kind of miss lithium.. if my stomach could only handle the stuff.
> ________________________________________
>
> I don't know if you ever tried this, but using metamucil has helped my stomach tremendously, in spite of the lithium issues.
>
> I take all of my lithium at night and the metamucil in the morning, so, I understand that the metamucil doesn'nt absorb the lithium and render it ineffective.
>
> Just a thought....
> DianeThanks for the idea. I tried the Metamucil idea with Prozac and it didn't seem to help. I hadn't thought about using it with just lithium (without an SSRI). The lithium stomach problems are very sudden intense cramping and diarrhea that don't give me much warning- and don't seem to be associated with a meal (like the SSRi induced IBS sx). If it was associated with a limited time frame (after a meal), I could work around it somehow. Lithium works pretty good as an AD and would love to just take a little of that and forget AD's altogether. I was reading somewhere about using verapamil to counter diarrhea from lithium... but I've got some verapamil and it doesn't seem to help my IBS symptoms. Oddly enough when my Depakote dosage goes *up* the IBS symtpoms get better (temporarily). Trileptal also seemed to settle it down. The worst IBS problems are associated with light-sensitivity.. so they are kind of migraine like things. I have to get into a very dark place out of the light and close my eyes real tight and things get better. Very weird.
Posted by Ritch on December 14, 2004, at 13:34:38
In reply to Re: another 2 weeks of lithium madness-Mitch- » Ritch, posted by Slinky on December 14, 2004, at 12:35:52
> Thanks for replying Mitch..hoping you're well and sparkling.
>
> As expected he raised my dose to 600mg my blood test result was 0.4 .
> I don't gel with this doc he makes me nervous..I didn't tell him I'm buying xtra gabapentin.
> He prescribes 600mg twice a day..he knows nothing about this med.
> If I go outside I usually take an exra 300mg but usually I can stick to the prescribed dose unless I'm feeling ready for hospital mode then I take an extra 600mg in the evening- I dare not tell the doc that it's supposed to be taken 3/4 times a day ...
> I'll continue doing what he says..unless I become an agitated loony but who knows my brain may welcome the lithium guest...meanwhile I'll continue playing violent pc games to calm me down : )
>
>600mg/day gets you a .4? That's about what my blood levels were with that dose. Maybe you can take 300mg 4x daily of the gabapentin and spread it out? Of course an extra 300mg here and there probably won't hurt. The lithium guest.. hehe I like that. Take care!
Posted by prodgirl on December 15, 2004, at 0:08:08
In reply to Re: another 2 weeks of lithium madness-Mitch- » Slinky, posted by Ritch on December 14, 2004, at 13:34:38
I'm on the Metamucil boat. I take the capsule form, first thing when I get up, wait one hour then eat breakfast and take my lithium. I have had IBS issues for years. When I started lithium, I was a mess. Suprisingly, the combo of a Prilosec OTC and two fiber capsules seem to be doing the trick. Light sensitive? I'm tempature sensitive, I don't like to drink anything that's too cold, that upsets me real quick.
Posted by Ritch on December 15, 2004, at 10:08:38
In reply to Re: another 2 weeks of lithium madness-Mitch-, posted by prodgirl on December 15, 2004, at 0:08:08
> I'm on the Metamucil boat. I take the capsule form, first thing when I get up, wait one hour then eat breakfast and take my lithium. I have had IBS issues for years. When I started lithium, I was a mess. Suprisingly, the combo of a Prilosec OTC and two fiber capsules seem to be doing the trick. Light sensitive? I'm tempature sensitive, I don't like to drink anything that's too cold, that upsets me real quick.
>
>I had not thought about the capsule form... So when do you take the 2nd capsule? An hour before your next meal that day? Also, do you split your lithium dose or take it all with breakfast? Sorry for the questions, but if I need to take lithium again I want all the info to combat this problem that I can get! I have always taken a nighttime dose (either all or part) of lithium on an empty stomach....
Thanks
Posted by prodgirl on December 15, 2004, at 13:34:34
In reply to Re: another 2 weeks of lithium madness-Mitch- » prodgirl, posted by Ritch on December 15, 2004, at 10:08:38
> I had not thought about the capsule form... So when do you take the 2nd capsule? An hour before your next meal that day? Also, do you split your lithium dose or take it all with breakfast? Sorry for the questions, but if I need to take lithium again I want all the info to combat this problem that I can get! I have always taken a nighttime dose (either all or part) of lithium on an empty stomach....
>I take two capsules in the am, hour later eat breakfast and take 600 mg. I take my other 900mg at dinner or with a snack in the evening. It's working, so I don't want to change it, even though it's a pain to wait for that hour and sometimes taking meds in public when I go out to eat.
I hope you can come back.
Posted by Ritch on December 15, 2004, at 22:54:31
In reply to Re: another 2 weeks of lithium madness-Mitch-, posted by prodgirl on December 15, 2004, at 13:34:34
> > I had not thought about the capsule form... So when do you take the 2nd capsule? An hour before your next meal that day? Also, do you split your lithium dose or take it all with breakfast? Sorry for the questions, but if I need to take lithium again I want all the info to combat this problem that I can get! I have always taken a nighttime dose (either all or part) of lithium on an empty stomach....
> >
>
> I take two capsules in the am, hour later eat breakfast and take 600 mg. I take my other 900mg at dinner or with a snack in the evening. It's working, so I don't want to change it, even though it's a pain to wait for that hour and sometimes taking meds in public when I go out to eat.
>
> I hope you can come back.
Hi, thanks for responding. So, the "trick" is to take the Metamucil in the mornings all at once (the two capsules), and then wait the *one hour* wait before you eat... then make sure to take your lithium only with food (a meal)? Hey, if that would allow me to tolerate it (if I need to take it later), then that would be great!THANKS
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