Posted by Ritch on June 14, 2002, at 22:10:59
In reply to Re: Lithium as a stabilizer for resistant depression, posted by JustHerself on June 14, 2002, at 10:58:55
> > > Lithium can also be depressogenic (Jonathan Himmelhoch, M.D.). > Blue
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> > > Does "depressogenic" mean it can cause depression?
> >
> >
> > Yes, at least the symptoms of depression. You can "Google" "depressogenic lithium" or "depressogenic drugs". For example, in bipolar disorder, when lithium or other mood stabilizers are given to someone who's manic, stabilization might be achieved at the risk of an "overshoot," or causing the patient to go beyond "euthymia" or even mood, and cause them to go "sub-baseline" or depressed. In bipolar disorder, you can even continue to cycle below baseline (cycle in a depression). Yet, in unipolar depression, I think lithium's more likely to just "work" or "not work" in augmenting ADs -- rather than cause depression. I heard Dr. Himmelhoch talk about lithium being depressogenic (besides antimanic, stabilizing and antidepressant) on an audiotape from the Third (?) International Conference on Bipolar Disorders. Don't let anyone ever tell you that lithium isn't a powerful drug.
> >
> > I hope this makes sense.
> >
> > Blue
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> I'm currently experiencing a lot of swelling in my hands and feet and around my eyes. Also fatigue. I just had my blood work done two days ago and have heard nothing back (probably too soon). Is this swelling something I should be overly concerned about. I am drinking lots and lots of water and am making sure I don't decrease my normal salt intake? Any advice anyone?
>
> JustyLithium normally makes you a little thirsty. The thing to be wary of is dehydrating experiences such as vomiting, diarrhea, intense sweating, etc. If you aren't experiencing those and are only drinking water when you feel a need to, then I wouldn't get too concerned. You need to have an adequate amt. of water, but if you are routinely drinking *extra* water because you think that you need *plenty* of water-that could possibly be aggravating your edema problems. Also, that could be dose-related. If your symptoms can be controlled with less lithium-then take less lithium and see if your edema gets better (with your pdoc's guidance of course).
Mitch
poster:Ritch
thread:109630
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020609/msgs/109887.html