Posted by AMD on January 9, 2004, at 14:13:55
In reply to Re: Lithium » AMD, posted by katia on January 8, 2004, at 22:56:31
Katia,
My responses to your responses below. I've prefaced them with ### (soon I fear we will run out of symbols).
> ** Hi, I'm sitting here reading your post and spacing out and then re-reading it...ok. What is your diagnosis? I'm somewhere around bipolar
### My diagnosis is BPII, with a history of major
### depression. (Well, significant episodes.)
### I'm not sure I agree with the diagnosis: my
### personality exhibits some of the
### traditional 'symptoms' of hypomania. That's
### just how I am!### Questions for you: how did you feel on the
### Lamictal? Did it affect your cognition for
### better/worse? Did it help with your
### depression? Was it effective for the
### cycling? (I am on the fourth day: still
### taking just 25mg/day.)I started Lithium over two weeks ago at 450mg. When I upped to 900mg the second day I woke up with a rash all over my body. Pdoc took me off of Lamictal. and since I've downed my Li. to 225mg. As of yesterday that's what it's at. My pdoc told me it takes 5 full days for lithium levels to drop. So if you just got off of Lithium yesterday, you wouldn't really feel it yet.
### Day two, and I definitely feel a little more
### mentally alert. Still pangs of depression,
### and a lot of self-doubt, but not so bad.
### Perhaps a bit 'mixed' -- but I don't think
### so. That's just what I get for having
### that thought suggested to me.> > Is this the lithium, lingering depression, or a bad hangover from a high BAL three months ago?
>
> **What is a BAL?### Blood alcohol level: all this started after
### I (binge) drank enough to put myself in the
### hospital with a BAL of .25. That was about
### two months ago, and my medical checkup
### afterward was fine.** Are you asking the question as tho' you are on Lithium? i.e. Will it go away while you're on Lithium? I hope so. or Are you permanently brain damamged? THAT'S MY FEAR. I'm worried I won't get back my zest, my feeling, my motivation, inspiration, intuition, creativity, my drive etc.
### Bingo, my fears exactly. It's like I went
### from one person one day to a different
### person the next. Kind of hard to take with
### 26 years under my belt!> **honey even when NOT on lithium I can't grasp concepts like calculus!!! But I'm having trouble
### I can grasp them, it's just more difficult.
### I am used to reviewing a chapter I haven't
### read before class and then aceing the test.
### That kind of thing. I'm spoiled by being
### gifted!wake up!". I just squint as though that'll help with my cognitive processes!
### That's an interesting approach... =)
Are you off of Lithium for good? Did you even feel this brain fog at 300mg? What are you onto next? Just the Celexa and Lamcital?
### Yes, brain fog even at 300 mg, but nowhere
### near as badly as at 600 mg. For now, 40 mg
### Celexa, 25 mg Lamictal titrating up to 150 mg.Regards,
Adam
poster:AMD
thread:287670
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040109/msgs/298647.html