Posted by ramsea on January 22, 2004, at 9:17:28
In reply to Re: Lithium is making me feel WORSE!, posted by SLS on January 22, 2004, at 7:11:22
Lithium has an anti-depressant effect that works fairly well for me. I am not overmedicated. When I took more than 1000 mg I felt whammed, just really low, not like in my Mixed Episodes, but lethargic, slow. At 800 mgs. I can't even tell I am on a med. My creativity is there and so is my energy. I do get some breakthrough mood swings that are brief but intense and scary at the time.
I think that is the pay off for having lithium work for me over-all most of the time, but without causing a downer. I opt for a lower dose and accept breakthrough intense swings will happen. Then make plans for these mini-episodes, safety zones.
Yesterday my pdoc asked me if I felt slowed down, sort of low, because he said many patients when they come down from a manic/mixed/hypo episode and start to feel "normal" also experience what they call depression. For some of them he said, it is real depression and needs treating.
For other lithium-users it is actually just loss of hypomanic/manic energy. We feel it is not there and it can make us feel hopeless and lost. He said it takes time to re-shape a sense of self and purpose that is based on ordinary emotions. We are so accustomed to extremes. I know for me I feel like I am "the me I like to be" when I am somewhat hypomanic.
And pdoc said that most people never really feel like that. They work and play and create to the tune of a much less grand symphony---and still manage to be productive. So I have some getting used to things as they are now. A little slower, a little lower. But it's not depression. I'm just not kinda nicely high "on life".
poster:ramsea
thread:303825
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040122/msgs/304116.html