Posted by barbaracat on December 11, 2004, at 14:37:42
In reply to Re: Lithium + ADs?, posted by prodgirl on December 11, 2004, at 14:09:44
I think you'll find that with lithium, whatever you take will work better and you'll need less. It seems to be a potentiator. Lithium also has a neurogenesis and protective effect in that it actually grows dendrites in the brain. Non-bipolar longevity buffs take low doses of it for this advantage. I feel very fortunate that I can tolerate it because I feel it's doing good for me beyond the miracle it's done for my mood disorder.
One of the ways fish oil works is that it makes the membranes of the neurons more pliable and allows the receptors more freedom to float, emerge, recede within the cell membrane. Good stuff. But you have to take enough. Unless you want to swallow a handfull of pills, the liquid is the way to go since you'll need about 9G to have any effect. Carlson's Best has been rated very high in different consumer and lab reports for purity (mercury contamination and rancidity is always a concern), and the optimum ratio of EPA to DHA. Plus it tastes pretty good. I order mine through www.iherb.com which has great prices on nutrients.
I'm sure you and your pdoc are well aware of the possible problems with SSRIs and BP so be on the lookout with Lexapro. That's good that it worked before for you and a good sign. Perhaps combining it with lithium you'll be able to keep it at a low dose and avoid any side effects. I'm on a low dose trial of Wellbutrin on top of the St. John's to get me through the holidays. Christmas will forever be a bummer because my Mom was hit by a car while out walking this time two years ago and died from injuries, so I need a tad extra to navigate the winter. If WB doesn't work (it already seems to be perking things up) then I'll go back to nortriptyline in a heartbeat and put up with the smacky mouth.
I know what you mean about depression pulling the shades over the eyes no matter where you are. I live in a beautiful coastal mountainous area of Oregon and have spent too many gorgeous days huddled in bed. I hate beautiful days when I'm in a bad place. Wild horses couln't drag me out for a walk on those days, so I know how it goes (although if I whip myself into doing it I usually feel better for it - for a little while anyway). The trick for me is that when it lets up, to grab the oppotunity and get the hell out on the path, to the beach, wherever I can because maybe, just maybe I can keep it going and force past the next twinge and motivate past it. I think it can be done but I've never been able to sustain it for long enough and always succumb for a a few weeks every year. Ooooh, winter and rain and cold makes it so hard and for me, having fibromyalgia doesn't help either. Good luck and happy holidays. Oh, melatonin at about 3mg at night really helps with jet lag and sleep.
> Thanks, Barbara.
>
> Sorry to hear about the Lamictal for you. It worked for me, I was at 400mg. Then I just pooped out. The mixed states were harrowing. I threw the towel in and went with Lithium. Navigating the side effects is tough, but it's beginning to work.
>
> Went to my pdoc on Thursday, and we decided that I was going to go back to Lexapro. It was the first AD I took, and it worked wonders, until I pooped out. I'm only taking 5mg to start. The last thing I want is to be pushed to a hypo state when I am visiting friends and family for three weeks over the holiday. The west coast to east coast time change is enough to overcome, but to explain why you didn't sleep all night and really must take a 4 hr nap in the afternoon is just embarrassing.
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> I will talk to my pdoc about the fish oil in Jan. So many have posted saying how much of a help it has been to them.
>
> I'm with you on the exercise. I moved to the beach a year ago, thinking the sun and the ocean 50 yds away would motivate me to get out and walk every day. Nope. Depression pulls it's hood and there is no getting out of the house yet alone on the CA beach with the pretty people.
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> Thanks again for your suggestion!
>
> prodgirl
poster:barbaracat
thread:425540
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20041211/msgs/427785.html