Posted by SLS on June 25, 2015, at 14:39:24
In reply to Re: Lyrica..head in a vise headaches » SLS, posted by Phil on June 25, 2015, at 13:06:22
I'll need to think about this for a little while.
The sunlight thing is interesting. It could have produced a shift in your circadian rhythm. Advancing the biological clock can trigger mania. It might be worth looking into whether a sudden rise in vitamin D could account for your experience. I favor the first explanation at this point.
Acute stress can trigger mania. Your "nervous breakdown" at work might be an indicator that such stressors were present. Combining circadian dysruptions and extreme psychosocial stress would be a recipe for the induction of a manic shift in brain function. Being on an antidepressant may have sealed the deal.
Being on Adderall and having an acute mixed-state hypomania emerge upon the discontinuation of lithium would suggest that you are indeed bipolar and that lithium might remain a good mood stabilizer for you. If long-term toxicity (kidneys; thyroid) becomes a concern, you could try something like Trileptal as a substitute. I mention Trileptal because I like what I have seen with it - particularly with mixed-states. It is a very tolerable drug, and weight gain is usually not a problem. Just be aware that hyponatremia (too little sodium in the blood stream) is an infrequent adverse effect that it can be easily monitored for with blood tests. Lamictal sucks for mania. It helps for depression, and possibly rapid cycling. Trileptal + Lamictal make a good combination. You might not even need an antidepressant. However, I would not discontinue what you are already taking at this juncture.
If you need me to clarify anything I wrote or you have more questions, please don't hesitate to ask.
- ScottSome see things as they are and ask why.
I dream of things that never were and ask why not.- George Bernard Shaw
poster:SLS
thread:1079968
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20150520/msgs/1079975.html