Posted by SLS on July 16, 2022, at 19:25:55
In reply to Re: lithium, posted by rjlockhart37 on July 16, 2022, at 16:37:30
I would suggest that you not throw lithium away without investigating a lower dosage. Try 300 mg/day. Harvard demonstrated that adding a low dosage of lithium to fluoxetine (Prozac) 60 mg/day improved one's chances of responding to treatment. They used a range of lithium dosages between 300-600 mg/day.
I found that lithium is crucial to my improvement in depression. I performed an on-off-on experiment to be sure. However, determining the right dosage of lithium for treating *depression* is just as crucial. For me, 150 mg/day produces no effect - positive or negative. 300 mg/day is magic for me, and produces a robust response. 450 mg/day and higher causes me to relapse, and seems to make me feel worse in some ways.
The adverse effects of lithium with respect to thyroid and kidney damage is dosage-dependent. At 300 mg/day, I have no concerns. An interesting possible use of lithium is to reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer's Disease. This was actually my sole motivation for continuing to take low-dosage lithium for ten years. So, it was actually nothing but dumb luck that I happened to be taking lithium for Alzheimer's Disease when Nardil was added such that I would not have responded without the lithium.
There doesn't seem to be any downside to your trying taking a lower dosage of lithium for two weeks. Based upon my own experience and the medical literature that exists, I would go ahead and start at 300 mg/day. If, after 2 weeks, should you not be improved, then you can go up to 450mg/day for another two weeks. I think that starting at 300 mg/day makes more sense than starting at 450 mg/day.
Lithium is pro-serotonergic, but it is also pro-glutamatergic at low dosages. At higher dosages, it remains serotonergic, but becomes anti-glutamatergic. A similar bimodal association exists for lithium dosages and clinical response when treating *depression*. Low dosages of lithium are pretty much useless to treat or prevent mania.
- ScottSome see things as they are and ask why.
I dream of things that never were and ask why not.The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.
poster:SLS
thread:1120084
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20220530/msgs/1120092.html