Posted by Dyane Harwood on November 24, 2013, at 9:49:34
In reply to Re: How much lithium do you take w/Parnate?, posted by Christ_empowered on November 22, 2013, at 23:17:33
Hi again and thanks for your thoughtful message! I have made my peace being on lithium - I did feel that at 900 mg I was more lethargic. I could be wrong about that, but that's my gut feeling. I've been as high up as 1575 mg, so it's nice to not be way up there!!! :000
I have had a major benzo addiction in the past. My current pdoc is an addiction specialist and does not want to prescribe me any benzos for anxiety, so I take Baclofen. I've taken Klonopin, Ativan, Xanax, Lithium and others I'm spacing out on, I'm sure. They all make me tired and out-of-it and since I take care of my two little girls and drive frequently every day, it's not an option for me right now. (But thanks for the idea all the same!!)
I wish you well and really appreciate your taking the time to write. God bless you, Dyane :)
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> Cool. Probably a good strategy (its your body, anyway...)
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> How do you feel on lithium? I supposedly have Bipolar, but its more on the psychotic spectrum of bipolar, so lithium isn't first line for people like me. I've always been curious about how people felt on the stuff.
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> I know you don't want to add another drug, but it just dawned on me that, back in the day, docs sometimes used Klonopin (yes, the current "it" benzo) in combo with more traditional drugs for bipolar and some psychotic disorders. I know its another drug, and there's a dependence issue, but...it tends to be fairly tolerable, its cheap, and its relatively humane, as mood stabilizing drugs go. Wouldn't kill off full-fledged mania, but it could take the edge off, so maybe (????) you could do with a lower dose of lithium.
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> Just another thought...
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> ...unlike the atypicals (or older drugs), there wouldn't be a TD or EPS risk.
poster:Dyane Harwood
thread:1054579
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20131115/msgs/1054837.html