Posted by SLS on May 30, 2021, at 21:42:21
In reply to Re: coming off lithium? » Christ_empowered, posted by Roslynn on May 30, 2021, at 14:25:28
Hi, Rosalynn.
Are you bipolar? Is depression your problem right now? Has anxiety appeared that wasn't there prior to your reducing the lithium dosage?
If you haven't tried Lamictal (lamotrigine) yet, it is worth a try. Latuda is good for bipolar depression, too. I am not crazy about taking an antipsychotic if another class of drug would work equally well. I suspect Lamictal might increase activity in the nucleus accumbens. That is the structure of the brain currently thought to be the center of reward (instead of punishment). Other neural pathways are networked to activate this structure, and other regions participate in making you "feel good".
What other drugs are you taking? If you do choose Lamictal, just follow the starter pack. The dosage has to be increased gruadually. I think it take 4 weeks to reach 200 mg/day. This is usually the minimum effective dosage for bipolar depression. I need 300 mg/day. I also take 300 mg/day of lithium in the hopes that it will prevent Alzheimer's Dementia. When I first added lithium to Parnate, I felt a mild improvement in depression within a few hours. If I go higher in dosage, I become increasingly depressed and flat. If you are urgently depressed - suicidal - perhaps it makes sense to take Zyprexa for a few days, or longer. If your doctor wants you to start Latuda tomorrow, then taking Zypexa might complicate things. If you feel it's appropriate, ask your doctor about what alternatives there are for immediate relief.
Take it one step at a time. Maybe you should work on making a flow-chart with your doctor as to what drugs and drug combinations to take and in what order.
Is there anything you can do to minimize kidney dysfunction? Cranberry juice? I really don't know.
- Scott
Some 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:1115372
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20210418/msgs/1115394.html