Posted by Chloe on May 31, 2002, at 18:51:50
In reply to Re: What Kind of Lithium?, posted by TomG on May 30, 2002, at 9:50:14
> Thanks for all the information Chloe. I originally wrote this message to Barbara, but she said you had more information. Are you saying that different solutions of lithium can actually work when others did not? I'm thinking of washing out all medications that I'm on now and starting over since I had a partial response to Lithonate. It worked for five days and then it was all bad side effects- totally intolerable. If you were me which solution would you try first? Curious to know.
> > TomTom,
As you know, BP2 is not very easy to treat. And treatment usually consists of at least one mood stabilizer, but possibly more, and often and small amount of an antidepressant, etc.If you had an initial, but partial response lithonate, you may benefit from lithium as one of the players in your cocktail. Lithium does have some nice antidepressant as well as stabilizing properities. So at lower doses, I am a big fan of lithium augmentation. BUT, you said, after 5 days, the side effects were intolerable. What side effects? What was so bothersome that made you stop?
There are different preparations of li, called extented release, or controlled release. These slower release pills tend to decrease the typical side effects, but I don't know what you were suffering from. These brands are described in detail in a post to Barbara at:http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020517/msgs/107335.html
I would not wash out all meds! I think you will a bad, unpredictable reaction. I think you need to sit down with a pdoc, and plan a stagedy of what a good cocktail would be for you. You need to discuss:
What are the meds that you have tolerated ok and have give you decent or partial response?What is working for you now?, etc, etc,
As you said it, "that bitch bp2", this is not an easy one to treat. Changing to a long acting form of Li may reduce some side effects, or perhaps you were on too high a dose. It takes about 5-7 days to get a steady blool level of lithium at a steady dose...
Sorry I can't be more help without more info. If you have more questions, fire away.
Chloe
poster:Chloe
thread:107138
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020525/msgs/108256.html