Posted by Ponder on March 29, 2003, at 17:35:48
In reply to Re: Adding, substracting, wishing and hoping, posted by Barbara Cat on March 29, 2003, at 10:36:12
> Hi All,
> I'm with you in this frustration. I went through a time recently really believing I could do this thing alone or with drastically reduced meds. Lots of yoga, meditation, eating healthy, reading how to say 'bye' to your mood disorder. It felt shakey all the time but I was doing it until a major incident hit (my mom's death). Then I went into the abyss very badly, even though on lithium and lamictal. Not very high doses, but enough thus far.
>
> Since starting nortriptyline in February I'm doing well. I don't like the side effects, especially combined with lithium - very dry mouth, tremors, constipation. I keep thinking that when life gets more stable I'll try going it alone again. Hah! think again. Life is rarely stable and doesn't seem like it's going to get any better with all the insanity out there. I have a dream that I'll learn enough about how to just be with it, to have my inner resources strong enough to not affect my center. Until knowing how to do it better, I apparently need my chemistry tweaked. BTW, I personally do not believe lamictal is enough to deal with bipolar depression, even when combined with lithium, especially alone. I guess it depends on the dose, but like many of you, at higher doses I felt more anxious and depressed. The most helpful for me has been adding nortrip. It's not an SSRI at least.
> BarbaraBarbara,
I always appreciate your posts for their authenticity and insight. I'm sorry to hear about your loss and can only imagine how destabilizing an event that must have been. I was intrigued also by your observation that along with the sadness and loss was a certain sense of liberation, permission to be an adult, whatever. My own mother has been such a larger-than-life figure for me, in both good and bad ways, that I have always wondered what the world will feel like without her and how I may view myself differently at that time.Well, I should comment about meds to avoid a redirect. Is this the first time you've been on a TCA? I tried them way back in the pre-Prozac era and did not tolerate them at all, nor did I get any benefit. But I was not on any stabilizers either. So I'm curious about your combo. Sounds like you've had negative experiences with SSRIs.
poster:Ponder
thread:208531
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030329/msgs/214128.html