Posted by sheilac on August 1, 2011, at 13:37:46
In reply to Lithium levels: question for Sheila » sheilac, posted by floatingbridge on August 1, 2011, at 10:09:53
Had bloodwork done on 450mg of Lithium, blood level was .4 Doc wanted it to be at least .6 so she upped me to 600mg, which ultimately made me depressed. So I dropped Lithium altogether (not sure if that was the right thing to do). Maybe a low dose of Lithium combined with Geodon would be right?
For me there is a fine line with meds. I am not naturally out and out manic, but can become manic due to certain stimulants and meds (steroids, antidepressants, etc). I tend to be more irritable by nature (which my doc says is a form of hypomania).
When I was taking a low theraputic dose of Depakote it made me really depressed too.
It just didn't make sense for me to take a mood stabilizer and get depressed.
Started Geodon at 40mg and I went totally manic within a week or 2. But it was a happy mania (and an expensive mania).
Now I am taking 80mg of Geodon at night and 20mg during the day along with 1mg Klonopin. I think I may need to up it to 40mg during the day and maybe if I am going to take my ADHD med (either low dose Adderall or Nuvigil).
80mg at night seems to work for me so far. When I tried to drop to 60mg of Geodon it didn't work.
BUT, the Geodon wears off, mid-morning for me so that is why I am trying a low daytime dose.
I am going to discuss with my doc if I should replace my daytime Geodon dose with Lithium or Klonopin? Don't know yet.
poster:sheilac
thread:991596
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20110728/msgs/992497.html