~*~BiPolar Folks~*~

[Houston Heather]

OMG No LITHIUM?

It's gonna get bad, in a matter of a few days. INTENSE mania - probably his worst ever.

IMO, the "doctor" should be taken out and shot. 900 mg is not a big dose, I have taken up to 1200 when needed.

It's not if, it's when he becomes manic. [shudder]

I just had an allergic reaction to my Lexapro, probably the one drug I'd feel comfortable stopping. I have and I feel sharper.

I will never stop my lithium, because I know I will die without it.

Well, I went to a regular doc, someone new. The last doc got wierd about my illness. He was awesome. He took one look at me and prescribed steroids tablets and steroid cream. If that doesn't do it, I'm to call him.

I took Ron along for moral support, I really didn't want to go, so tired of "the treatment", but they were wonderful and very sympathetic. I was so miserable Ron told me he was taking me in, like it or not, and I didn't fight him.

Only $80 for everything, doctor visit and meds. Not bad!

[faithgirl]

Originally Posted by CurveControl

I don't know.

MI is iffy, and the drugs are pricey.

Honestly I might leave the high stress job you are in, maybe take a part time job, just for the benefits, while you write for a year.

My doc appointments, without insurance are nearly $200 a visit. Even with my insurance I pay out at least $75-$100 a month for meds.

My insurance won't pay for my pdoc appointments as it is. They are $90.00, so that could be worse. They only pdocs they cover are the crazy ones, and my co-pay was supposed to be $40 for them. I got the bill-it was $139! I fought with insurance over that yesterday and she finally said she would resubmit, so we will see what happens there. I agree-the meds are the most expensive-Abilify, 5mg for 30 days is over $400. I would have to have that sorted out before I did anything.

I do agree with being stable first and am hoping to be before January. Only time will tell I guess. I've complained a lot at work, so my head may be on the chopping block anyway. Probably not though.

I would love to take a part time job-don;t know of many that have benefits around here. I love the local optometrist and he occasioanlly needs someone. That would be fun to do. There may be more around here, I just need to look. So I may save like the dickens and hunt down a pt job with insurance. Temp agencies would also be a place to pick up a little extra money, but there wouldn't be any insurance unless I worked a whole lot for them. But they are a foot in the door to a lot of good jobs, fulltime jobs, so who knows? Maybe something good will come along there.

I appreciate the input. I need to know if what I am thinking is way out there. I feel like it isn't, but I feel like maybe in a lot of people's eyes it would be. I promise not to do anything until stability is reached though.

[faithgirl]

My spelling was bad before Abilify-now it's AWFUL!

[CurveControl]

Originally Posted by faithgirl

My spelling was bad before Abilify-now it's AWFUL!

That's ok. I am the typo QUEEN!

[faithgirl]

Originally Posted by Debbi

Hi to everyone - I hope you don't mind my butting in here but I have a concern about my DBF and wanted to see if I could get some educated opinions before I speak to his doctor. DBF is diagnosed (long time) as bi-polar/schizophrenic. He has been on 900mg of lithium per day + invega +Prozac + topomax (migraines) + seroquel. His lab work has come back the last two times w/his chloride levels and creatinine(sp ?) levels - high. His Psychiatrist says he is concerned about the meds damaging his kidneys so now -for the last week he has taken him off of the lithium - totally off....so far he seems okay. Doc said to watch if he becomes manic. He is going tomorrow for more lab work - lithium and kidney enzyme levels. I am concerned that he has stopped so abruptly and of course I am worried about the mania. Do you have any opinions or suggestions - anything I should look for without nagging him to death about how he feels? Thanks for your help!

I think Heather is the only one here on Lithium-she's the Lithium queen!

I hope everything goes well.

[faithgirl]

Originally Posted by CurveControl

That's ok. I am the typo QUEEN!

I can't get my fingers to hit the right keys anymore, either. You, know, I worked in a bank for 6 years-I could do that again. Just enough hours to get the insurance. Hhhmmm...not a bad idea.

[CurveControl]

Originally Posted by Debbi

Hi to everyone - I hope you don't mind my butting in here but I have a concern about my DBF and wanted to see if I could get some educated opinions before I speak to his doctor. DBF is diagnosed (long time) as bi-polar/schizophrenic. He has been on 900mg of lithium per day + invega +Prozac + topomax (migraines) + seroquel. His lab work has come back the last two times w/his chloride levels and creatinine(sp ?) levels - high. His Psychiatrist says he is concerned about the meds damaging his kidneys so now -for the last week he has taken him off of the lithium - totally off....so far he seems okay. Doc said to watch if he becomes manic. He is going tomorrow for more lab work - lithium and kidney enzyme levels. I am concerned that he has stopped so abruptly and of course I am worried about the mania. Do you have any opinions or suggestions - anything I should look for without nagging him to death about how he feels? Thanks for your help!

Oh Yikes! I really am not at all familiar with all of those meds.

Dropping a major one cold turkey does not sound like a great idea though!
Has be been off for a week? Are they planning to start anotjer med, or is it a wait and see thing?

I think If It were me I would watch for either withdrawal (as in social, not medication) or really fast talking or disjointed thought (speaking of weird stuff, or not really making sense..)

Good luck to you and your BF.

[faithgirl]

Happy Birthday Molly!!!

[Houston Heather]

The scary malpractice thing is the fact that it's WELL KNOWN that stopping lithium results in a major manic episode, generally worse than anything the patient has experienced before. That's one reason it's so important to stay on the drug.

Trust me, if he crashes, you'll know it. It will be spectacular. I will refer you to the book "What Goes UP" - about a man who worked for the VA, went off his lithium abruptly ("forgot" to take it on vacation), had a major ONE YEAR mania, destroyed his life during the mania, crashed into depression, and commited SUICIDE.

I am extremely freaked out by this, as you can tell. I hope I AM scaring you. Expect him to get very hyper, very aggressive, very talkative, spending a lot of money. He may even sleep around. Check my link for more (bipolar link).

It's funny, I had no problem stopping the antidepressant due to an allergic reaction, but I would never give up my lithium. The way I see it's already given me 3 good years I never would have had - so however many MORE I get are a gift. If the lithium ends up taking a few off my lifespan, it's still worth it.

By the way, I want "Lithium Queen" for my user title now.

[faithgirl]

Originally Posted by Houston Heather

By the way, I want "Lithium Queen" for my user title now.

I bet we could get it changed! I'm just glad you found something that works so well and I hope we all do, including the original poster's DBF. Hope he is okay.

[Houston Heather]

Me too. Stopping lithium like that is just WHACK.

[djalomo]

Originally Posted by faithgirl

My spelling was bad before Abilify-now it's AWFUL!

LOL! I sometimes mix up words while typing on Lamictal waaaay worse than I did before.

[Houston Heather]

I've gotten better since I tossed the Lexapro.

Rash looks better,still itches.

[CurveControl]

Glad the rash is better!

Thank you for the Happy Bday wishes! It was a great day! I did NOTHING!
DD brought me dinner, DH got me flowers and a Tiara!! (Ok, It was a disney Princess Tiara, But it is very sparkly!)

[djalomo]

Originally Posted by CurveControl

Glad the rash is better!

Thank you for the Happy Bday wishes! It was a great day! I did NOTHING!
DD brought me dinner, DH got me flowers and a Tiara!! (Ok, It was a disney Princess Tiara, But it is very sparkly!)

[Houston Heather]

Sparkly, I love it.

[faithgirl]

Originally Posted by CurveControl

Glad the rash is better!

Thank you for the Happy Bday wishes! It was a great day! I did NOTHING!
DD brought me dinner, DH got me flowers and a Tiara!! (Ok, It was a disney Princess Tiara, But it is very sparkly!)

As long as it sparkles, that's what counts!

[Debbi]

Thanks so much for the replies - Today - just now, I called to see how he was doing and he spoke to me very abruptly - in fact rude - I asked him how he was feeling and he said he didn't know. I asked if he was depressed and he said yes - so I told him to go to the kitchen and take a lithium. I called his doctor and left a message about what happened and that I have put him back on the lithium. I am guessing that I should start him back on his regular dose??? Or gradually increase it? He just took 1 - 300mg capsule - should I give him more tonight or wait til tomorrow? Normally he would take 1-300 mg in the am and 2-300 mgs in the pm.

Thanks Heather!

[Houston Heather]

I would have him eat again, take another tablet in a few hours. Then go back to regular dose tomorrow.

I'd hate to see him crash and burn. In fact, as miserable as I am with this rash (I am currently salved in diaper rash ointment, because I have a couple hours before I can use the steroid cream ), I thank God it's from something I can stop.

Lexapro gone, so what? No depression, better coordination, Ron keeps raving about how "sharp" I sound as opposed to fuzzy all the time. As it is, even though I am very sleep deprived and extremely uncomfortable, my mood is great.

When I have a migraine and can't eat, I get really sick really fast... mixed episodes come up and whack me hard.

Don't let the doc get an attitude, he knows that stopping lithium like that can cause SEVERE reactions.

[faithgirl]

Let us know what happens Debbi

[faithgirl]

BTW, someone is missing! The lazy girl that would come home from work and lay around the house all evening becuase it was too hard to get anything accomplished. In her place is this odd woman who gets up an hour earlier to go in to work, then comes home, does the dishes, makes, dinner, does laundry and picks up the living room. She's even reading and doing some writing and has a sewing project going. Hhhmmm...I don't know who she is, but I like her and I hope she sticks around at least long enough to get the whole darn house clean. And if not that long, at least long enough to organize the closet.

[CurveControl]

Originally Posted by faithgirl

BTW, someone is missing! The lazy girl that would come home from work and lay around the house all evening becuase it was too hard to get anything accomplished. In her place is this odd woman who gets up an hour earlier to go in to work, then comes home, does the dishes, makes, dinner, does laundry and picks up the living room. She's even reading and doing some writing and has a sewing project going. Hhhmmm...I don't know who she is, but I like her and I hope she sticks around at least long enough to get the whole darn house clean. And if not that long, at least long enough to organize the closet.

[faithgirl]

And you know, it doesn't feel a bit hypo. It feels like that horrible, don't want to do anything at all' feeling is just kind of lifting. I can hardly wait until this stuff really gets working. How are you doing Molly? Are you feeling better?

[Debbi]

Thanks Heather and everyone - I really appreciate the help. I will give him another tonight and then put him back on regular dose tomorrow. I can remember years ago before I really understood what was wrong with him and I was not monitoring his meds (we had just met) and he would have really high highs and would disappear for hours (he was gambling) and then the opposite extreme when I found him more than once with a gun in his car parked out by the lake in an extreme depression. I remember living terrified and worrying all the time - sure don't want to go back to that. The doctor made a bad decision but he is the doctor who finally got him off the stadol he was addicted to for his migraines for over 20 years and put him on the combination of meds he is currently on which really seem to work for him. He is also the doctor who just realized and diagnosed him w/schizophrenia - no one else had recognized it - it is fairly mild and under control for now. All that said - it really baffles me as to why he would stop something that was working so well just because his kidney counts were elevated - I feel like he should have done more testing first. I have not heard from him so I will call again tomorrow and let him know there is no choice here - he must remain on the lithium.

Thanks so much everyone.

[Houston Heather]

Especially with what you've described. I have psychotic features, delusions, paranoia, absolute convictions that I will die tomorrow, for instance. A lot of it could be considered schitzophrenic. Very well managed on Lithium and risperdal.

Pretty uncomfortable. You know, I love showers but not now. Water on the hives is pure misery, I can hardly get out of there fast enough, and the hairy legs (I don't dare shave) are almost as bad as the itching! Horrible!

I will be so glad when this NIGHTMARE is behind me!

Off I go to see if i can get a couple hours of sleep. Thank God Ron gave me tomorrow off.

[djalomo]

Originally Posted by faithgirl

And you know, it doesn't feel a bit hypo. It feels like that horrible, don't want to do anything at all' feeling is just kind of lifting. I can hardly wait until this stuff really gets working. How are you doing Molly? Are you feeling better?

What finally did the trick? I think I missed the med you're on.

[faithgirl]

I'm back on Abilify. I think the problem i was having was from Extra strength Maalox. No problems with Abilify this time around. I'm still only on 5 mg, so I am hoping as we go up, the rest of the instability will go away. i still have a ways to go, but the change is remarkable, as far as I am concerned.

[faithgirl]

Did you ever go see the new pdoc?

[djalomo]

Originally Posted by faithgirl

I'm back on Abilify. I think the problem i was having was from Extra strength Maalox. No problems with Abilify this time around. I'm still only on 5 mg, so I am hoping as we go up, the rest of the instability will go away. i still have a ways to go, but the change is remarkable, as far as I am concerned.

Isn't it? OMG I swear - that morning I got up for a run - I haven't done that in over 2 years. I was waking up dreading the start of a new day every day. I felt like my old, old self again.

[faithgirl]

Originally Posted by djalomo

Isn't it? OMG I swear - that morning I got up for a run - I haven't done that in over 2 years. I was waking up dreading the start of a new day every day. I felt like my old, old self again.

The amazing thing is that I am actually following through on things. i can hardly wait until I've reached a regular dose. Who knows what I might accomplish?