Quote:
Originally Posted by Secretum
Unfortunately, I'm afraid to try lithium. I only have one kidney. I know that I'm hard to medicate. :P I'm not on anything for the absence seizures; when I was young, I had a neurologist who tried nearly everything just to find that nothing changed the EEG. So he basically gave up on me...
I would like to try an SSRI or SNRI. I also wouldn't mind trying a different antipsychotic, maybe seroquel since it has antidepressant effects.
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Abilify has antidepressant effects too, especially in combination with an antidepressant.
As for trying an SNRI -- I love cymbalta. Effexor is good too, if you are willing to deal with a tought withrawal. Personally, I'm not a big fan of SSRIs, but they do work for a lot of people.
As for the lithium/one kidney thing. I actually asked a psychiatrist about this who was prescribing lithium to a lady with one kidney. He said that it doesn't make a difference if you have one kidney or two. Because if lithium is going to cause kidney problems, it will cause it in both kidneys anyway. So you're not any 'worse off' for having one kidney when it comes to lithium. Of course, I understand if you don't want to try lithium -- I was too afraid to go on it too, which is why I'm on depakote instead. But if there was one drug I think could really benefit you that you haven't tried, it would be lithium.
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age: 23
dx: bipolar I, ADHD-C, tourette's syndrome, OCD, trichotillomania, GAD, Social Phobia, BPD, RLS
current meds: depakote (divalproex sodium) 1000mg, abilify (aripiprazole) 4mg, cymbalta (duloxetine) 60mg, dexedrine (dexamphetamine) 35mg, ativan (lorazepam) 1mg prn, iron supplements
past meds: ritalin, adderall, risperdal, geodon, paxil, celexa, zoloft
other: individual talk therapy, CBT, group therapy, couple's therapy, hypnosis
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