Well, I have an opinion (perhaps it's best to keep to myself). Lithium therapy (the dose) is designed to keep your blood level within the therapeutic range (0.6-1.2). Klonopin (clonzepam) is a benzodiazepene (sp?) that has the longest half-life of any of those in that family. Prozac is a selective-seratonin-reuptake-inhibitor (Abbreviated SSRI). Personally (now this is ME), Prozac was not effective. I tried Celexa, Lexapro, Effexor, Trazadone, Zoloft...and possibly one or two others (I forgot my Alzheimer's pill lol). There is an over-the-counter product called SAM-E, and apparently it has some of the same characteristics as Prozac. If you have a pdoc who is willing to work with you, the options are so many now (Cymbalta is a big one advertised now). Personally (now this is ME, not YOU), I find diet, exercise and enjoying a good massage now and then calms me and helps with mood, too. If you have a partner with whom you are involved, perhaps adding touching and having more love-making sessions will help. So many of the drugs serve to chemically castrate (sp?) we males. I do not know if it has a similar effect on females. But I do know that people with healthier and happier sex lives are naturally less depressed. Diagosed with bipolar in 1985, I'm learning to deal with it better since finding my "family" at Alcoholics Anonymous, and as of 1/3/2013, I will have one year of sobriety and more clarity than I've ever experienced in my lifetime. |
"What MD Junction means to me is a place where i can feel like im not alone. As someone with something as rare as hydrocephalus, it feels like im the only one in the world with it. When i came to MD, its like everyone has it. It doesnt feel like im alone. And that people need to hold up a sign to say what i have, because people know. And they understand. I can get questions answered from people who have been through it rather than from doctors or people who only can tell you from a physical standpoint. THat is what MD junction means to me." (tomboykimi)
