Oh well....

[beatle]

Oh well....

You can take lithium orotate instead-- then you don't need to monitor blood levels.

Please check out the Holistic Healing forum-- there has been a lot of discussion about this.

I take lithium orotate mostly at night, because it can make you sleepy, but I've also tried it during the day to calm my anxiety and it works well and I didn't get sleepy from it.

I can't take the anti-deps either... they make me crazy. But lithium oratate is statistically more effective anyway and much cheaper. (Let's not get into why the doctors prescribe all those more expensive and less effective drugs)

[beatle]

Oh well....

p.s. Good Luck Cashy! check back soon!

[Cashregister]

Oh well....

Lithium Carbonate's not expensive, its a salt! Anyway - if lithium is being taken for an actual mental illness like bipolar where brain chemical imbalances are really obvious it needs to be monitored - if it does not reach blood serum levels it won't be doing you a bit of good and is basically a placebo for people like me - I looked into all this with my docs after reading the other posts and found out that there is no evidence (medical research) to suggest anything about orotate one way or the other - no double blinds, nothing extensive. So statistically more effective - who's stats?, and more effective than what?, for what? Has it been tested against sodium valproate, against topamax, tegretol, gabapentin, etc etc, against antidepressants, against other natural remedies? Obviously P-docs do not see this as an alternative in a bipolar or mood disorder situation - if it was, believe me, they'd use it. They don't want to do the bloods either - cost to the public purse enormous! And someone's cashing in on this orotate - you guys are buying it aren't you???? I paid Aus$21.00 for 100 tabs of lithium carbonate - that's peanuts, and that's with a prescription.

The reason I said before that anyone with a drinking problem should get bloods taken if they are taking any form of lithium is that drinking dehydrates, and if you are taking this stuff and drinking you can harm your organs - concentrations could go through the roof - it's a salt after all. So if you are even considering drinking alcholol this is not a good option as far as I can see. I just don't see this option as a really good one for those battling the bottle - maybe for people who are abs sure, but if you are still on that long learning curve i'd stick with Roberta's formula for now.

Unfortunaltey Beatle some people need these expensive items (luckily in Oz we have good benefit schemes and health insurance picks up the slack for me)- and i've seen "natural therapies" that cost a fortune anyway. Try telling a schizophrenic or manic person (or their family)with horrible symptoms, that these meds are not necessary!! The prices all come down eventually when the patents run out - and if you are really sick you can get them for nothing from some Pharm companies in the US.

And I know all about the pharm industry, but at least they make good merchandise (just joking - but my Drs given me pens, mousemats - I love my prozac mouse mat! - mugs, snow domes and back packs). I am an informed patient, I use other forms of therapy, I research my illness and I find Drs that I can trust.

Don't go self medicating Accountable - i'm not saying Beatle's idea is not good for some, or for him, it may well be an option for you (or not) - but in your situation you really need to get things checked with your doc as could react with other meds you are on. But don't replace your mood stabiliser with it, specially if that's the one thing working!

You might all notice here that I say "ask your doctor" when I talk about a med - there are people on here with serious mental illnesses who do not just need to be told to "take something". If you want to suggest a med, suggest someone talks about it with their doctor. When I was manic I would have happily junked all my meds in favour of your suggestion (many "bipolars" are notorously uncompliant with meds cause they like being high) ended up psychotic and probably have tried to top myself - these are not gentle illnesses and caution is very very necessary even when making suggestions - you never know what state of mind a person can be in.

Off to the interview in an hour and then new crazy med time!

Cashy
xx

[HopefulNow]

Oh well....

Cashy,

Best of luck with the job interview and the new meds -- I hope it's all a "go" for you.

But if that's not to be, then I hope for you patience, persistence and pluck. You WILL get there.

-HopefulNow

[Cashregister]

Oh well....

Thanks Hopeful - I have "pluck" in abundance, sometimes it's in the hands of the Gods! Still, if I can get to a job interview at 11am feeling wired as all hell I reckon I can do anything

Thanks again
Cashy
x

[HopefulNow]

Oh well....

Cashy,

LOVE the attitude...good, good, good!

-HopefulNow

[Cashregister]

Oh well....

Yeah hopeful, all full of attitude but will I have enuf cognitive function to answer their questions - arggggghhh

[HopefulNow]

Oh well....

Yup, you will...as long as you remember that YOU are also interviewing THEM.

Very important to keep that in mind.

You can do this!

-HopefulNow

[beatle]

Oh well....

Cashy, we've been at odds before, and I'm not backing down this time either. But in the end, each person is different and they have to--

1) realise they are individual and their chemistry is individual-- what works for one person doesn't for another, and it's all touch and go... mostly touch, I guess.

2) take responsibility for their own health and follow their instincts... if that means listening to a doctor they trust, fine, and if it means doing your own research and listening to your body, fine; just everyone needs to follow their own path, and not be passive.

3) Be aware of the incredible power the drug industry has over doctors. I do believe most doctors are well-meaning, but that doesn't mean they know or do what is best for you.

Cashy, I know you are an informed patient and you do your research. Therefore, I know you will succeed. (And keep collecting those mouse mats!) I wish you the best!

[Cashregister]

Oh well....

Thanks thanks thanks hopeful you are a champion - I will be off now, have a shower, get dressed to the nines, go out and give em hell. Wish it wasn't 35 degrees C here today - hot hot hot!

Will get back on-line in hospital

Love ya
Cashy
xx

[Cashregister]

Oh well....

Oh beatle for chrissake, i'm hyper, i'm jumpy, i just think people need to be careful about anything, and there are bloody vulnerable people on the net who read things and just plunge in. I'm not asking you to backdown on anything - just don't tell people to take something - are you a doctor??? Are you a chemist??? Medical Scientist??? I'm not, so I don't give people directions on what to take without qualifying it - I call that being responsible. I don't care which friggin drug we are talking about.

I don't just research on the net either - it's not exactly the font of info people want to believe.

I know about the freaking drug industry and doctors - and i know about the natural medicine industry and the rip of merchants you can find there as well.

I was just trying to say be careful and get advice before taking something - specially if you have a history of mental illness.

That's not passive that's just common sense.

[beatle]

Oh well....

I know you are not passive. I think that is clear. Good luck!

[Accountable for Me]

Oh well....

Wishing you the best Cashy! I hope you find relief soon. I have to find a new doctor here seeing I left the city where my good doctor was almost two weeks ago.... good ones are hard to find. Once I do he will send my file and if my anxiety worsens I will ask about seroquel. I honestly hope it subsides. I feel soooo good during the day now, just when I go to bed I start to get them. Totally sucks.

Anyway this is your thread, not mine and I am keeping my fingers crossed for you!!! Let us know how you are feeling when they get you on to something different.