this is what Andy wrote. I am confused...

[Guest guest]

Generally self managed bipolars do keep their lithium levels too low

because it feels better that way.

It isn't clear to me what you can do at this point other than just be

there.

Essential fatty acids and basic vitamin support are likely to be

somewhat helpful. If the vitamins are anything other than very simple

and basic, you have to be careful.

Sometimes a " drug cocktail " with lithium and some mood stabilizer(s)

works well. Other times not.

Personally I wouldn't mess with anything if he wasn't willing to take

more lithium for a while just because you asked him to - the risk of

setting him off into mania or depression is too great. Despite the

negatives of where he is now, it is stable, he is being productive, he

isn't getting in or causing trouble, etc.

Andy . . . . . . . .

On Oct 21, 2008, at 10:14 PM, Jan wrote:

> From what I read, he meant that the hair lithium is usually low or non

> existent. And that supplementing makes them feel better.

> It helped my daughter with her depression. We used it off an on.

>

>

> >

> > In one of Andy's posts, he said that bi-polar people like to keep

> > their Lithium low, because it feels good. My dd Lithium is

> > non-existent. Will giving her Lithium make her feel worse? That is

> > what is sounds like Andy is saying in his wiki files.

> >

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Oh, he was referring to adults who regulate their own medications.

It is known that most bipolars don't take their medications or take

them effectively due to not liking how they feel on them.

This post was about an adult that someone else was trying to help, in

which case compliance was an issue. If I recall I think his wife was

trying to help him, and he did not want the help.

He suggested that this person take more lithium, but you can't force

him essentially. Self managed bipolars don't like how they feel on

medications or lithium. It makes them feel normal and they are not

used to that, it's uncomfortable. As per my bipolar relatives..they

always ended up stopping anything they were taking. Sadly, because it

was helping and they were normal on it, but they felt they were not

normal. They are not used to feeling like the rest of us, which is

more of a stable mood. Bipolars are used to extreme moods, either very

high or very low.

My mom for example, said she felt too dull on meds. so she won't take

them. However..she thinks she normal off them..but trust me...she

ain't. She was way better on them, but for her it felt too weird.

This case he replied to if I recall was extreme. It was a toxic adult.

> > >

> > > In one of Andy's posts, he said that bi-polar people like to keep

> > > their Lithium low, because it feels good. My dd Lithium is

> > > non-existent. Will giving her Lithium make her feel worse? That is

> > > what is sounds like Andy is saying in his wiki files.

> > >

> >

> >

> >

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

When you search the archives it is often useful to read the messages up the

thread from

the one you find so as to have some context for it.

This post was regarding adults with manic depression who are taking prescription

(very

large) doses of lithium.

Andy

> > >

> > > In one of Andy's posts, he said that bi-polar people like to keep

> > > their Lithium low, because it feels good. My dd Lithium is

> > > non-existent. Will giving her Lithium make her feel worse? That is

> > > what is sounds like Andy is saying in his wiki files.

> > >

> >

> >

> >

>

>

>

>