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Joshua

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Lithium - Day 1 and 2
Aug 9^th, 2012 at 7:23am

-600 mg Verap
-Started Lithium 300mg x 2
-Tapering off a prednisone course that had little effect (down to cut from 80 to 60 to 40mg and now going down from there slowly.)
.
This is the morning of the second day. A little foggy. FREQUENT urination, dry mouth, a little lethargic. All normal from what I hear. SUPER THIRSTY.
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I feel like something is happening though- if that's possible.

Now just need to get my energy up.
.
1 week until a new job -- hoping to stabilize.
.
Thanks to everyone on the site who talked/messaged me through such a large part of this decision to start lithium.

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Brew CH.com Sponsor CH.com Alumnus Offline Posts: 14163	Re: Lithium - Day 1 and 2 Reply #1 - Aug 9^th, 2012 at 7:38am Keep in mind that lithium is one of those preventatives that takes 10-14 days to build up to therapeutic levels in the blood.
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Joshua CH.com Alumnus Offline Posts: 264 x0\|New York\|USA\|\|0\|0\|NY,New_York Gender:	Re: Lithium - Day 1 and 2 Reply #2 - Aug 9^th, 2012 at 7:43am Thanks Brew, I know. Still feeling hopeful. I definitely feel it working its way around my body/brain-- feels weird. . More to come, as always...
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Joshua CH.com Alumnus Offline Posts: 264 x0\|New York\|USA\|\|0\|0\|NY,New_York Gender:	Re: Lithium - Day 1 and 2 Reply #3 - Aug 10^th, 2012 at 7:18am So..headaches down from 4 a day to 2 a day on the 300mg x 2 lith + 600 verap dose. Should I expect (hope for) further progress as the lith levels stabilize?
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Brew CH.com Sponsor CH.com Alumnus Offline Posts: 14163	Re: Lithium - Day 1 and 2 Reply #4 - Aug 10^th, 2012 at 7:31am Probably. Who knows with this shit?
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Joshua CH.com Alumnus Offline Posts: 264 x0\|New York\|USA\|\|0\|0\|NY,New_York Gender:	Re: Lithium - Day 1 and 2 Reply #5 - Aug 10^th, 2012 at 7:37am hahah..best answer ever. I'm hanging in. Baby steps. When I was episodic I would never have imagined that 2 headaches a day was progress.
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AppleNutClusters CH.com Old Timer Offline 2012, Year of the Honey Badger Posts: 261 Richmond, Virgina, USA Gender:	Re: Lithium - Day 1 and 2 Reply #6 - Aug 10^th, 2012 at 12:16pm Wow, I know my doc is scared of lithium and has to start me cautiously but... I just got started on 150 mg x 1 per day. The pharmacy even had to call around to find such a small dose. (Yes, yes, I've got a call in to our local teaching hospital to find a real neuro ASAP.) I'll be crossing my fingers for ya!
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Joshua CH.com Alumnus Offline Posts: 264 x0\|New York\|USA\|\|0\|0\|NY,New_York Gender:	Re: Lithium - Day 1 and 2 Reply #7 - Aug 10^th, 2012 at 4:43pm Good luck to you too. I'm also tapering off prednisone, so that's always a wildcard. Just had an unusual mid afternoon HA, the past few days have just been a.m. and late p.m. . I'm hoping it's a shift and not an additional one . Oxygen delivery guy just got here. This is good.
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Guiseppi

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Re: Lithium - Day 1 and 2
Reply #8 - Aug 10^th, 2012 at 5:48pm

I use 1200 Mg lithium a day while on cycle. If I am strict with avoiding known triggers, I go several days at a time pain free. In the 80's, before lithium., I would typically get hit two times a day morning and evening 90 minutes or so each attack. With lithium, oxygen, and the rare trex shot, I honestly cannot recall a hit even at the eight level. And those are just when I wake from a dead sleep and I am already getting creamed. Hoping it works as well for yoy.

Joe

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Joshua

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Posts: 264
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Gender: male

Re: Lithium - Day 1 and 2
Reply #9 - Aug 10^th, 2012 at 5:53pm

Thanks man. I'm hoping to be able to find some relief at 600 or 900mg. I seem to always be part of the the 1% or 2% of people who have the weird side effects of any given drug, so I'm hoping the lower doses of lithium will help me. Neuro said to try 600 for 4 weeks and if that' doesn't work, go to 900mg. I might also try increasing verap to 720mg before I do that though.

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Guiseppi CH.com Moderator CH.com Alumnus Offline San Diego to Florida 05-16-2011 Posts: 12063 SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA USA Gender:	Re: Lithium - Day 1 and 2 Reply #10 - Aug 11^th, 2012 at 2:49pm Sometimes called the "chronic cocktail" the combo of lithium and verapamil has Proven effective even when either by itself didn't help. Hope it gives you a break soon. Joe
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