🚀 go-pugleaf

Due to gradually decreasing kidney function I will probably
have to switch from lithium to another mood stabilizer
in the near future.   I will discuss this with a kidney
specialist on Dec. 11 and my family doctor on Jan. 21.
But unfortunately my psychiatrist's office is closed
for an extended period due to his illness, and wait
times are long for other psychiatrists.

So what are the latest alternatives to lithium?   I 
know about valproic acid/Depakote and Tegretol and
Lamictal.  Also someone on another newsgroup
suggested one beginning with t but I have misplaced
the piece of paper that I wrote it down on.  I
don't have rapid cycling.   Also in addition to
the lithium (at a level of 0.7--0.8) I am 
currently on 10 mg/day of olanzapine.  My brother
when he went off lithium just doubled his
olanzapine dose but I am unwilling to do that due
to weight gain and diabetes issues with olanzapine,
plus my mental health history is different from his.

-- 
David Dalton  dalton@nfld.com   http://www.nfld.com/~dalton (home page)
http://www.nfld.com/~dalton/nf.html Newfoundland&Labrador Travel & Music
http://www.nfld.com/~dalton/dtales.html Salmon on the Thorns (mystic page)
   "Here I go again...back into the flame" (Sarah McLachlan)