Will

12:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m., which I suppose is night-ish, but it's a forced regimen just to keep me from being up all night and sleeping all day Can you sleep with white noise in the background?

That's well stated. Strength/resistance training does have a different effect on my mind and mood than aerobics. And it can be done without weights or bands, etc. I've been doing both for years because I am one of those people who have to exercise to not be depressed. It is very much key to not think of having to do something exhaustive. Just do what you feel like doing on a given day.

I don't have a choice because I have to get out and walk to avoid cabin fever and to try to move the needle on the depression. It's hot as fuck for about 8 months a year here. The gym is out due to covid. The dog went about a block on his last try and looked at me and said "take me home." So I walk alone.

I talked to my pdoc today and I mentioned my fear of what seems to be more manic episodes, with greater severity, and more closely spaced. She mentioned that I am atypical in that aging usually brings more depressive episodes. I don't miss lamictal at all so far, and I'm hopeful depakote stabilizes my life for a bit.

I am going to work on my temper while I am (now) more or less euthymic. Perhaps that will help when I cycle back up.

I also wondered whether lamotrigine was doing anything. My dosage was 300 mg. It made little sense for me to be on it anyway because the real danger for me is manic psychosis, and I had two episodes while on it.

Thank you for starting the thread. I fear my son is in a similar situation with his job. Or it may be my typical low threshold for anxiety kicking in. Some very good advice and links here.

I feel much the same about the therapist that I have been seeing for 6 years. She's too good for her current location and position and I fear losing her. Like you, I would like for the relationship to be more of a reciprocal sharing of emotions and experiences, but I know that's impossible.

Yeah that's way cooler than the one I got my kids years ago.

I've been taking it for a few months and it's making me lethargic also. A very dull feeling that I don't like. Lithium is out due to kidney issues. I was much happier w/ lamictal but need the stronger anti-manic properties of depakote. Weight gain has not been an issue. I don't know about the hair because it's so long now since I've had it cut!

Congrats! You guys have been thru a lot lately and I'm happy for you.

I think it is hard. In 2018, I had about a 5-week period which I couldn't define as one or the other. It was actually very sweet and made me wonder. In fact, it left me thinking that it was the type of experience that causes some manics to stop taking their meds. Typically, I become psychotic (delusional, paranoid) so that makes it easy to differentiate.

I'm glad you're better. And thank you for being proactive in offering to donate plasma

I hope you get better soon, Catnapper. Please keep us posted.

I hope there are better days ahead for all of us. I'm very glad you're posting again, bplb. I miss the regulars from years past, and can only hope they are safe and well.