[causehealth101]

Currently:

1. Lamictal since late '15. Was originally on Lithium for the mania, but grew tired of the side effects + kidney risks...plus, it had worked well enough from '09 - '13, "Maybe I don't need it. Maybe I'm one of the 5% who won't relapse." I dropped it and it promptly triggered a 5-month major mania episode, followed by a 4-month deep depression (because I immediately ditched my anti-depressants once I was rockin' the mania!).

2. Effexor since January. I had been on Cymbalta for the entire time since my diagnosis and felt, with things declining, it was worth trying something new. The jury is still out on this one.

3. Wellbutrin.

4. Klonopin, as needed. I've always been super conservative with anti-anxiety medications and avoided them. But clearly the problem has escalated in recent years. So I'm working on accepting this as part of my treatment.

5. Ambien.