trouble concentrating.does anybody think about another pill or any suggestion.I have completely lost my confidence.
Responses (2)
You might want to consider your lithium serum level regarding your trouble concentrating, as the two have a high corresponding rate. According to Fredrick Goodwin, the populist Bipolar Expect these days, maintaince serum levels do not need to be as high as once thought. It used to be thought tha maintance levels should be between 0.8 - 1.2 mEq/L, but newwer research suggest that levels can be maintained at between 0.6 - 1.0 mEq/L. Might not seem like much, but that little difference in serum level can make a huge difference in cognitive functioning. Here is a link to a great article about it.
http://pn.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/full/37/13/27
Just out of curiosity, how long have you been taking the lithium and abilify? I would suggest you start off asking your doctor if he/she thinks you need to have your dosages adjusted before giving up and trying something new. There are other meds that help with bipolar behavior such as seroquel and zyprexa, but I would not suggest trying to switch to any one of them without seeking the advice of your doctor. Good luck.
