The lithium plan sounds good. I'm glad you are comfortable with it, and feeling good, too
I'm glad you are keeping the sleep study appointment. It's important, and it shouldn't disrupt your visit much.

I'd be frustrated about not having the flight info yet, too.

My mom had surgery for carpal tunnel syndrome one day ago.
She will be traveling with a brace or something I think and have surgery
for the other hand back at home later.

Most of the time they are here, she hangs out with hubby and they go
on long nature walks or check out a museum.


Dad and I do not like to walk and I cannot stand the record heat we are having two years in a row. He and I stay inside and talk.

Some years Dad and I find a parking space and walk a little on the beach and get a slice of pizza but some years we do not make it to the beach.
We just sit around at home talking.
------
Then the four of us meet for dinner.
Dad has already stated what he wants to eat (same thing every year):
1-Upscale Greek restaurant we have been going to the last few years
2-Long Island style Italian restaurant
3-Hubby's home cooked dinner at our place
(I hide in my computer room and skip that meal until they are all done eating
. . . . too much much for my anxiety to deal with hubby and them and food prep all at once)

M

I remember you talking about how your habit of pairing off when you talked about your parent's last trip. It's nice that you are compatible with your father, and your husband with your mother… things don't always work out so well.

I hope that you have a good visit

1. I had the cleaning lady here Saturday. The place looks better, mostly because
I begged her to take an old ugly piece of furniture out of here in her pickup truck. The living room looks roomier and less junky.
But the cost was huge because I did not feel like dealing with her.

2. We called Mom to check with her current food issues.
She says she can eat nuts, no fat yogurt, chicken, non acidic fruit, veggies, but absolutely no fats or oils.
(This matters the night hubby cooks at home for us.
Also, we will have snacks in the
car for her on the way from the airport to their hotel because she snacks
throughout the day).

3. Hubby and I cleared off the kitchen counters and put stuff away in the pantry. I have more things to put away/organize Monday.


4. I emailed Dad requesting flight information so we can pick them up.
He sent me the time but neglected Airline and Flight info.


M

I am posting to keep track of the lithium doses:
Pdoc scripted 150 twice a day in capsules

Mon Dec 19 approx 1/4 capsule
Tues Dec 20 approx 1/4 capsule
Wed Dec 21 approx 1/2 capsule
Thurs Dec 22 approx 1/2 capsule
Fri Dec 23 approx 3/4 capsule
Sat Dec 24 approx 3/4 capusle
Sun Dec 25 Whole pill: 150 mgs


I eat peanut butter crackers first -- in case of nausea issues.
I have not had nausea but stomach seems "different" since I started.

I do have some anxiety.
Tonight the anxiety is strong enough to require extra klonopin.

M

It sounds like you are all set for your visit!

I hope that the whole 150mg caps work out for you well. Could the "different" sensation in your stomach be related to your increased anxiety?

You are probably right about the anxiety feeling in the stomach.
I will stop eating crackers and focus on relaxation.

=-=-=-=-

Dad said over dinner when I asked about the status of my zillion bipolar cousins, that when he was out with the military, and we kids were very young, Mom would report that I stayed up late.


The others would be in bed and I would find something else to do.

M

I told Dad, due to depression, I am not up to dealing with anything Wed.



We agreed . . . .sort of . . . NOT MUCH OF AGREEMENT IF I HAVE NO CHOICE
.................................................. ........................................

1 he will be here at 10:30 so I can take him to a place
that does bagels. (Early wake up time for me!!!!! )

2 Then we will come back to the house to watch a movie from Amazon or something.

3 Then he will stay at our house on his computer with the wifi
while I drive to sleep neuro appt.

M

Mari,

I had sleep issues going back to childhood, too. I remember my mother caught me using NyQuil to fall asleep when I was 12-13. She obviously put a stop to that.


I'm sorry that you are feeling depressed. I hope that you can continue to tolerate the 150mg of lithium, and if you don't see any benefits from that dose, you can increase it soon. One of the benefits of lithium is that at therapeutic doses it works pretty quickly.

Are you going to have a lithium level drawn?

I hope that your neuro appointment/sleep study goes well.

When I asked if I was going to have to go through the hassle of
doing lithium levels, pdoc said something like "not right away"
. . . . -- not sure what she said actually, but the blood level was not going to be immediate.


Today is the first day I am taking two full capsules of the lithium as
prescribed.


I feel awful. I did not sleep long enough.
And so I spent the whole day
feeling depressed and sleepy.


M