Question: My 17 yr old daughter cut her wrist while on 900 lithium er (for 2 days, prior to that 600 er for 3 days and prior to that 450 er for 5 weeks prior to that 300 reg to stabilize her mood), 20 latuda (heard voices last time was 8 months ago), 50 pristique(for her depression), 36 concerta (diagnosed with attention deficit during her first hospitalization 2 yrs ago), and (12.5 seraquil for sleep). She said she was anxious about school and somehow got a razor from a shaver and did this while we were not home.
She was in the hospital for four nights and her meds were changed. Pristique was removed because she seemed manic (per her doc vary happy anything you say and I can run a marathon), and Latuda was increased to 30 (her doc wanted 40 but I did not want XXXXXXX to be hit by the weight gain in a week or two and not want to continue).

My daughter is not always honest because she does not want the meds up due to side effects (hair, weight). She always refused the higher doses. This time I told her to be flexible and honest. I am not sure she is 100% honest.

She came home Friday fro the hospital and had trouble sleeping that night. I gave her 12.5 more seraquil. At one point she seemed to be freaking out with the fact that she could not sleep. I told her to use her copping skills and eventually fell asleep. Last night I gave her 37.5 seraquil she slept better but still got up once for water, once for food (she had thrown up in the evening), and a couple of times to go to the bathroom. She has had diarrhea since the increase of lithium to 600 except 2 days in the hospital, has headache on and off with nausea since the increase of lithium to 900 and she threw up the last two days with no fever, and has had shakie hands since Friday. She seems to be always on the go now that she is home.

She will be taking a lithium level test on Monday and continuing care at the php clinic with her doc. She is still refusing school. I personally think that the Lithium is too high. Maybe 750 er will be better. I do not know I am not a doc. But she has always been sensitive to new meds.

I hope I have not confused you. Please let me know your professional opinion.

Thank you,
Vary concerned mother.