Met with my treatment team again this morning. I'm feeling a lot better, no suicidal thoughts today. We're going to be checking my Lithium levels tomorrow, so they should be back by Sunday. If it's 0.8 or higher we're going to lower the dose so it gets in the 0.5-0.8 range. We're adding escitalopram (an antidepressant) at a low dose and we'll see how that goes. The plan is to ween off of Lithium eventually and be completely on an antidepressant. If I were to experience hypomania then we would know for certain I have bipolar 2 disorder, but my doctor thinks that is unlikely. He believes I have major depressive disorder. Even so, a 0.5 blood level of lithium is enough to counteract that at this time so we can see how escitalopram works with me. They will set me up with resources and therapists that specialize in DBT.
My doctor said he believes the Borderline Personality Disorder went undiagnosed for so long because I am reserved and calm. It typically presents in people who are not, but he knows what to look out for and I meet several criteria for BPD. Interesting!
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