It's been a crazy week, I'm still in the hospital. I'm set to discharge tomorrow. I got a fever and what does that mean? Quarantine! Got the full workup and was greeted with the blue gowns, masks and everything for almost 2 days. I just barely got released from quarantine maybe 25 minutes ago (so around 9:20pm). I wasn't allowed outside of my room. Got tested for COVID-19 and it came back negative, then got tested for Influenza A and B and both were negative as well, which is all good news. However, my parents are very cautious and want me to be quarantined once I go home as well, because they're not sure how reliable a negative test result is for COVID-19 what with it being such a new virus and all. My dad says I could've been tested too early or something, that a fever coming and going and coming again is one of the signs. I also have a stuffy nose and when I tried running earlier this week (found out about an outdoor courtyard and took advantage running laps) my throat/chest hurt and I started wheezing slightly. So, we'll be cautious. Mostly because my grandpa is going through cancer treatments and my dad wants to be able to go see him if he needs him and know he's COVID free (they've created a safe environment at home as they've been self-isolating for a few weeks now).
As for mental health, I'm doing a lot better. My lithium levels were tested this morning and came back at 0.5, which is just under the therapeutic range. I believe the therapeutic range is 0.6-1.2. I'm taking lithium as a mood stabilizer (which is apparently much stronger than Latuda, one of the strongest mood stabilizers and most effective for bipolar disorder), as well as a doubled dose of Latuda, from what I was taking prior to this hospital visit. I feel much more stable now and more like myself, which is all very positive. I've been here for 11.5 days now and the longer time period is to make sure I leave here with my medications managed at a level that will keep me from bouncing back to another hospital visit. My doctors and I are confident that we are now at that point, which is awesome. I really feel like things are going to be different from here on out and I'm glad to have finally figured out something that manages both my depressive and hypomanic states. Being hypomanic is awesome until my mood drops, and even then it negatively impacts my life when it leads me to making impulsive decisions. So to have that figured out really is a true blessing.
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