How a Hall of Fame Basketball Coach is Fighting Bipolar Disorder
Joanne P. McCallie -"Coach P."
Thankful for the fighting spirit.
I often share my fascination of the brain along with my incredible respect for psychiatrists worldwide. How do you accomplish “surgery of the brain” without ever seeing it?
The methodical and complicated assessments are critical. But, how do we get it right so that each individual achieves a wonderful chemical brain balance that can serve them for a lifetime? You simply cannot get it right all the time. Medication evaluation and changes throughout a lifetime are the norm. It takes great patient/doctor communication and awareness to changes in life events.
Potential hormonal fluctuations can significantly impact your brain health. The adjustments can be so subtle-it truly is an extraordinary case may be similar to some. Post-hysterectomy life has created my fair share of medicine challenges.
After a cancer scare and a wise decision to receive a full blown hysterectomy, my brain seemed to shift and percolate with a new chemistry. Being thrust into menopause has not only shocked my body-but more importantly, my brain.
After leaving college coaching, I am now learning to coach others’ and always myself to detect the subtleties of life and brain that can affect us all.
Since I am clearly not a medical expert, my life stories surrounding my bipolar disorder and the continuum of anxiety and depression included, are critical teachable moments.
Recently, I had issues with my lithium dosage. Since I have been using the medication for twenty-seven years change appeared likely. Kidneys can be sensitive to long term lithium use. Still, change is always daunting-especially when talking about “brain meds”. My stellar and brilliant psychiatrist made a simple suggestion. Can we keep my lithium stable and slightly increase my lamotrigine by 25 mg (titrating each week) to lift my dosage and allow for the medicines to work in concert, but just a different way? She always cleverly poses questions to me-as if I am the expert. I love that about her skills as a mentor. She has taught me so much.
As you might have guessed, this subtle change has made all the difference.
Just 25 mg! Turns out no titration was needed. The added 25 mg at night has worked perfectly. For now. Yep. For now.The brain is simply incredible. We must honor its twists and turns through brain chemistry challenges. It’s not perfect. But, it will be okay. We can do this-but never alone. Find your care team. Listen to your doc. Take your meds! And, welcome adjustments. And cherish those docs who marvel at the science and love getting it right. Not perfect. Not the same always. Just right. Perfectly.