Psycho-Babble Medication Thread 16441

Shown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.

 

Lithium, day 6

Posted by Noa on December 8, 1999, at 16:34:03

Day six. I am tolerating the lithium well. I feel a bit tired and hazy, but not bad. Am functioning a bit better at work. Mood seems better over last few days. Feeling thirsty all the time. And the peeing, oh the peeing. It seems to take up so much of my day. And night. I have always had to get up to pee in the middle of the night, and it got worse with my apnea, but since treatment for the apnea (nasal cpap) that stopped, and since increasing the serzone, I haven't had much of those middle of the night insomnia/restlessness that seems to be a result of the effexor. I was feeling really good about getting to a point where I slept through the night, and now the lithium makes me have to get up to pee once or twice, at least. You know what they say, "if it's not one thing, it's your mother".
Gotta go, nature calls at this very minute....

 

LITHIUM QUESTION

Posted by Noa on December 9, 1999, at 6:49:01

In reply to Lithium, day 6, posted by Noa on December 8, 1999, at 16:34:03

Does anyone know what the cause-effect relationships are with lithium and the thirst and having to pee so much? Am I having to go so much because I am drinking so much because I am so thirsty? Or does lithium actually cause an increased need to urinate, which then makes me thirstier, etc. etc.? In the past 12 hours, I have had 3/4 gallon of water, and I am still really really thirsty. I can't even count the trips to the bathroom, except to say there were many of them overnight, and I am bummed about not having continuous sleep.

 

Re: LITHIUM QUESTION

Posted by S. Suggs on December 9, 1999, at 7:43:35

In reply to LITHIUM QUESTION, posted by Noa on December 9, 1999, at 6:49:01

Noa, sorry to hear about the lithium issue. Since I have been on it for 3 1/2 years, my opinion is that your body is trying to eliminate the salt (lithium). Since it is not broken down, the main way it is eliminated is through the kidneys. When do you have a level check? How much are you taking and when? Some folks are just sensitive to the drug and have this as a side effect. Are you getting enough regular salt in your diet? If it is a major problem, I'd call the doc and request a serum level check. Good luck and Blessings,

S. Suggs

 

Re: LITHIUM QUESTION

Posted by Noa on December 9, 1999, at 11:18:23

In reply to Re: LITHIUM QUESTION, posted by S. Suggs on December 9, 1999, at 7:43:35

I am supposed to have blood levels checked after five days on current dose, which is 300 mg in the am and 600 mg at bedtime. I started with 300 in the am and then another 300 later in the day, that was for the first 4 days. I have been on the 300/600 for three days now. I was thinking of getting the levels tomorrow, since day 5 is a Saturday. I don't want to wait till Monday because I have a pdoc appt. next Thursday and I would like to have the results back in time for that appt.
I don't know if I get enought salt. I would assume I do since I don't consciously limit my sodium intake. I don't tend to add salt to food, but I do eat some prepared foods, like instant soups and soy burger type products, which have a ton of sodium.
I think part of the problem is the combined urinary effects of both the lithium carbonate and the effexor xr. The effexor seems to lower the threshold at which the signal/urge to go appears. So, instead of waiting until it is pretty full to signal me with the urge feeling, it sends the signal for just a small amount. Also, the urge is INTENSE, and the ability to postpone the flow of urine is weakened, so often I feel as though I am going to have an accident. In fact, sometimes I believe there is some leakage, because control is so hard when I am moving, say from sitting in the car to standing, etc. Yet another problem from the effexor is that once I sit down to urinate, there is a disconnect, and the signal to let the urine flow doesn't seem to work. I have to focus really hard to make it happen. And often a trip to the bathroom takes a while. Then, I'll get up, wash up and leave the bathroom, only to have to turn around and pee again, only for a small amount.

So, you can see that because of the problems from the effexor, which I tolerated before, the whopping increase in volume from the lithium is complicated. I feel like I spend more time going to the bathroom than doing anything else. This is actually one of the reasons I was reluctant to go on lithium once I realized I needed a mood stablizer. I anticipated this problem. The only think I still wonder is, is it possible that this effect will calm down after a while? I know there have been negative effects from other meds I am on that went away after a few weeks.

 

noa

Posted by Janice on December 9, 1999, at 22:13:45

In reply to Re: LITHIUM QUESTION, posted by Noa on December 9, 1999, at 11:18:23

hi,

I remember this being worse for me when I began lithium. I believe I still go to the bathroom more than most people (I also drink more liquids), but it doesn't interfere with my life by making me physically uncomfortable. I seem to like to have a reason to get up and move around. Most of my symptoms went away to the point of not being annoying quite quickly (except for acne).

Keep checking with other people. My doctor in toronto is going to call this new doctor, but this new doctor wants everything official. The truth probably is; I just don't like his personality. I don't really appreciate 'by the book' type people.To me, it means their intuition isn't very well developed. All this testing seems like a waste of tax payers money (I'm sure it's very expensive) and not necessary.

This is probably all my ADHD in action; filling out all those forms and questionaires fills me with feelings of dread and horror! EEEEkkkk! When I was a young girl one of my worst nightmares was to end up in jail for not filling out paper work properly. Sadly enough, I thought alot about this kind of stuff. Janice.

 

Re: noa

Posted by Janice on December 9, 1999, at 22:20:26

In reply to noa, posted by Janice on December 9, 1999, at 22:13:45

this probably is too obvious to say, but what the heck. Could you stop drinking liquids 3 to 4 hours before you go to bed? Or reduce the amount you drink? And try to pee like crazy before you fall asleep. Because we all know what happens when you don't get a good night sleep...you have a really bad day or a consistent set of really bad days. I still drink alot of liquids purposely ... but I do remember having increased thirst too when I began lithium. Janice.

I am curious too as to the biological reasons behind all this.

 

Re: LITHIUM QUESTION

Posted by Dr. Bob on December 9, 1999, at 22:52:30

In reply to LITHIUM QUESTION, posted by Noa on December 9, 1999, at 6:49:01

> Am I having to go so much because I am drinking so much because I am so thirsty? Or does lithium actually cause an increased need to urinate, which then makes me thirstier, etc. etc.?

It's the latter. So not drinking would just lead to dehydration.

Bob

 

Re: LITHIUM QUESTION-Janice & Dr. Bob

Posted by Noa on December 10, 1999, at 5:55:29

In reply to Re: LITHIUM QUESTION, posted by Dr. Bob on December 9, 1999, at 22:52:30

Thank you, for the info and encouragemnt. Dr. Bob, is there any chance this effect fades a bit after a while?


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