[LiteraryLark]

I have a problem of forgetting my morning meds, which is one 300mg lithium and birth control. It's a lot easier to take my meds at night. My nightly meds are two lithium and one 5mg zyprexa.

I don't know if there is a reason to take them at separate times other than to space them out. My doctor's away for a few days and I was wondering if it's okay to take my meds all at the same time if it's the same exact dosage.

[buttrfli42481]

Can you call the pharmacy or does your dr have a nurse that you could talk to? I would not take all my meds at once without first checking with the ones I mentioned above. I am not on the same meds as you, in fact, I am on many more than you and I cannot take them at the same time because the side-effects could be more dangerous. Is there anyway you can set an alarm for your morning meds? I have a med that I have to take at 3pm and forgot constantly until I started setting an alarm on my phone. I hope you get it figured out.

Don't you have directions on each med? I wouldn't do that unless your doctor has prescribed it that way. They build too easily in the system as it is; I wouldn't want an overdose of any prescribed medication, particularly psychotropic ones. They have such strong impact on the nerves.

Too much lithium and all you can do is to just sit and shake. It can damage the kidneys if you do that on a continual basis.

[hamster-bamster]

I take exactly as much Lithium as you do and all at night, which makes sense since Li is slightly sedative. Why take a sedative drug in the morning? What is the purpose?

The Pill can be taken any time, as long as you are consistent.

[hamster-bamster]

Do you remember your last lithiium level by any chance?

[LiteraryLark]

I remember that my levels were all normal.

[hamster-bamster]

There is a range of normal. If your level was towards the upper bound, I can sort of see the p-doc spreading Li over am and pm. Otherwise, I do not understand the purpose of it. 1) am dose is. Inconvenient for you, and 2) li is somewhat sedative so better taken at night.

[BlueInanna]

It is better to keep a steady stream of lithium in the body, better for the liver, I was told. But if you can't remember to split them up, they'll prob say to take all at night, pdoc did that with my son and lithium. Regardless let ur doc know what ur doing to be safe. And I don't know about birth control if morning or evening matters, I used to take it in morning.

[Odee]

I've started taking my lamictal at night with the trazodone I am using for sleep because it's far easier to remember to take both at the same time and also easier to remember pills before getting into bed rather than after I get out of bed. Of course, these are just two and don't really touch upon your issue here.

Personally, if it comes down to forgetting meds, then I thinking taking them all at a time you can remember is the best solution as long as no dangerous interactions can occur (and if they did....well, that's dangerous that you're taking them together at all.).

[bunnifoo]

I'd call the pharmacist and see if they had any advice. I know the Pill has to be taken pretty much at the same time to be the most effective. I take Lithobid the long acting lithium so I take all of my medications at night.

The danger with lithium is that too much over extended periods can cause closure of
the tiny arteries in the kidneys, and there's nothing nephrologists can do about that.

I know because I had damage from it.

I do think it's best to set a routine, even put all your pills in a cabinet and set a
schedule for A.M. and P.M. (before brushing teeth in A.M. and after brushing teeth
for bedtime. That's the easiest way to remember to take them on schedule.)

Hope you're feeling better soon.

[Cocosurviving]

Wow I didn't know there is a long acting Lithium. I'm taking 1800 MG three times per day. I never leave home without carrying my lunch dose of meds.

[hamster-bamster]

Originally Posted by Cocosurviving

Wow I didn't know there is a long acting Lithium. I'm taking 1800 MG three times per day. I never leave home without carrying my lunch dose of meds.

I believe that it is the biggest dose of Lithium, twice what DrSkipper takes. No wonder you need to space it - it is a lot of Lithium.

Without insurance, long acting Lithium is 8 times more expensive. So it is worth it if you are nauseous or something like that. If you tolerate regular Lithium all right, you do not need to upgrade.

If you have insurance, however, why not take Lithobid (the name of the long acting Lithium)?

[Cocosurviving]

Originally Posted by hamster-bamster

I believe that it is the biggest dose of Lithium, twice what DrSkipper takes. No wonder you need to space it - it is a lot of Lithium.

Without insurance, long acting Lithium is 8 times more expensive. So it is worth it if you are nauseous or something like that. If you tolerate regular Lithium all right, you do not need to upgrade.

If you have insurance, however, why not take Lithobid (the name of the long acting Lithium)?

Thanks for the info. I have no insurance so it would be best for me to stick with regular Lithium Carbonate .