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#1
Mar 28, 2014, 07:19 PM
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So I got my blood taken on Wednesday so that my psychiatrist could decide what to do with my meds at my appointment Thursday (yesterday). I haven't had a lithium level done since November (which is partially my fault). Turns out I was dangerously lithium toxic. The lab didn't flag it, but when my psychiatrist looked up the results on the computer she found out I was toxic and we didn't even finish the appointment, she sent me directly to the emergency room.
Initially I was told I would be staying at least overnight, if not more. But most of what I did was sit around waiting. They were confused because I didn't seem to have any of the usual lithium toxicity symptoms. Eventually they drew blood to confirm the lithium level. I waited a few more hours and then they gave me a saline IV to try and flush my system. Just as I was mentally preparing myself to spend a night in the emergency room, they told me my lithium level had dropped to just on the edge of toxic, so I could go home. I saw the triage nurse who had told me I'd be in overnight on my way out and she was surprised I was leaving. I saw my psychiatrist again today and she was mad because she had asked for an EKG and a urine test, but they did neither. She's also concerned because the blood they drew yesterday was close to the time I would have taken my meds, and my lithium level should not be on the edge of toxic just BEFORE I take my lithium. I didn't take lithium at all last night, and tonight I start a lowered dose. On Wednesday I will get my blood drawn again, and Thursday I have an appointment to review the results. I'm really nervous that it will be a repeat of this week, that I will still be toxic and will spend another Thurs/Fri in the ER. I can't miss class on Friday. The weirdest thing is I have none of the usual toxic symptoms. No nausea/vomiting/GI symptoms. No heart palpitations, tremor, thirst. I've been depressed, and had aches and pains I thought were from the depression, but my psychiatrist thinks both the depression and aches could be from the lithium toxicity. Anyone else ever had a toxic lithium level? |
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#2
Mar 28, 2014, 07:45 PM
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I was never good at getting my blood levels taken but I believe I went toxic a couple of times, but that was because of symptoms. Besides the fact that I was in such a deep mental fog I couldn't even hold a conversation, I was also violently snaking, to the point that I couldn't write legibly, make my jewelry, or even do yoga because my Muscles shook so bad. So I am surprised you don't have any symptoms of it. But it's good your pdoc is on top of it.
__________________
Of course it is happening inside your head. But why on earth should that mean that it is not real? -Albus Dumbledore That’s life. If nothing else, that is life. It’s real. Sometimes it f—-ing hurts. But it’s sort of all we have. -Garden State |
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#3
Mar 28, 2014, 07:59 PM
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I have a history of abnormal reactions to medication, I got the scary rash when I was on Lamictal, trazodone made me incredibly awake (I was prescribed it for sleep), and when I was on Zoloft I couldn't pee. I'm still surprised I had no toxic symptoms. I DID have a little bit on nausea, looking back, but not nearly what I'd expect for a toxic level. On the exact same dose my level was right smack in the middle of the therapeutic range back in November. I don't know what changed.
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#4
Mar 28, 2014, 08:10 PM
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I was lithium toxic once and had vomiting, diarrhea and intense itching all over my body including my scalp. My lithium level was 2.9 (therapeutic is 0.5-0.9 last I read) and I had to go inpatient and it took four days for my level to drop below toxic range.
__________________
The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well. anonymous |
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#5
Mar 28, 2014, 08:12 PM
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I read somewhere that becoming dehydrated, exercising more, diet changes, etc can all affect lithium levels. I dunno if that's true. But I definitely won't ever go on lithium again. Te lack of responsibility for blood levels also keeps me off depakote and tegretol.
__________________
Of course it is happening inside your head. But why on earth should that mean that it is not real? -Albus Dumbledore That’s life. If nothing else, that is life. It’s real. Sometimes it f—-ing hurts. But it’s sort of all we have. -Garden State |
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#6
Mar 28, 2014, 08:25 PM
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My husband had a lithium level of 3.3 last summer. He had uncontrollable full body tremors, he was lethargic and extremely confused. His kidneys started failing and they immediately put him on dialysis. Dialysis pulled all his meds off at once and he became psychotic. He was in intensive care for 8 days. Not something to mess with.
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#7
Mar 28, 2014, 08:29 PM
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Wow, those levels are high. I was told therapeutic range was 0.8 - 1.2, and my level came back 1.5. They still expected me to have symptoms though. Apparently something's going on with my kidneys but not bad enough to do anything about.
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#8
Mar 28, 2014, 08:55 PM
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I do not know much about using Lithium, but from reading on the forums, toxicity levels may vary for each person. I have come across people on 1800mg of Lithium. I think the normal dose is about 1200mg.
But what do I know?
__________________
Bipolar II and GAD Venlafaxine, Lamotragine, Buspirone, Risperidone |
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#9
Mar 29, 2014, 08:25 PM
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I was on 1200 last year and my level was 0.8. It wasn't working, so my dose got raised to 1350 and my level went up to 1.0 in November. I didn't have a blood test since. And then on Wednesday, still on 1350, my level was 1.5. I spent an evening in emerg, they hooked me up to an IV, and when I left my level was 1.2.
I'm a little concerned that I'm still toxic, because for the past few days I've been nauseated, have had pretty severe joint pain (knees), and am currently in a lot of pain from gastric distress. At first I thought I was imagining it or thinking about it too much and scaring myself into it. But the joint pain and my current gastric pain are not regular occurrences. The gastric pain could be due to poor food choices. I'm getting my levels checked on Wednesday, but if this keeps up I might go to emerg myself before then.
__________________
Bipolar I with psychotic features/GAD/Transgender (male pronouns please) Seroquel/Abilify/Risperidone/Testosterone My Bipolar Poetry Anthology Underneath this skin there's a human Buried deep within there's a human And despite everything I'm still human I think that I'm still human |
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#10
Mar 29, 2014, 08:58 PM
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Quote:
__________________
Bipolar II and GAD Venlafaxine, Lamotragine, Buspirone, Risperidone |
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