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#1
Jun 11, 2015, 07:33 PM
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So, I've been on Lithium for about 1.5 weeks now. Started at 300mg at night and upped 300mg every three days and so now I'm on 900mg. Here is my problem! I put on 6lbs in one day! Obviously it's water because my hands, fingers, feet are all swollen! What does that mean? Anyone else have this happen? How do I get this off? Btw, I'm drinking lots of water and staying hydrated.
HASHI BIPOLAR MOM .125mg Synthroid 400mg Lamictal 75mg Cymbalta 2mg Clonidine 900mg Lithium 1mg Xanax as needed |
 Crazy Hitch
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#2
Jun 11, 2015, 07:54 PM
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I've been on lithium in the past Hashi - just wanted to share with you I didn't experience the side effect of weight gain with lithium but hopefully others who have had this side effect can share their stories with you because the amount you put on in one day - yikes - hope you get to the bottom of this
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 Hashi/bipolar mom
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#3
Jun 11, 2015, 08:19 PM
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How much are you drinking a day? When I was on it I had to maintain a gallon intake of water daily, If I slacked I would retain water and then I would gain weight.
You need to make sure your fluid intake is high enough.
__________________
Helping others gets me out of my own head ~ |
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#4
Jun 11, 2015, 09:52 PM
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I put on weight once taking Lithium but it was noticeable over months rather than days. I drink heaps of water, exercise and eat well. I put on about 20kg and then stabilised at my new weight. It is a frustrating side effect but I feel much better on the lithium than without it. I think you should talk to your doctor about this as it is a concern it is happening so fast.
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Bipolar 1 with psychotic features PTSD  "Phew! For a minute there I lost myself." 'Karma Police' by Radiohead |
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#5
Jun 11, 2015, 10:01 PM
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Make sure you keep tabs on your thyroid function. Lithium can mess with it. Although I was taking my levothyroxine, lithium made mine worse and I got bad hypothyroidism symptoms. Im not trying to be negative...just make sure you get it checked more often than normal.
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schizoaffective bipolar type PTSD generalized anxiety d/o haldol, prazosin, risperdal and prn klonopin and helpful cogentin |
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#6
Jun 12, 2015, 01:26 AM
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[I]I believe Lithium is a salt, and salt usually makes you retain water. That could be where your weight gain is currently, as water is 8lbs per gallon.
At only a week and a half, you are still getting the Lithium saturated in your body, and all these things have to get used to each other. You'll have a better idea what Lithium will look like for you in a couple weeks./I] |
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#7
Jun 12, 2015, 01:27 AM
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I believe Lithium is a salt, and salt usually makes you retain water. That could be where your weight gain is currently, as water is 8lbs per gallon.
At only a week and a half, you are still getting the Lithium saturated in your body, and all these things have to get used to each other. You'll have a better idea what Lithium will look like for you in a couple weeks. |
| Hashi/bipolar mom
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#8
Jun 12, 2015, 01:13 PM
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Thanks guys! I lost two pounds since yesterday so that makes me feel better however I'm still swollen. I'm taking the advice from Christina, so today I'm going to drink a gallon of water. Maybe that will help so that my body doesn't have to feel that it needs to hold onto excess water. I have my two week bloodwork on Monday. They will check my thyroid, kidney function, and Lithium level. Hopefully this will give us a better picture of what is going on. I'll keep you guys updated! Thanks!
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Hashi/Bipolar Mom 300mg Lamictal 1800mg Gabapentin 10mg Memantine (weaning off) .6mg Clonidine (for sleep and anxiety) 40mg Propanol (for sleep) 3 mg Xanax 10mg Saphris |
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#9
Jun 12, 2015, 01:44 PM
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Please be careful with that! Its thought an overabundance of water won't hurt you...but it can. There are 128oz in a gallon of water...its recommended we drink half that at 64oz per day to be healthily hydrated...and perhaps you can add on a few more oz to offset the Lithium effect.
But a gallon is too much. There is such a thing as water toxicity too where all that water washes out your sodium and causes problems: When You Drink Too Much Water Too Fast, What Can Happen? Here's a little more on how it all works: How Much Water Do You Need? Can You Drink Too Much? |
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#10
Jun 12, 2015, 03:32 PM
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They will check my thyroid, kidney function, and Lithium level.
Cool. It should be alright. Keep tabs on this thread I'd be interested in what the results are. |
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#11
Jun 17, 2015, 02:38 PM
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Update on my blood work. My TSH (thyroid hormone), Kidney function, and Lithium levels are all in the normal range. I told my psychiatrist about the weight gain. She said that it's not unusual to gain 5-10lbs on Lithium at the beginning and then it levels off. She said that in fact, after that happens, some people lose the weight that they gained. My levels were on the low TSH normal levels (however, it's more than it was before). I had about a .9 out of a .5-4.7 expected range before the Lithium two weeks ago. Now it's a 1.4. Yes, that's normal but higher than two weeks ago. I go for testing again in a month and if it's gone even higher then we need to see if we continue with Lithium. That's the update!
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Hashi/Bipolar Mom 300mg Lamictal 1800mg Gabapentin 10mg Memantine (weaning off) .6mg Clonidine (for sleep and anxiety) 40mg Propanol (for sleep) 3 mg Xanax 10mg Saphris |
| Chickenkicker, Moogieotter
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