[KSAH]

Hi everyone

I'm schizo=affective but I am posting here because I guess more people with Bipolar are likely to understand a question about lithium.

Basically my feet seem to get smaller as the day goes on. Measuring my feet has been inconclusive but I am simply wondering if anyone has similar stories or issues about lithium, minor salt retention, and fluctuating foot size. I also have OCD and appreciate that whilst I have spent 15 years constantly re-tying my shoe laces, it might be affected by my psychological state too, but I still feel my feet loose in my shoes as the day goes on, and I am trying to 'grow up' and not keep faffing around with my shoes, but this problem still presists.

I am not talking about blatant swelling, I have not had that, and I am not ruling out it being nothing to do with lithium, but please anyone who can comment about minor fluctuations in foot size/density, and a high dose of lithium, would be very welcome - feet seem bigger in the morning, laces feel looser as the hours pass, someone perhaps with similar medication, I am on Priadel 1200mg. Also taking Invega (Paliperidone) 9mg.

Many thanks, and feel free to set me right if you think I am barking up the wrong tree - as I say it might not be down to the Lithium and I have had no visible swelling, etc.

[lowinmood]

when I lose weight, my feet become smaller too, have you lost weight recently?

[scatterbrained04]

It's completely normal for your foot size to fluctuate throughout the day. Although, normally it causes your foot to get bigger as the day goes on, not smaller. This is why they say to always go shoe shopping later in the day.

Not sure what your daily routine is like. I suppose they could get smaller as the day goes on if you tend to be on your feet more early in the day and off of them later in the day.

[KSAH]

This is the whole problem - I'm not doing any of those things and my feet only 'fluctuate' one way. I can feel small pockets of water on top of them but the GP will not prescribe diuretics for me. I am convinced this could be to do with lithium and when I measured my feet more accurately this morning they were about 8mm wider around the top and bottom of the foot than at the end of the day. I know this might not sound like much to someone who has severe edema from medication-related water/ salt retention, but I have been constantly refastening 'loose' shoes (actually a smaller foot than at the beginning of the day) for 15 years and never complained! But now it is starting to really get me down. I am trying to be more active, given up drugs, etc etc and this is a pain. For ages I just put up with it, telling myself it was OCD or whatever, but it's not!

Thanks for your comments but I need people to talk about this in relation to lithium, re: salts and water and if there are any workarounds or natural diuretics I could safely take. I only really drink decaffeinated coffee and water/fruit juice during the day. I'm on 1200mg Priadel.

[Standup2me]

I am so happy to see this. I have small feet and always wore a size 5. Now, I am having a terrible time getting shoes because a size 5 is too big. I wear kids runners and shoes, but I cannot get heels. My heels that fit me before I was on Lithium are now too big.