Lithium, has anyone found it makes you sick all the time?

[jgcr]

I'm now on Lithium (new medication we are trying)... I find i'm always sick during the day. I find from the time I wake up, I have nausea, as soon as I eat anything I have huge stomack pains and heartburn all day long, as well as diarrhea and massice headaches... anyone been on Lithium and felt sick all the time or is this something that will pass? I know these are all symptoms of the medication, I've read about it but I'm wondering if this is a lasting thing or not. I've been on it 2 weeks and have been sick the whole 2 weeks. I take it at bedtime, and about 10 min later, massive heartburn starts. I take tums to help ease it, but that only lasts about an hour then i wake up with the same huge heartburn feeling. When i finally get to sleep, I wake up in the morning feeling the nausea and the cycle starts again... Is this normal and an ongoing thing i need to get used to? Or will it stop eventually? I will bring it to my Doctor's attention but in the meantime I have a ways to go. Thanks a bunch

[AJ]

You may want to consider calling your doctor and seeing if you can get in sooner. It would be worthwhile to have your lithium blood levels checked. Depending on your dose you may do better on the long acting form. Taking it with food might help and perhaps taking it a half hour to hour before bedtime might help with the heartburn. Are you taking it with a glass of water?

[paul m]

Hello JCGR. I take my lithium in multiple doses during the day and always with food. For example I take 1500mg a day and I take 600 in the morning, 300 in the afternoon and 600 at night (I tend to eat late). I find this really helps. I also drink water with it.

There used to be a product called DuraLith that eliminated a lot of the problems that you describe. I was really upset when they removed it. I have gotten used to the lithium and the way I take it, so there may be an extended release formula on the market again.

However I would get my blood levels checked asap as if you get dehydrated from having the runs, you can end up with too much lithium in your system and that will cause some of the problems that you are describing. I'm not saying that is the problem, but it may be part of it. Good Luck and Take Care. paul m

[AJ]

Hey Paul I thought there was another company making long acting Lithium. Lithmax? Oh I just checked, I think that one got discontinued too.

[paul m]

Hello AJ. There are lot's of companies around the world producing different long lasting lithium (duralith, lithmax, Lithium ER and more) however the problem in Canada is most psychiatrist don't prescribe it. No reason not too, in fact lots of reason to prescribe it, however doctors tend to prescribe what they are used too and not necessarily what is the best product on the market. Plus most drug plans would not pay for it. ( shortsightedness of the gov'ts, because the less side effects, the more likely people will take it, thus reducing overall costs) .

However, depending on where a person lives, they can always ask their pharmacist if they can get it for them. Some form may or may not be available. Take Care. paul m P.S. Health Cda still shows Lithmax as an approved product , but the mfg is AA Pharma Inc and their website hasn't been updated recently, so I don't even know if they are still in business. Once again a pharmacist could check.

[AJ]

The eCPS shows it listed and doesn't say that it has been discontinued but that doesn't mean it's available. I'm curious and will ask my pharmacist.

[jgcr]

Thank you for the feedback... I see my doctor tomorrow evening so I'll see what he says... I've been drinking nothing but water all day long and it just doesn't seem enough, I still feel so dehydrated all the time and so sick still. I've tried to take the Lithium with some food as you recommended but that didn't turn out so well, as my stomach is pretty much all the time upset now... guess all i have to do is wait to see what the Doc says, I believe he is also sending me for bloodwork, asap. Just seems like everytime I try a new medication, it has a way of either not working or making me very ill... doesn't really feel like much progress... but i'm sure "eventually" we'll find something that works. Thanks again for the advice. As much as I can google all kinds of information on these meds, sometimes, it's better to hear someone's actual experience on it other than just medical facts.

[paul m]

Hello jgcr. Don't hesitate to ask your pharmacist for advice and help. They tend to know a lot more about the side effects of meds than doctors. Some pharmacists are better than others, I quite going to the big box stores for my prescriptions because I found that the ones in my area just didn't have the time for me that the smaller pharmacies had. Even then I had to change several times till I found one that would give me the time and advice that I needed.

I hope that you can find a med soon that works and that you can take. I know it can be a problem and hard on the moral to keep trying meds and having no luck. Take Care. paul m

[macduffy]

I JUST started Lithium. Because of my hesitation in trying it we are going slow. For the first month I was on 300 (at night) and woke up in the of the night sick to my stomach. That went away but the bloating stayed. My first "level" test was .3 (I was told .6 + was therapeutic but that really it was whatever made me feel better). I was upped to 600 but haven't taken the new dose yet. I'm still reluctant.
I hope you are feeling better now!

[jgcr]

I was only on 300 of lithium, and we decided to try 450 and see if the sickness would just go away... it didn't, so i'm back down to 150, I'm still very sick during the night and most of the day. I see my doctor this evening and am thinking of telling him to take me off lithium. I don't want to keep feeling sick like this on top of feeling sick with bipolar. Is there anything else other than lithium out there? I'm on lithium, Epival and seroquel at the moment, all 3 at the same time... alone, none worked. Is that it?? Am i stuck feeling sick either from my illness and/or the medication? I hope the lithium works for you macduffy.

[Liam]

Hello jgcr, I'm taking Lithium(Carbolith is the brand name)Concerta, Lamictal for a year now and I feel great. Lithium dosage is 1200, when I took 600 at night and 600 in morning I did not like it, I felt sick as well. Probably too much at once for me so I split it up throughout the day, 300 morning, noon, dinner then bed, all good, no issues.

[jgcr]

thanks, i guess we'll have to experiment