Posted by Noa on January 6, 2000, at 0:38:34
In reply to Let's talk Lithium, Noa, posted by Phil on January 5, 2000, at 20:24:24
Hey, Phil, you KNOW I'm game to talk lithium...
Question: have you had a serum level while at your current dose? What was it? How long have you been at this dose?
My experience: After a while on 900, I noticed a tiny bit of improvement, but that plateaued. Then I increased to 1200 (2x300 in am, and 2x300 at night), and after a week or so at this dose, I definitely noticed significant improvement.
I have to go get another serum level tomorrow. Hopefully, I am still in a safe zone. I think I am because I have no signs of toxicity (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea) as far as I can tell.
Re: cottonmouth...I don't have dry mouth at all, but I am extremely thirsty all the time. It is a thirst from the body, rather than from a dry mouth. Of course, I have to urinate all the time, too. I don't know if you read Dr. Bob's post in response to my question a while back, about the direction of causality (urination leads to thirst? or thirst leads to urination?), in which he said the increased urination is the cause of the thirst. I guess I am accepting this annoying aspect of the lithium more and more as time goes on, but it is a bother. For example, today I was in a day-long meeting and kept having to get up and go to the bathroom, which felt disruptive to me. I have had to go in the middle of movies, which has never happened before, and requires that I sit on the aisle seat (like my 79 year old Dad who has prostate problems!). I drink about a gallon of water a day. Seems like a lot, no?
Bottom line: make sure to give it enough time to evaluate, get your blood test, and yes, I think increasing to 1200 might be a good option.
BTW, what else do you take(sorry I don't remember)?
Final word: I find it amusing that I am the "experienced" lithium patient here, given how many questions I have about it, too.
poster:Noa
thread:18142
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20000101/msgs/18160.html