Lithium- yet not thirsty - Bipolar Disorder Message Board

JustDave4now · 10-18-2005, 05:39 PM

When I first started Lithium I was ever so thirsty, I couldn't get
enough water, and though I still take Lith, suddenly I am no
longer thirsty. Its been about two weeks now, and I have to force
myself to drink, my thist when from 10 to 1 like overnight.

Now let me fend the obvious question, no i am not drinking soda, or
coffee in its place, if anything I have replaced my soda recently with
water, giving it up.

I am lucky to drink four full glasses a day.

odd, has this happened to anyone?

batmatic · 10-19-2005, 03:28 AM

Yes, it happened to me, too. I never found anything on the internet that addresses the subject so I figured it was just me.

I literally have to force myself to drink water. I become toxic from the lithium and start feeling ill and realize I haven't been drinking enough.

It's odd, I never was that way before. I use to take a bottle of water with me always
(even before it was fashionable). Now I'll wait until my tongue is almost dry.

I've started drinking those flavored waters. They have just a bit of flavoring and no
calories or salt. It has helped.

shining_star · 10-24-2005, 05:47 PM

Hi Batmatic...I too have Bipolar disorder. I recently went through the need of med change - or so i thought - I did my research and would have gone on Lithium it's a wonderful mood stabilizer.
I found a web site that stated things that go against Lithium and things that make it work more effectively....#1 Water, Water, Water, Water and more Water * for Lithium to actually work you need to drink at least 2-3 litres per day.
#2 Lithium will NOT work effectively at all if you drink tea, coffee and any caffinated soda type fizzy drinks.
#3 Lithium needs sodium. A diet LOW in sodium doesn't help Lithium adsorbtion.

How I read this is: Water, Sodium and Lithium are your meds...you may not be really thirsty but without it your meds don't work, they need all the above ingredients to work...no one likes taking meds but we take them because we know that they'll make us feel 'better' or stable and functionable....Water is an active ingredient for your meds to work...STOP POUTING,YOU NEED TO DRINK WATER LIKE IT OR NOT!!
Shining_Star

poetprose · 11-14-2005, 08:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JustDave4now

When I first started Lithium I was ever so thirsty, I couldn't get
enough water, and though I still take Lith, suddenly I am no
longer thirsty. Its been about two weeks now, and I have to force
myself to drink, my thist when from 10 to 1 like overnight.

Now let me fend the obvious question, no i am not drinking soda, or
coffee in its place, if anything I have replaced my soda recently with
water, giving it up.

I am lucky to drink four full glasses a day.

odd, has this happened to anyone?

You have to drink alot of water if you are taking lithium, when i was first started lithium I did not notice any increase in thirst, but i forced myself to drink alot of water, I no longer take lithium however I would if the self talk was not working for me,

a friend of mine's hubby was hospitalised because lithium toxicity was causing kidney problems, it is not a medication to play arround with, he became very ill , have to find out how he is doing as of late

klawk316 · 11-14-2005, 05:01 PM

I was on Lithium for eight years. It worked great on my mania and subsequently helped a whole lot with my depression. I was never a water drinker and was always heavy with the salt (some recommend low salt diet with lithium because lithium is a natural salt), and I never had any problems with the lithium not working for me. It is a great drug, if you can tolerate some side effects. k-