Why does lithium cause insomnia?!


Question: Why does lithium cause insomnia!?
Why does lithium cause insomnia!?
I take 300mg in the morning and 600 in the pm!. now i thought because of the 2 redlables it would help me sleep but i find it keeps me up, i thought well maybe im sleeping in too much so i woke up early and changed the meds around 600in am and 300 in the pm still nothing!. Is insominia a known side effect!. i havent been abe to find much about it!. I was also wondering if i can take tylonal PM with it!.Www@Answer-Health@Com


Answers:
I've used lithium for 25 years and can tell you that lithium alone is not the most complete and optimum treatment available normally but an introductory process leading to attempts to better diagnose and treat your condition!. If you experience sleep disorders you need to relate this to your physician as well as your psychiatric care workers!. Stress, environmental changes, diet and fluctuations in your life cycles will cause sleep variations and problems while depression (yes, DEPRESSION) will trigger manic rebounds that put you in this spot!.

Disease may also affect your cycling and especially depressions!.

Being nocturnal isn't the worst thing!. It's obvious that the outside world is 8 am to 10 pm and if you bounce between mornings and afternoon to early mornings it's not as healthy perhaps but you should not fight it too much while working out what is causing it!.

Okay, we move to dosage facts!. You have what can be called a beginning dosage!. More at night is supposed to allow the nighttime dose to enter the system while you are asleep and thus least likely to do anything to flush it!. Increased thirst and symptoms of dry mouth are common but can be worked on and lessened a bit!. Caffeine at night is not going to help no matter what doctors find!. Certain medicines interfere with lithium's benefits and may be harmful!. Note drug warnings and precautions for medications that include MAO inhibiters, some cold medications!. Other medical conditions are likely to affect your mental health treatment--consider your mental and physical health as inseperable yet perhaps not the entire solution!.

Your dosage's effectiveness is affected by body mass also!. When you are obese, especially what is termed "morbidly" obese the dosage has to be increased!. Beyond a certain defined blood serum level toxicity is a threat!. Nominal levels are considered above 0!.6 and 1!.1 (micrograms per deciliter I think it is or mcg/dL, haven't had to remember that for a while) readings for most who receive lithium treatment!.

Not enough is really known about how this mineral salt actually works although it's effects were recognized as far back as the early 20th century!.

Factoid: The drink 7UP was originally called Lithonated Lemons and Limes for the alleged lithium traces in the original beverage!. (lemons!. limes and other citrus oils calm the stomach and lithium can irritate the digestive tract, causing stomach upset so lithium CITRATE plus eating when you take it are commonly suggested and prescribed by doctors!.

Common coexisting diseases may include thyroid problems, obesity, hypertension/heart disease, cholesterol problems and diabetes!. These are not caused by the bipolar and other mental illnesses but may spring from the lifestyle of the patient leading to and after the diagnosis, adopted due to the illness!.

Controlling any of them might help to improve treatment of your mental heath!. Medical experts are coming to the conclusion that aggressive treatment of some of the medical conditions such as diabetes may not decrease the risk of death from heart disease, for instance and your health or worries over it are but one variable to depression!.

Before I get to the concluding sentences and any other advice, let me make one thing CLEAR:

Sleep treatments are recommended for SHORT PERIODS ONLY!. Prolonged sleep troubles require medical attention and usage over 7-10 days are generally not recommended!. Addictive qualities are associated to some medications and side effects may include bizarre activities while mentally asleep (cognitive actions without memory such as walking, driving, even sex have been reported)!. Tylenol PM and other combination remedies all contain a PAIN RELIEVER (analgesic) such as Acetominophen/Tylenol brand or newer types like ibuprofen or ketoprofen!. Aleve is one with no PM version but there is an Advil PM!. Excredrin PM is a combination of common pain relievers and CAFFEINE!. Here too is the warning of frequent use, in this case PAIN RELIEVERS, that have been shown to increase the incidence or internal organ diseases such as cirrhosis in the liver!.

The best way to diagnose and alleviate sleep problems is to seek help from all the parties involved in your treatments!. Other illnesses or additional medicines may be diagnosed or prescribed to help!. As I alluded to, bipolar illness is rarely the full diagnosis and the treatment of mania/depression is rarely as simple as it seems--so many other problems share the symptoms or can even masquerade as bipolar!. If you become as active in your treatment as you can and work hard to accomplish what is needed of you if will be of the greatest help and may make life a bit easier along the way!.

You are the best treatment you know of!.Www@Answer-Health@Com

Keeping it short!.!.!.

Talk to your pdoc!. Lithium is all about serum levels, not dosage!. You may not be high enough in the effective range to quell the hypomania for sleep to come naturally!. If so, it's up to you and your pdoc to figure out whether increasing Li or adding something else is the best answer!.

It's also common for ppl with bipolar to be nocturnal and somewhat insomniacs!. There are sleeping pills, but personally, a small dose of Seroquel works better for me!. It usually helps me sleep while adding a little stability!. It's also doesn't have the issues that sleeping pills have, like not working after a while!.

So, get exercise in the morning, eat healthy w/o sweets or caffeine after noon, and talk to you pdoc about the details even if you may think they aren't always relavent!. Sometimes they are!.

~I take Lithium and a couple other meds!.Www@Answer-Health@Com





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