Posted by JohnX2 on June 16, 2002, at 0:22:11
In reply to Re: JonW - Question, posted by JennyJen on June 15, 2002, at 23:25:23
> Hey JohnX2,
>
> Sorry for chiming in here, but as you probably already know, lithium can cause diabetes insipidus. The symptoms are excessive urination which leads to thrist and polydypsia. This is very common. The pituitary normal secretes ADH which tells the kidneys to absorb water and concentrate urine. Lithium blocks this reaction (I forgot how). An antibiotic demeclocycline can reverse diabetes insipidus induce by lithium.
>
> Urine specific gravity with lithium will be low ... that is very dilute ... because water absorption is blocked by lithium and is release in urine. I have never heard of routine testing of urine specific gravity when on lithium therapy.
>
> Take care.
>
> Sorry to butt in.
>
> JennyThanks a lot for the info Jenny!
My numbers were in before the lithium administration.
I understand the lithium would just make it worse.I have chronic headaches (sometimes feel like pressure headaches),
and I know that osmotic imbalances can cause this. The docs have never
figured the source of these headaches...I have chronic thirst and urination (w/o meds) and this is a symptom
of low ADH. I have also noted that vitamins that should pigment my urine
don't because it is so diluted.John
poster:JohnX2
thread:109987
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020609/msgs/109997.html