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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 5 of 5. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Briana on August 30, 2001, at 11:11:58
Is it even possible to lose weight on lithium? I've tried major exercising, plus modification in diet, and I've not lost any weight while on lithium. Is it possible to lose on this med, or are my efforts futile?
Posted by paxvox on August 30, 2001, at 11:50:52
In reply to Possible to lose weight on lithium? Cam? Others? , posted by Briana on August 30, 2001, at 11:11:58
> Is it even possible to lose weight on lithium? I've tried major exercising, plus modification in diet, and I've not lost any weight while on lithium. Is it possible to lose on this med, or are my efforts futile?
What other Meds are you taking?
PAX
Posted by SalArmy4me on August 30, 2001, at 14:41:24
In reply to Possible to lose weight on lithium? Cam? Others? , posted by Briana on August 30, 2001, at 11:11:58
I doubt it. But hey, Lithium is better for your weight than olanzapine or clozapine.
Armond, A. D.. Lithium and weight gain. British Journal of Psychiatry. 169(2):251-252, Aug 1996:
"SIR: Previous studies show that weight increases during the first two years of lithium therapy and then stabilises, that a quarter of patients do not put on weight at any stage (Vestergaard et al, 1990) [3] and that a quarter become obese (Chen & Silverston, 1990). [1] Consequently the BNF mentions weight gain as a problem. This was investigated in a lithium clinic where in 17 years no patient had dropped out because of weight gain.
Forty-two unipolar and bipolar patients on lithium for 1-25 years with or without concomitant antidepressants or neuroleptics were weighed in shoeless light attire and their height measured. Using the same balance arm weighing machine and measure, controls similarly attired from the same locality and not suffering from any known untreated illness were matched from the general practice computer by sex, height within 2 cm, age within 2 years (except that a woman born in 1916 had a control born in 1912, and a man aged 75, height 1.66 m was paired with a man aged 74 of height 1.70 m). The first presented match was used, therefore being random in regard to weight.
First, 19 patients who had taken lithium regularly with or without antidepressants or neuroleptics for 10-24.5 years (average 15.5 years), had a combined weight of 1507.3 kilos compared with 1500.6 kilos of the matched controls.
Second, the 42 patients on lithium had a mean BMI of 27.7 with the control's mean BMI being 27.5. With a BMI of 30 or over, 10 lithium patients were obese as were 11 controls.
Third, paired t-tests, applied to patients and their matched controls, show that for 17 patients taking lithium only, t=1.56, P=0.14, and for 25 patients taking additional neuroleptics or antidepressants, t= -0.5, P=0.81.
Thus in 400.5 lithium-patient years, with or without tricyclic antidepressants or neuroleptics, weight gain was not significant. The same conclusion was reached at Epsom's Affective Disorder Clinic where patients were weighed regularly for 5 years after commencing lithium (Coppen, 1994). [2]"
A. D. ARMOND
Posted by Briana on August 31, 2001, at 8:49:29
In reply to Re: Possible to lose weight on lithium? Cam? Others? » Briana, posted by paxvox on August 30, 2001, at 11:50:52
I'm taking Neurontin, a little Celexa, and I just added Topomax to try to alleviate the weight gain. I have seizures on top of the bipolar disorder.
> > Is it even possible to lose weight on lithium? I've tried major exercising, plus modification in diet, and I've not lost any weight while on lithium. Is it possible to lose on this med, or are my efforts futile?
>
> What other Meds are you taking?
>
> PAX
Posted by Mitch on August 31, 2001, at 17:38:11
In reply to Possible to lose weight on lithium? Cam? Others? , posted by Briana on August 30, 2001, at 11:11:58
> Is it even possible to lose weight on lithium? I've tried major exercising, plus modification in diet, and I've not lost any weight while on lithium. Is it possible to lose on this med, or are my efforts futile?
I would get a TSH level drawn (thyroid). If it is low or low-normal ask your pdoc about adding thyroxine (T4) to see if that would help. Lithium is somewhat notorious for triggering hypothyroidism (and subsequent weight gain).
This is the end of the thread.
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