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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 13 of 13. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by SLS on November 25, 2009, at 13:16:58
Hi.
I recently started weight training. Unfortunately, my muscles quiver and quake while performing the exercises. What's more, I remain shaky for a few hours afterwards. I almost had to ask someone to open my combination lock today. My hands would not remain steady enough to turn the wheel to the right numbers.
Has anyone experienced something similar?
Does it get better with time and increased physical conditioning?
Thanks.
- Scott
Posted by delna on November 25, 2009, at 14:45:09
In reply to Lithium and Exercise - Tremors, posted by SLS on November 25, 2009, at 13:16:58
> Hi.
>
> I recently started weight training. Unfortunately, my muscles quiver and quake while performing the exercises. What's more, I remain shaky for a few hours afterwards. I almost had to ask someone to open my combination lock today. My hands would not remain steady enough to turn the wheel to the right numbers.
>
> Has anyone experienced something similar?
>
> Does it get better with time and increased physical conditioning?
>
> Thanks.
>
>
> - ScottHi Scott,
I too get severe tremors/shaking during and after exercise (probably from all my stimulants).
I was doing yoga before this last break-down but I was new to exercising so I was confident that as the muscles got stronger, this should improve. My yoga teacher thought so too- regardless of the cause.
However if you have been exercising for a while and this has just started, then I cannot comment.Otherwise there is no reason why it should not at least improve with improved muscle strength.
Take care
Love
D
Posted by emmanuel98 on November 25, 2009, at 17:43:33
In reply to Re: Lithium and Exercise - Tremors » SLS, posted by delna on November 25, 2009, at 14:45:09
Muscles that are badly out of shape tremble when exercised. I recently had knee surgery and can't do the simplest leg extension without the muscle trembling. So maybe that's the problem. You just need to not overwork the your muscles and gradually build up strength.
Posted by SLS on November 25, 2009, at 18:18:53
In reply to Re: Lithium and Exercise - Tremors, posted by emmanuel98 on November 25, 2009, at 17:43:33
> Muscles that are badly out of shape tremble when exercised. I recently had knee surgery and can't do the simplest leg extension without the muscle trembling. So maybe that's the problem. You just need to not overwork the your muscles and gradually build up strength.
I am returning to exercise after 20 years of lying on a couch in a depressive stupor. My achilles tendons actually shortened from non-use. When I was working out in my twenties, I used heavy-duty style training. There was only one way to perform a set. One worked each exercise until the point of muscular failure. It is hard for me not to do that now. I hope you are right. Maybe I am exercising too intensely for my level of deconditioning. I suspect that lithium is making things worse, though.
- Scott
Posted by Phillipa on November 25, 2009, at 19:21:10
In reply to Re: Lithium and Exercise - Tremors, posted by SLS on November 25, 2009, at 18:18:53
I really think it's a wasting of the muscles. You know the saying if you don't use it you lose it. Lithium from seeing deceased ex Father-in-law did give him trembles all the time. Phillipa
Posted by Phidippus on November 25, 2009, at 20:24:34
In reply to Lithium and Exercise - Tremors, posted by SLS on November 25, 2009, at 13:16:58
> Has anyone experienced something similar?
I get a fine tremor from Lithium and have had it for many years.
> Does it get better with time and increased physical conditioning?
For me, at least, the tremor decreased over time, but I still have it. No amount of exercise will help and in fact can worsen the tremor if blood levels increase during a workout-stay hydrated. The best way to tackle the tremor is with propanalol or pindolol (pindolol is great for those with OCD).
P
Dexedrine 30 mg
Geodon 120 mg
Lithium 600 mg
Pristiq 50 mg
Posted by hopefullynow on November 29, 2009, at 14:37:57
In reply to Re: Lithium and Exercise - Tremors » SLS, posted by Phidippus on November 25, 2009, at 20:24:34
I also experience tremors and weakness from lithium and im only at 400mg/day.Unfortunately, it's not about that weakness you experience when you are out of shape, it's strictly lithium (and the others meds) related.I've felt that weakness from day 3, when lithium levels rised enough.I really hope for us all that this tremors will subside...
Regards
Posted by SLS on November 29, 2009, at 15:44:20
In reply to Re: Lithium and Exercise - Tremors, posted by hopefullynow on November 29, 2009, at 14:37:57
Hi.
> I also experience tremors and weakness from lithium and im only at 400mg/day.Unfortunately, it's not about that weakness you experience when you are out of shape, it's strictly lithium (and the others meds) related.I've felt that weakness from day 3, when lithium levels rised enough.I really hope for us all that this tremors will subside...
>
> Regards
Thanks for your response.Today was the second workout this week after which the shaking of my muscles was pretty extreme. I can barely fix myself a glass of water without spilling it all over the place. The shaking does not get much better as the day progresses. If my mood doesn't improve dramatically, I might entertain the idea of discontinuing the lithium. I'm just waiting for someone at the gym to come up to me to ask what causes me to shake. I plan to say that it is a neurological problem and leave it at that.
I guess I'll take it week by week. It may be that the only way I will get well will be through an agonizingly slow process. So, I might need to give lithium several more months to evaluate its effectiveness. Maybe the shakes will diminish over time as my muscles become stronger. I doubt it, though.
It's always something...
- Scott
Posted by morganator on November 29, 2009, at 15:59:00
In reply to Re: Lithium and Exercise - Tremors, posted by SLS on November 29, 2009, at 15:44:20
Have you thought about bringing a water bottle to the gym to stay hydrated? Maybe your gym has water fountains and that is enough.
Have you ever experimented with lithium orotate?
I guess you didn't have a good enough response on a lower dose of lithium carbonate. That's too bad, the shakes probably wouldn't be as much of an issue.
Posted by Phillipa on November 29, 2009, at 20:09:24
In reply to Re: Lithium and Exercise - Tremors, posted by SLS on November 29, 2009, at 15:44:20
Scott wait didn't you say your depression was so much better now? Wasn't until you added the excercise that you mention tremors. Did you have them before? If not maybe you need to wait on the excercise or some social phobia from being home so long is emerging at the gym. Any home equipment for the time being? Love Phillipa
Posted by hopefullynow on November 30, 2009, at 1:57:12
In reply to Re: Lithium and Exercise - Tremors, posted by SLS on November 29, 2009, at 15:44:20
> Today was the second workout this week after which the shaking of my muscles was pretty extreme. I can barely fix myself a glass of water without spilling it all over the place. The shaking does not get much better as the day progresses.Hy, I think that the tremors are dose related.I use lithium carbonate as an addon to my regimen for TRD for about 2 months In my first week i escalated to 600 mg/day and one day gardening,I stopped to talk with my mother who saw my hands trembling severe.She asked scared what's happening to me.I lied blaming my morning espressos.Its not funny, at all, at the climbing gym, all my friends observed that my whole body was like jelly and asked what's up, I lied again.
I found an abstract which an unipolar TRD patient on Anafranil received lithium for a few days at 600 mg and when neurotoxicity signs appeared, doctors stopped lithium, and the patient become responsive to Anafranil:http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/109710702/abstract?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0
and another one,
http://bjp.rcpsych.org/cgi/pdf_extract/147/5/573
>If my mood doesn't improve dramatically, I might entertain the idea of discontinuing the lithium.
Maybe after a while, with lithium added to our regime, our serotonin receptors will desensitise allowing us to re-respond to the same antidepressant we're on.
> I'm just waiting for someone at the gym to come up to me to ask what causes me to shake. I plan to say that it is a neurological problem and leave it at that.
I've already gone thru this, it's embarasing enough....
>Maybe the shakes will diminish over time as my muscles become stronger. I doubt it, though.I doubt it, too.
> It's always something......bad :-(
Posted by SLS on November 30, 2009, at 6:11:48
In reply to Re: Lithium and Exercise - Tremors » SLS, posted by hopefullynow on November 30, 2009, at 1:57:12
Hi.
Thanks. I really appreciate your response.
I'm a little confused, though. Are you still taking a low dose of lithium? If so, how much?
I have decided to reduce the dosage. One of the other considerations in reaching this decision is that lithium leaves me feeling flat and passive. It negatively affects my motivation. It would be worth dealing with these things if the lithium worked robustly. The antidepressant effect would more than offset the deleterious effects. I'll see how I feel. If I am underestimating the improvement that lithium provides, I will have some more decisions to make. I really don't want to give up exercise.
- Scott
Posted by hopefullynow on November 30, 2009, at 10:29:17
In reply to Re: Lithium and Exercise - Tremors » hopefullynow, posted by SLS on November 30, 2009, at 6:11:48
Hy Scott
Sorry if I was fuzzy, its so hard sometimes to put a few phrases in order.
About lithium, yes, I still take 400 mg/day, but at the beginning at my treatment, I tried a few days 600mg and the tremblings were too much.I think 400 mg is for me, the lowest dosage that I can feel some improvement.It takes away my top obsessing thoughts and somehow interacts synergistic with Anafranil.
>One of the other considerations in reaching this decision is that lithium leaves me feeling flat and passive.That's exactly how i feel, it leaves me flat,too; i'm not happy but neither sad.All in between.
>It negatively affects my motivation.
Yes, mine, too.I feel that I can do some things on the long run, but I can't feel the drive ; would be fine with or without that thing done.Nothing's a big deal, bad or good.
>It would be worth dealing with these things if the lithium worked robustly. The antidepressant effect would more than offset the deleterious effects.The same to me.
> I really don't want to give up exercise.Exercise was part of my life from childhood to 30's and really this year I gave up struggling with exercising, doing things that I remember that once made me feel so good but now made bored or unpleasant.At least lithium helped with sad thoughts about not being able to follow a decent training.I can relate to you, i think i know your bitter feeling of not being able to be in shape or enjoying exercising, i saw the photos on your website when you were in big shape.
Regards
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