Lithium and Frequent Urination: What Users Say

• boy...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 26, 2019

For Depression "Over the years I've been on many antidepressants. Sadly, none worked until I started lithium. I have far fewer terrible days and fewer suicidal thoughts. It's not perfect. I get a dry mouth, and for the first day or two, I constantly needed to pee. That's all stopped now, and for me, it's truly a lifesaver."

• Rus...
• July 16, 2016

For Bipolar Disorder "I was on lithium carbonate for 21 years. Mentally, I found lithium to be a very effective mood stabilizer. The physical effects of lithium are what affected me in the long term. I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism after being on lithium for 7 years, which my doctor attributed to being on lithium long term. After being on lithium for 21 years, I was diagnosed with Nephrogenic diabetes insipidus, which an endocrinologist attributed to being on lithium long term. The symptoms of this are increased thirst and increased urination, as I passed 10 liters of urine in a 24-hour urine test. Recently, I have just had one of my kidneys removed due to renal cancer, which I attribute to the long term use of lithium also."

• Ldy...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 25, 2018

Lithium for Bipolar Disorder "I had high hopes for this drug, as I had heard so many great things about it, especially for people who are seriously in the throes of major depression and/or have and are experiencing a lot in their lives on a regular basis. However, sadly, it really didn't do much for me. I just felt flat, not happy, not sad, but still sad, if that makes any sense, and somewhat neutral. Now, I thought that I would prefer to be neutral, but it's like I didn't care, didn't feel, everything was whatever. On top of that, it made me go to the bathroom a lot. I already drink about 6-8 bottles per day and had to go up to 8-10. My system just couldn't handle this drug, and like I said, no real relief. I also want to add that this was my second time trying this drug and likely my last. Additionally, the first time I was prescribed 600 mg, the second time 1200 mg. Didn't matter either way, it just makes me not care, and that's already part of my problem."

• Hol...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 16, 2023

For Depression "I’ve been taking lithium for approximately 3 months, and let me tell you-it saved my life. I deal with a lot of severe depression and anxiety-I have borderline personality-and lithium helps both significantly. This is the first medication that I’ve taken that I’ve noticed improvements within 4 days to a week. It also helps my anxiety A LOT. I’ve tried over 15 plus medications, and I would say this is one that works the best, as well as Effexor and propranolol combined. Works so well I’ve even been able to eliminate benzos after 3 years of dependency. Only side effects would be increased thirst and urination. I know a lot of bad reviews may make you not want to try it, but it's worth it."

• Moo...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 26, 2020

For Depression "Used lithium liquid form for 1 month and then 700 mg capsule daily for 8 months. Experienced: brain on fire, confusion, unable to: speak, think, and slow mental physical reaction. Woke up shaking. Urinated very frequently. Drank lots of water to reduce the side effects and symptoms. Smoked a lot more cigarettes. Felt like so sick. Drooled and moved very slow. Felt like a zombie. Had muscle weakness. Paranoid thinking. Made me very confessional. Been off this chemical for 3 months and can now write, think, and move faster again. I had reconnected with God. The only positive was finding God and praying for life again. I was just a spirit in a body that would barely function."

• Bra...
• May 5, 2018

For Bipolar Disorder "Been on lithium for 5 years, and it’s kept me well for the most part. Episodes have been hypo-manic and partially brought on by choices I made. The drug is great at keeping moods stable. Side effects for men are: easy to vomit, excessive urination, and I get thirsty. I can deal with those, knowing I don’t have to experience the extreme highs and lows of bipolar while on lithium. I currently take 1500 mg and don’t use any other drugs, and it works great!"

• Kri...
• January 10, 2015

For Depression "Even though it's not used for the treatment of OCD, it took mine away completely, as well as significantly cleared up my depression. About a year after being on it, I became extremely thirsty, drinking two liters a day and urinating frequently. I have had to since come off it, and symptoms have returned."

• Flu...
• October 11, 2019

For Bipolar Disorder "I was diagnosed at 23 with bipolar 1 disorder with psychotic features and placed on lithium almost immediately. I felt improvement and my mania subsided. It works great for mania and mixed episodes, however, in my case, not so much for depression. Lithium has saved my life. It takes away the issues of suicidal thoughts and suicidal ideation in between episodes for me and racing thoughts as well. It's about as stable as stable is for me considering having bipolar disorder. I am now 26. I had to stop it due to it having damaged my thyroid. Even so, I have decided after almost 6 months off it and having tried every medication available that I would rather have whatever time stable with this medication and risk that than the destructive episodes. The side effects I initially experienced are: light hand tremors, nausea, diarrhea. These go away. The long-term side effects I have are: emotional blunting, lethargy, increased thirst, more frequent urination, and cravings for salt."

• Str...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 10, 2021

For Bipolar Disorder "My lithium dose was increased from 1250 mg to 1000 mg, and it has made a profound difference. I had been suffering from crippling depression, contemplating suicide every day. My mood has lifted for the first time in my life, letting me know what normal people must feel. The only thing is currently I'm a bit itchy and urinate a lot. I'm going to talk to the psychiatrist about this."

• Anonymous
• September 25, 2011

For Bipolar Disorder "I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder about 3 years ago during a hospitalization. Was put on 600 mg Seroquel and 200 mg Lamictal. Switched doctors, and they decided to replace my medicines with lithium. I don't know why, but it made my condition 10 times worse, and I got very sick. Fever, vomiting, nausea, drowsiness, fatigue, excessive thirst, and urination. Plus, it makes my mood swings much worse and shortened my patience and turned my depression to rage. Gave uncontrollable twitches and body movements and shaky hands. Though I have been off it for a year. My case is probably an anomaly, as it seems to work wonders for everyone else."

• Ble...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 16, 2016

For Bipolar Disorder "I was on this for Bipolar II, but the diagnosis was later withdrawn. This drug knocks you out. And it also gives you tremors, so don't plan to do precision anything if you're on it. It dehydrates you and makes you have to pee a lot."

• mmm...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• October 14, 2021

For Bipolar Disorder "Curiouser and curiouser: great drug under meticulous monitoring for toxicity; I have taken it for 41 years now. I had an excellent response of calm and clarity of mind in the first decades. Side effects: the common weight gain, chest tightness, and headache in the first 1 hr of ingestion, frequent urination, hypothyroidism treated with Synthroid, progressive kidney malfunction with time, diabetes (not sure if genetic or lithium-induced), and welcomed sleepiness and CNS depression without typical side effects of sedatives. I have been unable to take it in the past ten years, progressively, due to severe adverse interactions with ACE inhibitors, beta-blockers, and any other antihypertensives in that class; renal decrease in releasing from the body, and gradually in the last few years, a strange reaction: allergy to even the tiniest amount, including just a dust residue. So, if I had the power to prescribe it, I would use a much lower dose and more careful monitoring over the years."

• Xxc...
• May 8, 2017

For Bipolar Disorder "It was on a low dose of lithium, so it didn't affect my mood that much. It definitely combats suicidal ideation, though, which was the reason I was put on it. However, the side effects are horrible: dry mouth, weight gain, thirst, hand tremors, drowsiness, increased urination, no interest in sex, feeling cold all the time. This morning, I passed out due to dehydration. It's not worth it. There are other primary mood stabilizers that you can go on."