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Loss of appetite on lithium?


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I'm really not complaining, but ever since I started lithium, my appetite is gone. I have absolutely no desire to eat food. I was just wondering how rare this is. Has this happened to anyone else? I should also say I force myself to eat a meal every day.

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I get nauseous a lot on lithium. It's decreased over time, but man, I used to throw up every morning even if I drank milk first. My appetite hasn't decreased at all, though. It hasn't increased like it did on depakote, but I haven't experienced any need to force myself to eat except when I've been under extreme stress--and then, I actually have a tendency to just fast for a week.

Anyways, lithium comes with a lot of potential side effects. I know there are drugs they give to combat the shakes. I'm wondering if there's something they could give to combat the lack of appetite (as if any of us wants another pill in our diet...but it might be worth it).

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I only really want to eat after I take 10mg of olanzapine in the evening.

Just out of interest what can they prescribe to stop the shakes because I've got them really bad?

Cheers

I'm sorry but I'm searching and coming up with nothing. For some reason I thought Buspar might be the drug they use for that, but everything I'm finding says that Buspar is for anxiety. Next time you have a doctor's appointment (or if the shakes are really bad make an appointment now), ask your doctor about it. I know there's a medication that works, I just don't know what it is because I've been lucky and haven't needed it.

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  • 1 year later...
Guest Britney

I recently started taking lithium with zoloft. I have no appetite and have a hard time eating when I do. I also haven't slept in 3 days... Any suggestions? On the sleeping I am fine with the appetite thing :)

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Shakes are easy to handle with a Beta blocker, Inderal(Propranolol) is a pretty sexy one.

Early on when you are taking lithium the nausea will lower your appetite, As the nausea fades after a month or so, Your appetite will come back.

At least, thats what I found.

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I think I've had a little more of an appetite but not much. The only side effect I have at all is constipation but that might be because I'm on an antibiotic. Going from 900 to 1200 tonight so I hope I continue being lucky and steering clear of side effects. Oh and I peed my pants the other night...but like I said I've been sick so I think I was sleeping so heavily I didn't wake up.

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I noticed my appetite decreased when I went onto Lithium carbonate @ 600mg during the first trial. I don't remember if or when that went away, but I haven't had the same side effects this time even though I'm on 900mg. I do notice a tremor, and beta blockers are the usual treatment for it.

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  • 4 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...
  • 7 years later...

I was on 400mg X.R lithium and lost 20 kg over 4 weeks, lost taste, insomnia, constipation, just couldn't eat thing and still after stopping them for 2 weeks can eat, I got really bad indigestion as well. Horrible things these tablets.

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