DamselODistress Posted October 10, 2011 Share Posted October 10, 2011 I've been on lithium for a few months now, working up to 900mg. My second refill for the 900 (two 450mg pills), the bottle was labelled to take it with food or milk. None of my other prescriptions had that note, so since I don't usually eat dinner until well after I take my meds, I didn't think I'd have any problems this time. Sure was wrong on that one. Not eating with the pills now causes some unpleasant discomfort, so I've learned to have a snack with them. My question is, why would this second refill, from the same manufacturer, be different and require food? Originally I thought it was a different manufacturer, but the bottles are exactly the same. Then I thought, perhaps it's because of the dosage strength, but again that would have been both bottles on this prescription. I find it hard to believe the manufacturer would change the formulation in a month and not include different information, instead simply slapping a sticker on the bottle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt07 Posted October 10, 2011 Share Posted October 10, 2011 The stickers on my meds tend to be random. For example, I know that Remeron causes drowsiness, but only occasionally do I get the "May Cause Drowsiness" sticker. Sometimes I get the "May Cause Dizziness" sticker. You have to go with what your pdoc says. I have no idea why you reacted differently though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SashaSue Posted October 10, 2011 Share Posted October 10, 2011 I don't think the formulation changed. I really have no idea why it would have become an issue now, but it doesn't really matter, does it? I mean, you know there's an issue if you don't take it with food, and not if you do. Meds can be maddeningly mysterious, especially when side effects start up and seem totally random. But there's probably just not a great answer to be found. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnneMarie Posted October 10, 2011 Share Posted October 10, 2011 I always have to take Lithium with food, dinner preferably. This is pretty common. Not the dinner part so much, but the needing to take it with food. That you needed nothing, to my knowledge, is more of the exception. But whatever. You need food now. Don't ignore that. People who take medication are prone to ulcers. Why not just take it with dinner instead of adding a snack to your day? Just thinking weight mgt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DamselODistress Posted October 10, 2011 Author Share Posted October 10, 2011 I take it with a snack because my daily schedule has gotten screwed up. I've been more nocturnal, so dinner isn't usually a thought until 12 or 1 in the morning. Taking my pills at 8 could technically, I suppose, be my "lunch," rather than a snack. You're right, though, now it's definitely necessary to take them with food. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gearhead Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 Probably nothing about your meds changed, and they just somehow failed to put the "take with food" sticker on your previous bottle/s. Some pharmacies, I've found, are more scrupulous than others about remembering all the labels. Taking lithium with a light meal is a pretty standard recommendation: http://www.nami.org/Template.cfm?Section=About_Medications&Template=/TaggedPage/TaggedPageDisplay.cfm&TPLID=51&ContentID=20820 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DamselODistress Posted October 11, 2011 Author Share Posted October 11, 2011 My pharmacy is simply a Walgreens, always seems to be fairly busy so yeah, the stickers seem a little slapdash. Mom suggested that this bottle bothered me because of the sticker, you know, power of suggestion and all that. Not my doctor nor any of the nurses when I was inpatient suggested taking any of my meds with food, let alone the lithium. That's a little aggravating. Moreso is the tidbit from Stacia that now that I'm on these meds, I'm at risk of ulcers. Nobody with a hand in my health EVER mentioned the possibility of ulcers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 I've never needed food with my lithium, so it's different for everybody, really. It could partially be the power of suggestion, I suppose but in any case, a light snack won't hurt and yes, will protect your stomach overall. Good habit to get into. Anna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rowen Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 I've been taking it with snacks. Doctor and bottle told me too, heh, so I do. I've noticed that I still have some stomach issues, but it could just be the start up blues. Eating periodically throughout the day isn't a bad thing, anyway. Good for your metabolism and all that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cattitude Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 I've taken Lithium with and without food, and never noticed a difference. Then again, I've been tapering up with a couple of new meds and feeling stoned and nauseous after taking them, so maybe that effect cancels out whatever's happening with the Lithium. If the pharmacy put all the stickers on all of my meds, I'd never be able to see the labels. But, I just started a new med and it has no sticker, even though there are lots of warnings on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.