Flash Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 I'm convinced I have both of these problems are due to lithium. And my pdoc even noticed and made a comment. And the acne is despite taking powerful antibiotics that were working before the lithium (I developed acne in my late 20s for some unknown reason, and have been on antibiotics ever since). I even changed the antibiotic and it didn't help. The weight gain is about 15-20 pounds over 7 months, during a period when I should have been losing weight, or at worst remained stable. In the literature, it talks of a mere 2-4 pound weight gain. BFD. Has anybody had more significant weight gain or acne from lithium? I don't have any other side effects from it, other than maybe dry mouth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malachite Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 I gained weight on Lithium and also got pretty severe acne, which I had never had before (this was at a low dose of 300mg.) I went to a dermatologist who prescribed a retinal based topical cream. My acne completely cleared up in a couple of weeks. It was awesome! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flash Posted August 25, 2014 Author Share Posted August 25, 2014 I tried retin-a once, along with some others.they made the acne worse and some made my skin dry out and become brittle. Normally the antibiotic keeps things in check, but no longer. I suppose the lithium-induced acne might respond differently to the retinols, but if my other acne (cystic) gets worse because of it, I will not be a happy camper. How much weight did you gain on the lithium? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forgetmenot220 Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 I gained 18 lbs in 3 months the one time and then like 5 within days the second time. Have not been able to lose any of it. I did get acne but used retin-a on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissaw72 Posted August 26, 2014 Share Posted August 26, 2014 No, I never gained any weight on Lithium or got acne. Only problem with lithium I had was with my kidneys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
San Posted August 26, 2014 Share Posted August 26, 2014 My weight was higher but didn't go up or down on lithium. It's a salt and cause fluid retention. I did get acne, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flash Posted August 26, 2014 Author Share Posted August 26, 2014 (edited) I got acne with Li. Weight gain is hard to figure out if it's from Li or from another med. I've never taken Li as my only med. When Li was added I did get an initial water weight gain. My fingers and feet got swollen but it seemed to be okay after a few weeks. I did take other things, especially here or there, but the only constant Is lithium. Lexapro would have been. Prime candidate, but I had already gained most all of the weight by then, and didn't really gain any more while on it (but gained a few pounds after I stopped). Remeron and ambien cr, but that doesn't explain the earlier or later weight gains. Other stuff I was not on long enough or take too infrequently to matter. In any case, pdoc suspects it is the lithium, which shocked me. And it's the only thing that explains the acne. I noticed it early on, but continued because I was desperate for something to work. Anybody else get this horrible dry mouth in the morning? Edited August 26, 2014 by Flash Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saddest Posted August 27, 2014 Share Posted August 27, 2014 Red bump and white pus at the top = acne? Day 5 or so of lithium and I've had a few of those. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flash Posted August 28, 2014 Author Share Posted August 28, 2014 I hot the dry mouth earlier,mbut I had just switched to a new antibiotic when I started lithium. But a while after i hit 1200mg, the acne seemed never to clear up. The dry mouth thing got worse, and if I take remeron+ambien CR for sleep, there is this gunk on the roof of my mouth 1/4" thick and I'm sooooooooooooo dry. It's really nasty. But after coughing and hugging fluids for a while, it clears up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flash Posted August 28, 2014 Author Share Posted August 28, 2014 Red bump and white pus at the top = acne? Day 5 or so of lithium and I've had a few of those. I've heard that the lithium,just caauses red bumps, no,white. I dunno if that's true, but it's what I getting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saddest Posted August 28, 2014 Share Posted August 28, 2014 Red bump and white pus at the top = acne? Day 5 or so of lithium and I've had a few of those. I've heard that the lithium,just caauses red bumps, no,white. I dunno if that's true, but it's what I getting. Pdoc says it's a normal initial reaction. Probiotics, zinc and magnesium help, she says. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flash Posted August 28, 2014 Author Share Posted August 28, 2014 Red bump and white pus at the top = acne? Day 5 or so of lithium and I've had a few of those. I've heard that the lithium,just caauses red bumps, no,white. I dunno if that's true, but it's what I getting. Pdoc says it's a normal initial reaction. Probiotics, zinc and magnesium help, she says. Good to know. Thanks. Some of these red bumps end up bleeding. Blech. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rowan77 Posted August 28, 2014 Share Posted August 28, 2014 I don't know if I gained weight on Lithium as I have always been on other meds that cause weight gain at the same time. I have been taking Lithium for 11 years. I had no problem with acne or skin problems for the first years. However a few years ago I developed massive pustules in my groin and inner thigh area. They were very painful and oozed. Don't know if it is Lithium related. I have just realised that I don't have that problem anymore thankfully Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissaw72 Posted August 28, 2014 Share Posted August 28, 2014 I don't know if I gained weight on Lithium as I have always been on other meds that cause weight gain at the same time. I have been taking Lithium for 11 years. I had no problem with acne or skin problems for the first years. However a few years ago I developed massive pustules in my groin and inner thigh area. They were very painful and oozed. Don't know if it is Lithium related. I have just realised that I don't have that problem anymore thankfully Those sound like boils. Not saying they are, but i get them a lot and they are similar to what you describe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xxJayCxx Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 I gained around 15 pounds in 4 months or so since they started me on lithium and I feel pretty sure it was the lithium because I was exercising and probably eating less than average for me during most of that time. I didn't notice any skin problems but it did mess with my hair. It would just always stick up in weird directions and refuse to stay neat even right after a haircut. I kind of hate how doctors go "well you're not overweight so we won't worry about the weight gain side effect" like it won't just be a month or two before its something I'm hugely worried about Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bueler Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 1200mg Lithium caused acne but was very therapeutic... when I dropped down to 900mg, it improved drastically, and was therapeutic enough. I've also taken Accutane 3x and used topical retinoids... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evilnessness Posted August 30, 2014 Share Posted August 30, 2014 I had some acne when I first got on lithium, but it lessened, luckily. I have also been lucky enough to lose weight on it, but i get water retention and swollen extremities if I don't eat and drink right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcjimjam Posted September 26, 2014 Share Posted September 26, 2014 I had acne pre-lithium but since my last dose increase it has gotten worse. It's mostly on my upper back so I can hide it easily. I might try a retinoid cream on it. Differin has worked well for me in the past. It is expensive though. $30 per small tube. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crtclms Posted September 26, 2014 Share Posted September 26, 2014 I've lost and gained weight on Lithium, but I really think the Lithium plays no role in that. Acne, yes. But since I've started using biotin for my hair (which I told my pdoc about, and you should, too), my face has cleared up. I'm not saying I never get acne, but I have periods without it, which wasn't the case before. And it works on my hair, for those of you who have med-thinned hair. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcjimjam Posted October 1, 2014 Share Posted October 1, 2014 Is that a tablet you take, or a topical preparation? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Motoko Posted October 3, 2014 Share Posted October 3, 2014 I gained 50 pounds over several months on lithium, and I know I wasn't eating *that* much. When I went off it, the weight started to come off, albeit slowly. I think it also made my skin bad, but that was three years ago and my memory sucks. Lithium was a horrible drug for me. Unfortunately, I'm one of those people that suffer from toxicity before/as it becomes effective, so I essentially spent several months being poisoned. I felt far away and fuzzy and didn't feel like doing anything. Not to mention that it wasn't terribly effective as a mood stabilizer for me. A bad deal all around. I'll consider taking it again but only at small doses for the neuroprotective effect, and if I start gaining weight again, I'll probably stop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissaw72 Posted October 3, 2014 Share Posted October 3, 2014 I didn't gain weight or have acne with lithium, but I *think* it fucked up my thyroid. I didn't have any problems with it before my thyroid turned into Hyperthyroidism. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crtclms Posted October 5, 2014 Share Posted October 5, 2014 Is that a tablet you take, or a topical preparation? Tablet. I think I am going to get a better quality brand when this bottle runs out, but there is clearly a difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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