Lithium and chronic kidney disease

[7cApO-3F]

Hi I am new here and wondering if anyone has experience of lithium causing CKD and pre diabetes is. Grateful for any information and advice. Thank you

[userotc]

Yes kidney.org/atoz/content/lit... and btw it can also cause other issues eg thyroid verywellhealth.com/lithium-...

[7cApO-3F in reply to userotc]

Thank you so much for your very useful response. I was in fact aware that lithium could cause kidney disease and thyroid problems. I joined this group as a doctor has written to me claiming that lithium does not cause CKD. I was totally appalled and wanted other patients or those with knowledge to tell me if it was me that was incorrect. I am so disillusioned. Thank you for helping me to move forward on this issue.

[userotc in reply to 7cApO-3F]

No problem, sorry I couldnt offer the "experience" you asked for (well Im not sorry if you see what I mean!). But doctors wouldnt listen to such experiences via a forum anyhow imo - they dont listen to opposing views of any sort in my experience (medical arrogance) and are generally bullet-proof against complaints! So Im not sure how you can move forward other than your own personal satisfaction that you are right and the doctor is wrong. Hopefully that's enough for you.

[7cApO-3F in reply to userotc]

Hello, experience is not always what we expect in life!What I have learnt along the way, by repeatedly asking for access to medical records and being exceptionally boring by reading and research, is there are rather a lot of “mistakes” in the records. I also wrote and pointed these out to the relevant nhs/other entities.

The NHS are amazing, however, no organisation can get everything right. The bureaucracy is overwhelming and very much there to “protect the nhs” rather than the patient if there are mistakes.

Having also been involved in a county wide official patients group, attending board meetings, training and public meetings, I am fully aware that much is needed to create an honest, approachable system of access and responsibility.

You have been so kind to respond, I have contacted the appropriate Agency regarding my latest “experience”. I intend to do more research (yes I am boring!).

It is wrong that patients have to cope with health issues as well as the “attitude” of defensive nhs staff.

Have a nice day.

[userotc in reply to 7cApO-3F]

You too. If you would benefit from our (failed) attempts to complain about NHS treatment, feel free to private message me any time.

[nonna70]

Good morning. All I have to say is make sure all of your docs are communicating or at least aware of each other as you navigate this.

[Solidair89]

Hi there,

Apologies for the long post, but I am trying to find out more about the use of lithium and the impact on kidneys and the thyroid and my search led me to your post.

My mum is in her late 60s and has been on lithium for bipolar disorder since she was in her late twenties. It has seemingly worked in keeping her well, and when she was taken off of it about 16 years ago (I think due to lithium levels in her blood), she relapsed very badly and spent 5 years on and off in hospital. However, in the last year, she has been diagnosed with chronic kidney disease and it is likely that she will have to go on to dialysis within a year. The renal nurse and consultant have said that her loss of kidney function is v likely a consequence of taking lithium. She had been having her kidney function monitored for the last few years, although she says she didn't know why (and is generally quite confused when it comes to her health). She also isn't sure if she's had blood tests every 3 months to monitor lithium levels in her blood. She is also now having issues with her thyroid - your post suggests this might also be related to taking lithium?

I am not sure that she has been made aware of risks - she is quite vulnerable and doesn't always seem to know exactly what her appointments are for. She lives in Wales and I'm in London. Prior to now, I wasn't aware of any physical health problems with my mum, and as she had seemed to be fairly well mentally, I failed to ask questions or notice that anything might be wrong. However, this week I also found out that she hasn't seen a psychiatrist for 3 years, nor had any visits from the community mental health team. She will now have a an appointment with a psychiatrist on Monday to review her medication and I am going to request access to her health records to ascertain whether or not both her physical and mental health has been monitored as it should have been.

Not sure what the next steps are for her at the moment, but I would be interested to know what happened when you spoke to the doctor about the impact of lithium on kidney function and thyroid issues.

Many thanks if you do see this and have a chance to reply!