I have found out from my nephrologist in the past several weeks that lithium usage from 1985 to 2003 is likely the culprit behind my chronic kidney disease or CKD. I was never told that lithium has this dangerous side effect over the years. I also was never informed by my PCP that I should go and see a nephrologist. This nephrologist since April 2023 has taken me off lisinopril and kept me on a reduced level of metoprolol tartrate. Monitoring my blood pressure is key. He has also recommended losing 10 pounds, adopting a fish and chicken and veggie and fruit diet, and keeping up with a daily walk.
Although my PCP never referred me to a nephrologist even when I had/have Stage 3 CKD, I am glad I sought out the nephrologist care myself. Going forward I will get blood work done every four months and I will have a renal ultrasound done once a year as a precaution kind of like a yearly mammogram.
To me these events seem to indicate that the health system in the US is somewhat broken. It is only a matter of degree how broken it is, particularly for some diagnoses including mental health, more so than others. It has only been in the last 15 years or so that the medical establishment has been able to prescribe psyche meds from a variety of options or choices.
This post I hope will alert people to check with their medical specialists about any sort of side effects of your current or prior psyche meds. This is just a precaution so as to manage unwanted impacts to your health. It may boil down to a cost-benefit assessment if lithium for example is the only med that works for the bipolar and the associated kidney damage is minimal.
Here’s to being an advocate for your overall health yourself! I hope your vigilance will keep you from any unwanted side effects of treatment past and present and into the future. Wishing you the best overall health possible….!
Mental Health is Health 