Frequent urination - other causes?

"jmc" wrote in message
...
Suddenly, without warning, Phil P. exclaimed (3/12/2008 5:55 PM):

Fourth: Amitriptyline- a tricyclic antidepressant drug because it
reduces
stress and also has analgesic properties. I think amitriptyline should
only
be used in cats that stress out easily.


hth,

Best of luck,

Phil


Phil:

We put Meep on Clomicalm - 5mg clomipramine hydrochloride 1/day. Not
sure if it's the right medicine for her or not, especially since a
possible side effect is urinary retention and says to use with caution
with pets with known predisposition to develop urinary tract obstruction
- something I would think would be really bad for a cat with cystitis.

So far, all it has done is make her quite lethargic, and not quite
herself, but I understand that this is supposed to be transient as she
gets used to the medication. Any idea how long that takes?

Do you think I should go back to the vet and see about getting her on
amitriptyline instead?

Why did your vet choose clomipramine over amitriptyline? I would ask him if
I were you. Clomipramine is used more in cats with inappropriate urination
problems. Although they're the same class of drugs, I think amitriptyline
produces fewer and milder side effects. Also, amitriptyline also has some
analgesic properties which is beneficial for cats with cystitis.

Phil

Suddenly, without warning, Phil P. exclaimed (3/17/2008 9:26 AM):
"jmc" wrote in message
...
Suddenly, without warning, Phil P. exclaimed (3/12/2008 5:55 PM):

Fourth: Amitriptyline- a tricyclic antidepressant drug because it
reduces
stress and also has analgesic properties. I think amitriptyline should
only
be used in cats that stress out easily.


hth,

Best of luck,

Phil

Phil:

We put Meep on Clomicalm - 5mg clomipramine hydrochloride 1/day. Not
sure if it's the right medicine for her or not, especially since a
possible side effect is urinary retention and says to use with caution
with pets with known predisposition to develop urinary tract obstruction
- something I would think would be really bad for a cat with cystitis.

So far, all it has done is make her quite lethargic, and not quite
herself, but I understand that this is supposed to be transient as she
gets used to the medication. Any idea how long that takes?

Do you think I should go back to the vet and see about getting her on
amitriptyline instead?

Why did your vet choose clomipramine over amitriptyline? I would ask him if
I were you. Clomipramine is used more in cats with inappropriate urination
problems. Although they're the same class of drugs, I think amitriptyline
produces fewer and milder side effects. Also, amitriptyline also has some
analgesic properties which is beneficial for cats with cystitis.

Phil




I'll ask, but from other Australian websites, I'm guessing it's "just
what they use" here (it's possible amitriptyline isn't available). I'll
ask for another reason too: The clomi-calm is sedating her so severely,
she's not even getting up to eat or use the litterbox at night - I
understand this is transient, but since she's already skinny (for the
first time in her life), I'm concerned about this. Fortunately, if I
put food right in front of her, she does eat

jmc

jmc

"jmc" wrote in message
...
Suddenly, without warning, Phil P. exclaimed (3/17/2008 9:26 AM):
"jmc" wrote in message
...
Suddenly, without warning, Phil P. exclaimed (3/12/2008 5:55 PM):

Fourth: Amitriptyline- a tricyclic antidepressant drug because it
reduces
stress and also has analgesic properties. I think amitriptyline should
only
be used in cats that stress out easily.


hth,

Best of luck,

Phil

Phil:

We put Meep on Clomicalm - 5mg clomipramine hydrochloride 1/day. Not
sure if it's the right medicine for her or not, especially since a
possible side effect is urinary retention and says to use with caution
with pets with known predisposition to develop urinary tract
obstruction
- something I would think would be really bad for a cat with cystitis.

So far, all it has done is make her quite lethargic, and not quite
herself, but I understand that this is supposed to be transient as she
gets used to the medication. Any idea how long that takes?

Do you think I should go back to the vet and see about getting her on
amitriptyline instead?

Why did your vet choose clomipramine over amitriptyline? I would ask him
if
I were you. Clomipramine is used more in cats with inappropriate
urination
problems. Although they're the same class of drugs, I think
amitriptyline
produces fewer and milder side effects. Also, amitriptyline also has
some
analgesic properties which is beneficial for cats with cystitis.

Phil




I'll ask, but from other Australian websites, I'm guessing it's "just
what they use" here (it's possible amitriptyline isn't available). I'll
ask for another reason too: The clomi-calm is sedating her so severely,
she's not even getting up to eat or use the litterbox at night - I
understand this is transient,

That's one of the side effects of that drug that I really don't like- its
much more severe than amitriptyline at therapeutic doses. "Transient" can
last a few days or a few weeks or longer. Seeing cats in that state really
disturbs me. You're vet was supposed to begin therapy at a low dose and
gradually work up to a therapeutic dose. That helps to lessen the side
effects but most importantly, gives her heart a chance to gradually adapt to
the increases in heart rate instead of all at once.


but since she's already skinny (for the
first time in her life), I'm concerned about this. Fortunately, if I
put food right in front of her, she does eat

Reduced appetite is another side effect of clomipramine- greater than
amitriptyline.

Not my first choice!

Phil

Suddenly, without warning, Phil P. exclaimed (3/17/2008 9:54 PM):
"jmc" wrote in message
...
Suddenly, without warning, Phil P. exclaimed (3/17/2008 9:26 AM):
"jmc" wrote in message
...
Suddenly, without warning, Phil P. exclaimed (3/12/2008 5:55 PM):

Fourth: Amitriptyline- a tricyclic antidepressant drug because it
reduces
stress and also has analgesic properties. I think amitriptyline should
only
be used in cats that stress out easily.


hth,

Best of luck,

Phil

Phil:

We put Meep on Clomicalm - 5mg clomipramine hydrochloride 1/day. Not
sure if it's the right medicine for her or not, especially since a
possible side effect is urinary retention and says to use with caution
with pets with known predisposition to develop urinary tract
obstruction
- something I would think would be really bad for a cat with cystitis.

So far, all it has done is make her quite lethargic, and not quite
herself, but I understand that this is supposed to be transient as she
gets used to the medication. Any idea how long that takes?

Do you think I should go back to the vet and see about getting her on
amitriptyline instead?
Why did your vet choose clomipramine over amitriptyline? I would ask him
if
I were you. Clomipramine is used more in cats with inappropriate
urination
problems. Although they're the same class of drugs, I think
amitriptyline
produces fewer and milder side effects. Also, amitriptyline also has
some
analgesic properties which is beneficial for cats with cystitis.

Phil



I'll ask, but from other Australian websites, I'm guessing it's "just
what they use" here (it's possible amitriptyline isn't available). I'll
ask for another reason too: The clomi-calm is sedating her so severely,
she's not even getting up to eat or use the litterbox at night - I
understand this is transient,

That's one of the side effects of that drug that I really don't like- its
much more severe than amitriptyline at therapeutic doses. "Transient" can
last a few days or a few weeks or longer. Seeing cats in that state really
disturbs me. You're vet was supposed to begin therapy at a low dose and
gradually work up to a therapeutic dose. That helps to lessen the side
effects but most importantly, gives her heart a chance to gradually adapt to
the increases in heart rate instead of all at once.


but since she's already skinny (for the
first time in her life), I'm concerned about this. Fortunately, if I
put food right in front of her, she does eat

Reduced appetite is another side effect of clomipramine- greater than
amitriptyline.

Not my first choice!

Phil



Phil, talked to the vet. Apparently they just don't use amitriptyline
much here. However, the vet agreed that the clomicalm was sedating Meep
too much, and though she's not convinced the amitriptyline will be
better, she agrees that we needed to take Meep off the clomicalm. I
think it's causing urinary retention, as she hasn't peed in about a day
and a half - if she hasn't gone by the time I get up tomorrow, I'll be
calling the vet, because her bladder feels full now, and she drank a lot
tonight.

They don't keep the drug in stock anymore, so she has to special order
it for me. Hopefully we'll have some by Friday, and hopefully it won't
turn her into a zombie like the clomicalm has.

I feel really bad I've done this to her, though with the best
intentions. She did not get anything tonight, so hopefully she'll be
feeling more herself by tomorrow.

jmc

"jmc" wrote in message
...
Suddenly, without warning, Phil P. exclaimed (3/17/2008 9:54 PM):
"jmc" wrote in message
...
Suddenly, without warning, Phil P. exclaimed (3/17/2008 9:26 AM):
"jmc" wrote in message
...
Suddenly, without warning, Phil P. exclaimed (3/12/2008 5:55 PM):

Fourth: Amitriptyline- a tricyclic antidepressant drug because it
reduces
stress and also has analgesic properties. I think amitriptyline
should
only
be used in cats that stress out easily.


hth,

Best of luck,

Phil

Phil:

We put Meep on Clomicalm - 5mg clomipramine hydrochloride 1/day. Not
sure if it's the right medicine for her or not, especially since a
possible side effect is urinary retention and says to use with
caution
with pets with known predisposition to develop urinary tract
obstruction
- something I would think would be really bad for a cat with
cystitis.

So far, all it has done is make her quite lethargic, and not quite
herself, but I understand that this is supposed to be transient as
she
gets used to the medication. Any idea how long that takes?

Do you think I should go back to the vet and see about getting her on
amitriptyline instead?
Why did your vet choose clomipramine over amitriptyline? I would ask
him
if
I were you. Clomipramine is used more in cats with inappropriate
urination
problems. Although they're the same class of drugs, I think
amitriptyline
produces fewer and milder side effects. Also, amitriptyline also has
some
analgesic properties which is beneficial for cats with cystitis.

Phil



I'll ask, but from other Australian websites, I'm guessing it's "just
what they use" here (it's possible amitriptyline isn't available).
I'll
ask for another reason too: The clomi-calm is sedating her so
severely,
she's not even getting up to eat or use the litterbox at night - I
understand this is transient,

That's one of the side effects of that drug that I really don't like-
its
much more severe than amitriptyline at therapeutic doses. "Transient"
can
last a few days or a few weeks or longer. Seeing cats in that state
really
disturbs me. You're vet was supposed to begin therapy at a low dose and
gradually work up to a therapeutic dose. That helps to lessen the side
effects but most importantly, gives her heart a chance to gradually
adapt to
the increases in heart rate instead of all at once.


but since she's already skinny (for the
first time in her life), I'm concerned about this. Fortunately, if I
put food right in front of her, she does eat

Reduced appetite is another side effect of clomipramine- greater than
amitriptyline.

Not my first choice!

Phil



Phil, talked to the vet. Apparently they just don't use amitriptyline
much here. However, the vet agreed that the clomicalm was sedating Meep
too much, and though she's not convinced the amitriptyline will be
better, she agrees that we needed to take Meep off the clomicalm. I
think it's causing urinary retention, as she hasn't peed in about a day
and a half - if she hasn't gone by the time I get up tomorrow, I'll be
calling the vet, because her bladder feels full now, and she drank a lot
tonight.

They don't keep the drug in stock anymore, so she has to special order
it for me. Hopefully we'll have some by Friday, and hopefully it won't
turn her into a zombie like the clomicalm has.

I feel really bad I've done this to her, though with the best
intentions. She did not get anything tonight, so hopefully she'll be
feeling more herself by tomorrow.

Be sure to remind your vet that amitriptyline has two dosing protocols- one
for behavior modification and one for idiopathic cystitis. The dose for
cystitis is about half the dose of behavior modification therapy. Since she
started Meep at the maximum dose of clomipramine, I'm afraid she'll
prescribe the maximum dose of amitriptyline, too.

'Better buy an Exacto knife or scalpel w/ #11 blades- you'll probably have
to cut the 10 mg tablets in 1/4s to get the appropriate dose.

Good luck,

Phil