One is that it works by protecting and helping to create neurons the cells that pass messages in your brain. If the amount of lithium in your blood is right, you probably will not have any problems taking this medicine.
However, some people find it slows down their thinking or makes them feel a bit "numb". Sometimes it's hard to know whether this is because the lithium is doing its work to control your mood if you have mania. Talk to your doctor if you're worried that lithium is slowing down your thinking or numbing your emotions.
You may need to have your lithium levels checked again. As long as it is working well to control your condition, you will generally take lithium for a long time. If you or your doctor decide to stop lithium, it must be reduced gradually over a number of weeks or months. If you stop taking it suddenly the symptoms of your condition are likely to come back. Do not stop taking lithium suddenly even if you feel better, or because you think the dose is too little or too much. However, if you think you have lithium toxicity, or are having an allergic reaction, it's important to stop taking lithium straight away and get medical help.
Lithium is generally safe to take for a long time. Most people take it for years with no problems. If you've been taking lithium for some time, it can cause weight gain. It can also cause problems with your kidneys or thyroid gland. Common signs of an underactive thyroid are tiredness, weight gain and feeling depressed.
Signs of kidney problems include swollen hands or ankles, feeling tired and short of breath, changes in your pee and feeling sick.
Tell your doctor if you get any these symptoms. Your doctor will test your thyroid and kidneys every 6 months to check for any changes. If you find you're putting on weight after taking lithium for a while, try to have a healthy balanced diet. Regular exercise will also help you keep your weight stable. Your doctor will usually monitor your weight while you're taking this medicine. Your doctor may discuss topping up levels of the hormone that the thyroid gland normally produces thyroxine with a tablet.
Lithium is not an antipsychotic medicine , it's known as a mood stabiliser. However, your doctor might prescribe an antipsychotic medicine with lithium. Usually, if you have depression, you'll be prescribed an antidepressant medicine first as they are considered more effective for depression than lithium.
However, when antidepressants have not worked, your doctor might prescribe lithium as well. This may be more effective and help your symptoms get better. Lithium can make you drowsy so it's best to stop drinking alcohol during the first few days of taking lithium, or if your dose is increased. If you feel OK after this, you can drink alcohol but it's best not to drink too much it's likely to make you dehydrated. This can increase the chance of high levels of lithium in your blood.
It's important to remember this, especially in hot weather when you will sweat more and your body loses water. Lithium does not affect contraception including the combined pill or emergency contraception.
However, if you have severe diarrhoea for more than 24 hours, your combined pill may not protect you from pregnancy. Look on the pill packet to find out what to do. Read more about what to do if you're on the pill and you have diarrhoea. There is no clear evidence that lithium affects female fertility.
However, there is small chance that it can reduce sperm count in men. However, it's best to avoid a low-sodium low-salt diet as this can increase the levels of lithium in your blood and increase the chance of getting side effects. The amount of fluids you drink is very important as it can affect the levels of lithium in your blood.
Getting dehydrated will affect the levels so it's good to drink plenty of fluids. Some people may put on weight when taking lithium. Try to eat well without increasing your portion sizes. Regular exercise can also help to keep your weight stable. When you first start taking lithium — or if the dose has recently been changed — it may make you feel tired, dizzy, sleepy and make your hands shake.
You're recommended to stop doing these things for the first few days, until you know how lithium affects you and until you feel more alert. Taking ecstasy while you're on lithium can make you dehydrated, which can lead to lithium toxicity. Page last reviewed: 18 August Next review due: 18 August About lithium Lithium is a type of medicine known as a mood stabiliser. It's used to treat mood disorders such as: mania feeling highly excited, overactive or distracted hypo-mania similar to mania, but less severe regular periods of depression , where treatment with other medicines has not worked bipolar disorder , where your mood changes between feeling very high mania and very low depression Lithium can also help reduce aggressive or self-harming behaviour.
Lithium is available on prescription. The most common side effects of lithium are feeling or being sick, diarrhoea, a dry mouth and a metallic taste in the mouth. Your doctor will carry out regular blood tests to check how much lithium is in your blood. The results will be recorded in your lithium record book. Lithium carbonate is available as regular tablets and modified release brand names include Priadel, Camcolit and Liskonium. Lithium citrate comes as a liquid and common brands include Priadel and Li-Liquid.
Lithium can be taken by adults and children over the age of 12 years. Lithium may not be suitable for some people. Tell your doctor if: you have ever had an allergic reaction to lithium or other medicines in the past you have heart disease you have severe kidney problems have an underactive thyroid gland hypothyroidism that is not being treated you have low levels of sodium in your body — this can happen if you're dehydrated or if you're on a low-sodium low-salt diet you have Addison's disease , a rare disorder of the adrenal glands you have, or someone in your family has, a rare condition called Brugada syndrome — a condition that affects your heart you need to have surgery in hospital you are trying to get pregnant, are pregnant or breastfeeding Before prescribing lithium, your doctor will do some blood tests to check your kidney and thyroid are OK.
It's important to take lithium as recommended by your doctor. How to take it Swallow tablets whole with a drink of water or juice. Information about your lithium treatment When you start taking lithium, you will get a lithium treatment pack usually a purple folder or book with a record booklet.
When you go to the doctor for blood tests, you or your doctor will write in the record booklet: your dose of lithium your lithium blood levels any other blood test results your weight The treatment pack also has a lithium alert card. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you've lost your treatment pack or did not get one.
Will my dose go up or down? Important Do not stop taking lithium suddenly or change your dose without speaking to your doctor first. What if I'm ill while taking lithium? Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you: have an illness that causes severe diarrhoea, vomiting, a high temperature or sweating have a urinary tract infection UTI are not eating and drinking much What if I forget to take it?
Please review before taking this medication. Lithium is a mood stabilizer medication that works in the brain. It is approved for the treatment of bipolar disorder also known as manic depression. They should be clear about the limits of the research around that medication and if there are any other options.
Bipolar disorder requires long-term treatment. Do not stop taking lithium, even when you feel better. With input from you, your health care provider will assess how long you will need to take the medicine.
Missing doses of lithium may increase your risk for a relapse in your mood symptoms. Do not stop taking lithium or change your dose without talking to with your healthcare provider first.
In order for lithium to work properly, it should be taken every day as ordered by your healthcare provider. Periodically, your healthcare provider may ask you to provide a blood sample to make sure the appropriate level of medication is in your body and to assess for side effects, such as changes in blood cell counts or kidney function. People living with bipolar disorder who wish to become pregnant face important decisions. It is important to discuss the risks and benefits of treatment with your doctor and caregivers.
Lithium levels should be monitored monthly in early pregnancy and weekly near delivery. Do not stop taking lithium without first speaking to your healthcare provider. Discontinuing mood stabilizer medications during pregnancy has been associated with a significant increase in symptom relapse.
Regarding breast-feeding, caution is advised since lithium does pass into breast milk. In general, breastfeeding is not recommended while taking lithium. Typically patients begin at a low dose of medicine and the dose is increased slowly over several weeks. The dose usually ranges from mg to mg daily, but some people may require higher doses depending on weight or symptoms. Only your health care provider can determine the correct dose for you. Extended release tablets: Swallow the tablet whole.
Do not crush or chew extended release tablets. Use a calendar, pillbox, alarm clock, or cell phone alert to help you remember to take your medication. You may also ask a family member or a friend to remind you or check in with you to be sure you are taking your medication. If you miss a dose of lithium, take it as soon as you remember, unless it is closer to the time of your next dose.
Discuss this with your healthcare provider. Do not double your dose or take more than what is prescribed. Avoid drinking alcohol or using illegal drugs while you are taking lithium. They may decrease the benefits e. Avoid excessive intake of caffeinated beverages, such as coffee, tea, cola or energy drinks, since these may decrease levels of lithium and decrease effectiveness of the medication.
The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive. Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur.
Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. Using this medicine with any of the following is usually not recommended, but may be unavoidable in some cases.
If used together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use this medicine, or give you special instructions about the use of food, alcohol, or tobacco. The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of this medicine.
Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:. Take this medicine exactly as directed by your doctor. Do not take more or less of it, do not take it more or less often, and do not take it for a longer time than your doctor ordered. To do so may increase the chance of side effects. This medicine comes with a Medication Guide.
Read and follow these instructions carefully. Read it again each time you refill your prescription in case there is new information. You should talk to your doctor if you have any questions. You might have to take this medicine for several weeks before you begin to feel better. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions. Make sure that your doctor knows if you are on a low-sodium or low-salt diet. Too little salt in your diet could lead to serious side effects.
Talk to your doctor about the correct amount of fluid to take with this medicine. Some people need to drink extra fluid every day with lithium. Measure the oral solution with a marked measuring spoon, oral syringe, or medicine cup. A regular teaspoon may not measure the correct amount of medicine.
There are several different forms of lithium. The dose for each is different and they are used at different times of the day. Do not change the type of medicine you take without talking to your doctor first. In order for lithium to work properly, it must be taken every day in regularly spaced doses as ordered by your doctor.
This is necessary to keep a constant amount of lithium in your blood. To help keep the amount constant, do not miss any doses and do not stop taking the medicine even if you feel better. Use only the brand of this medicine that your doctor prescribed. Different brands may not work the same way.
The dose of this medicine will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of this medicine. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.
The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine.
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