What is lithium?
Lithium affects the flow of sodium through nerve and muscle cells in the body. Sodium affects
excitation or mania.
Lithium is used to treat the manic episodes of manic depression. Manic symptoms include
hyperactivity, rushed speech, poor judgment, reduced need for sleep, aggression, and anger. Lithium
also helps to prevent or lessen the intensity of manic episodes.
Lithium may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.
What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking lithium?
Do not use this medication if you are allergic to lithium.
Before taking lithium, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have:
If you have any of these conditions, you may need a dose adjustment or
special tests to safely take lithium.
FDA pregnancy category D. This medication can cause harm to an unborn baby. Do not
use lithium without your doctor's consent if you are pregnant. Tell your doctor if you become pregnant
during treatment. Use an effective form of birth control while you are using this medication.
Lithium can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication
without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.
Older adults may be more sensitive to the effects of this medication.
Do not give lithium to a child younger than 12 years old.
How should I take lithium?
Take this medication exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not take the medication in larger
amounts, or take it for longer than recommended by your doctor. Follow the directions on your
prescription label.
Your doctor may occasionally change your dose to make sure you get the best results from this
medication.
Do not crush, chew, or break an extended-release tablet. Swallow the pill whole. It is
specially made to release medicine slowly in the body. Breaking the pill would cause too much of the
drug to be released at one time.
Measure the liquid form of lithium with a special dose-measuring spoon or cup, not a regular
table spoon. If you do not have a dose-measuring device, ask your pharmacist for one.
Taking lithium can make it easier for you to become dehydrated, especially if you have any
vomiting or diarrhea, if you are outdoors in the sun, or if you exercise vigorously or sweat more than
usual. Dehydration can increase some of the side effects of lithium.
Drink extra fluids each day to keep from getting dehydrated while you are taking lithium.
Tell your doctor if you have been sweating excessively, or if you are sick with fever, vomiting, or
diarrhea for more than a few hours.
To be sure this medication is not causing harmful effects, your kidney function will need to be
tested on a regular basis. Do not miss any scheduled visits to your doctor.
If you need to have any type of surgery, tell the surgeon ahead of time that you are taking
lithium.
Store lithium at room temperature away from moisture and heat.
What happens if I miss a dose of lithium?
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the
missed dose and take the medicine at your next regularly scheduled time.
Do not
take
extra medicine to make up the missed dose.
Where can I get more information about lithium?
Your pharmacist has information about lithium written for health professionals that you may read.
What are the possible side effects of lithium?
Get emergency medical help if you have any of these
signs of an allergic
reaction:
hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Stop taking lithium and call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:
-
extreme thirst, urinating more or less than usual;
-
weakness, fever, feeling restless or confused, eye pain and
vision problems;
-
restless muscle movements in your eyes, tongue, jaw, or
neck;
-
pain, cold feeling, or discoloration in your fingers or toes;
-
feeling light-headed, fainting, slow heart rate;
-
hallucinations, seizure (blackout or convulsions);
-
fever with muscle stiffness, sweating, fast or uneven
heartbeats; or
-
early signs of lithium toxicity, such as nausea, vomiting,
diarrhea, drowsiness, muscle weakness, tremor, lack of coordination, blurred vision, or ringing
in your ears.
Less serious side effects may include:
-
mild tremor of the hands;
-
weakness, lack of coordination;
-
mild nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, stomach pain or
upset;
-
thinning or drying of the hair; or
-
itching skin.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Tell your
doctor about any unusual or bothersome side effect. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
What is the most important information I should know about lithium?
Do not
use this medication without telling your doctor if you are pregnant.
It could cause harm to the unborn baby. Use an effective form of birth control, and tell your doctor if
you become pregnant during treatment.
Call your doctor at once if you have any early signs of lithium toxicity, such as nausea,
vomiting, diarrhea, drowsiness, muscle weakness, tremor, lack of coordination, blurred vision, or
ringing in your ears.
Do not crush, chew, or break an extended-release tablet. Swallow the pill whole.
Drink extra fluids to keep from getting dehydrated while you are taking lithium. Tell your
doctor if you have been sweating excessively, or if you are sick with fever, vomiting, or diarrhea.
Avoid becoming overheated or dehydrated during exercise and in hot weather. Follow your
doctor's instructions about the type and amount of liquids you should drink. In some cases, drinking
too much liquid can be as unsafe as not drinking enough.
Lithium can cause side effects that may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you
drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and alert.
What should I avoid while taking lithium?
Lithium can cause side effects that may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you
drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and alert.
Avoid becoming overheated or dehydrated during exercise and in hot weather. Follow your
doctor's instructions about the type and amount of liquids you should drink. In some cases, drinking
too much liquid can be as unsafe as not drinking enough.
Do not change the amount of salt that you consume in your diet. Changing your intake of salt
could alter the amount of lithium in your blood.
What other drugs will affect lithium?
Before taking lithium, tell your doctor if you are taking any other medications, especially any of
the following:
-
acetazolamide (Diamox);
-
aminophylline (Truphylline) or theophylline (Elixophyllin,
Respbid, Theo-Bid, Theo-Dur, Uniphyl);
-
sodium bicarbonate (Alka-Seltzer, Bicitra, Polycitra, or
baking soda home remedy antacid);
-
carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Tegretol);
-
fluoxetine (Prozac);
-
metronidazole (Flagyl);
-
potassium iodide thyroid medication (Pima);
-
an ACE inhibitor such as benazepril (Lotensin), captopril
(Capoten), fosinopril (Monopril), enalapril (Vasotec), lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril), moexipril
(Univasc), perindopril (Aceon), quinapril (Accupril), ramipril (Altace), or trandolapril (Mavik);
-
a calcium channel blocker such as diltiazem (Tiazac,
Cartia, Cardizem) or verapamil (Calan, Covera, Isoptin, Verelan);
-
a diuretic (water pill) such as amiloride (Midamor,
Moduretic), bumetanide (Bumex), chlorthalidone (Hygroton, Thalitone), ethacrynic acid
(Edecrin), furosemide (Lasix), hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ, HydroDiuril, Hyzaar, Vasoretic,
Zestoretic), indapamide (Lozol), metolazone (Mykrox, Zaroxolyn), spironolactone (Aldactazide,
Aldactone), triamterene (Dyrenium, Maxzide, Dyazide), torsemide (Demadex), and others;
-
medicines to treat psychiatric disorders, such as haloperidol
(Haldol), aripiprazole (Abilify), chlorpromazine (Thorazine), clozapine (Clozaril, Fazaclo),
olanzapine (Zyprexa), quetiapine (Seroquel), pimozide (Orap), risperidone (Risperdal), or
ziprasidone (Geodon); or
-
celecoxib (Celebrex) or an NSAID (non-steroidal
anti-inflammatory drugs) such as ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil), naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn),
diclofenac (Voltaren), diflunisal (Dolobid), etodolac (Lodine), flurbiprofen (Ansaid),
indomethacin (Indocin), ketoprofen (Orudis), ketorolac (Toradol), mefenamic acid (Ponstel),
meloxicam (Mobic), nabumetone (Relafen), piroxicam (Feldene), and others.
This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with
lithium. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This
includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using
a new medication without telling your doctor.
What happens if I have an overdose of lithium?
