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Mental Health (Expert Forum)
I WANT TO KNOW ABOUT LITHIUMLITHIUM
Questions posted in the Mental Health forum are being answered by Dr. Roger L. Gould, author of the Mastering Stress and Depression program and affiliated with the UCLA. Department of Psychiatry. Topics covered include anger, attention deficit disorder (ADD), bipolar disorder, dementia, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), learning disabilities, memory, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), panic, personality disorders, phobias, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), schizophrenia, stress, transitions, and work problems.
I WANT TO KNOW ABOUT LITHIUMLITHIUM
by Barbara, Sep 19, 1999 12:00AM
WHAT ARE THE SIDE EFFECTS OF LITHIUM AND IS THERE A MEDICATION THAT CAN DO THE SAME AS LITHIUM AND HOW LONG SHOULD YOUN TAKE LITHIUM BEFORE IT STOPS DOING WHAT IT IS SUPPOSED T DO?
Doctor's Answer
by HFHS.MD-AJ, Sep 24, 1999 12:00AM
Barbara,
Lithium is usually prescribed for mood-stabilizing purposes. Its possible side effects include nausea, diarrhea, sedation, polyuria (increased urination), increased thirst, tremors, hypothyroidism, and weight gain, to name a few. Long-term treatment with lithium or some other mood-stabilizer is usually the standard of care in the treatment of bipolar disorder. There are other mood stabilizers, Valproic acid (Depakote) being the most common. It is not without side effects (e.g. nausea, diarrhea, sedation, and weight gain), but is often better tolerated than lithium. Other mood stabilizing agents include Carbamazepine (Tegretol), Lamotrigine (Lamictal), and Gabapentin (Neurontin), to name a few. I urge you to discuss your concerns further with your treating physician/psychiatrist.
Lithium is usually prescribed for mood-stabilizing purposes. Its possible side effects include nausea, diarrhea, sedation, polyuria (increased urination), increased thirst, tremors, hypothyroidism, and weight gain, to name a few. Long-term treatment with lithium or some other mood-stabilizer is usually the standard of care in the treatment of bipolar disorder. There are other mood stabilizers, Valproic acid (Depakote) being the most common. It is not without side effects (e.g. nausea, diarrhea, sedation, and weight gain), but is often better tolerated than lithium. Other mood stabilizing agents include Carbamazepine (Tegretol), Lamotrigine (Lamictal), and Gabapentin (Neurontin), to name a few. I urge you to discuss your concerns further with your treating physician/psychiatrist.
