What should you not do while on lithium?

Avoid drinking alcohol or using illegal drugs while you are taking lithium. They may decrease the benefits (e.g., worsen your condition) and increase adverse effects (e.g., sedation) of the medication. Avoid low sodium diets and dehydration because this can increase the risk of lithium toxicity.

What should you watch out when taking lithium?

Dizziness, blurred vision, ringing in the ears and excessive production of dilute urine may occur with higher (toxic) lithium levels. Seek urgent medical advice. Lithium may also cause irregular heartbeat, drying and thinning of hair, alopecia, dry mouth, weight gain, itchiness, and other side effects.

Does lithium interact with anything?

Common drug–drug interactions with lithium

The most commonly prescribed drugs that have the potential to interact with lithium are ACE inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor antagonists (sartans), diuretics, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

What are the dangers of taking lithium?

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.

Does caffeine interact with lithium?

Notes for Consumers: Caffeine may decrease the effectiveness of Lithium. It is advisable to limit your caffeine intake (including teas, coffees, colas and non-prescription or herbal medicines containing caffeine) while taking Lithium. Report any changes in mood or emotions to your health care provider.

Can I exercise on lithium?

Exercising – it's good to exercise regularly, provided that you're getting enough fluids and salt. But you should try to avoid taking your lithium dose just before doing vigorous exercise.

How much water should I drink while on lithium?

Your doctor will also probably suggest you drink eight to12 glasses of water or fluid a day during treatment and use a normal amount of salt in your food. Both salt and fluid can affect the levels of lithium in your blood, so it's important to consume a steady amount every day.

Does taking lithium shorten your life?

It is possible that the mortality rate of patients treated with lithium is not constant over time. Specifically, lithium-induced deaths due to harms such as kidney failure may result after year-long exposures, thereby possibly reducing the overall benefit on mortality.

How long can you stay on lithium?

If you have bipolar disorder, you may be offered lithium for a longer period, to prevent or reduce your risk of relapse. Your doctor may suggest that you commit to taking lithium for at least six months, possibly longer. This is because it can take some time to make sure the medication is working effectively.

What drugs should not be taken with lithium?

The most commonly prescribed drugs that have the potential to interact with lithium are ACE inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor antagonists (sartans), diuretics, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

What foods interact with lithium?

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There are no specific dietary requirements while taking Lithium. Generally you can eat what you like. However Lithium requires consistent monitoring to ensure you maintain the right balance of lithium in the blood to avoid the dangerous condition of lithium toxicity.

Is it OK to take ibuprofen with lithium?

When combined with lithium, NSAIDs can increase lithium levels in the blood resulting in an increased risk for serious adverse effects like confusion, tremor, slurred speech, and vomiting. Examples of non-prescription NSAIDs include: Ibuprofen (Advil® or Motrin®) Naproxen (Naprosyn®, Aleve®)

What are the 3 main symptoms of lithium toxicity?

Some signs of lithium toxicity are similar to its side effects, but more severe. Symptoms of lithium toxicity include severe nausea and vomiting, severe hand tremors, confusion, and vision changes. If you experience these, you should seek immediate medical attention to check your lithium levels.

What are the long term side effects of taking lithium?

The most concerning side effects of long term lithium use are hypothyroidism and kidney problems. According to a 2015 review article , these side effects are most likely to affect women below the age of 60 years. They are also more common among people with higher-than-average concentrations of lithium in the blood.

How can I avoid gaining weight on lithium?

Weight gain is a known unwanted side effect associated with lithium use. Limiting caloric intake from beverages can help avoid or keep weight gain to a minimum. Lithium can make you very thirsty. Replace sugary drinks or juices with water, flavored waters, or other low- to no-calorie beverages.

Can you drink on lithium?

People taking lithium should avoid drinking alcohol. Not only can alcohol worsen bipolar disorder symptoms, but it can also intensify side effects caused by lithium, including dizziness and drowsiness. Additionally, taking lithium while drinking may make the medication less effective, leading to more mood swings.

Is 600 mg of lithium a lot?

Lithium is usually taken 1-3 times per day with or without food. Typically patients begin at a low dose of medicine and the dose is increased slowly over several weeks. The dose usually ranges from 600 mg to 1200 mg daily, but some people may require higher doses depending on weight or symptoms.

Why does bipolar shorten life span?

Possible reasons for the decrease in longevity are many. The most obvious are the rate of high-risk behaviors, unhealthy lifestyle, and suicide experienced by many with bipolar disorder. Oxidative stress, which inhibits cell growth and replenishment, can also be a culprit.

What is end stage bipolar disorder?

For many patients, the illness presents a progressively deteriorating course. Late stages are characterized by chronic cognitive and functional impairment, often with subsyndromal mood symptoms and are associated with refractoriness to standard treatment options.

Does lithium rot your teeth?

Severe dental decay and changes in tooth structure have been reported in association with the use of lithium in Psychiatry, but lithium effects on tooth inorganic composition remain unknown. A 30-year-old woman with bipolar disorder, treated with lithium carbonate presented severe dental decay.

Why is lithium being discontinued?

Results. Of 873 patients treated with lithium, 54% discontinued lithium, corresponding to 561 episodes of lithium discontinuation. In 62% of episodes, lithium was discontinued due to adverse effects, in 44% due to psychiatric reasons, and in 12% due to physical reasons interfering with lithium treatment.

Does lithium heal the brain?

Lithium has been reported to be beneficial in animal models of brain injury, stroke, Alzheimer's, Huntington's, and Parkinson's diseases, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), spinal cord injury, and other conditions. Clinical trials assessing the effects of lithium are under way.

What happens if you get dehydrated while taking lithium?

What causes lithium toxicity? Toxicity can occur if you take a large dose of lithium at one time. Toxicity can also be caused by taking a slightly higher dose of lithium over time. It can also occur if you are dehydrated, or you take medicines that cause lithium to build up in your blood.

Does lithium make you pee more?

Excessive urination and thirst (polyuria and polydipsia) are consistently found to be among the most common side effects associated with lithium with rates up to 70% in long-term patients (Bone et al.

Does lithium help you sleep?

Lithium reduced rapid eye movement sleep and prevented memory impairment induced by sleep deprivation.