Lithium in the first trimester of pregnancy can affect the health of an unborn child, but doctors say stopping this medication can also be risky. PTSD and bipolar disorder have overlapping symptoms, but they're two very different conditions. Here's a closer look at what each involves and whether…. It can feel hard to distinguish between schizoaffective disorder and bipolar disorder, thanks to several overlapping symptoms.
But the two have a few…. Hallucinations can show up as a bipolar disorder symptom for several reasons. Here's a look at why they happen and how they're treated. If you notice your bipolar symptoms get more pronounced in the late afternoon, you might wonder if it's a sign of sundowning.
Here's a look at what…. Some say you can tell if someone has bipolar disorder by looking at their eyes, but is it true? We explain the science and why it's best to not judge…. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Using Lithium to Treat Bipolar Disorder. Medically reviewed by Alan Carter, Pharm. About lithium Lithium for bipolar disorder Side effects Bipolar disorder Takeaway In most depressive disorders, there is only one extreme mood: depression.
What is lithium? How does lithium treat bipolar disorder? Side effects of lithium. What is bipolar disorder? Talk to Your Doctor. Lithium can also cause drowsiness. Your doctor will carry out blood tests regularly to monitor how much lithium is in your blood. They will also monitor your kidney function, your thyroid gland and your parathyroid gland. Some people who take lithium for long periods gain weight.
A healthy diet and regular exercise can help you keep your weight under control. Talk to your doctor about managing your weight. Women who take lithium are usually advised to use other medicines while pregnant. Use the Question Builder for general tips on what to ask your GP or specialist. You can develop lithium toxicity suddenly if you take too many tablets at once or combine lithium with certain other medicines.
If you are on a steady dose of lithium, you may get chronic lithium toxicity when your kidneys stop working properly. If you think you or someone you care for may have lithium toxicity, it's important to talk to a doctor immediately. See healthdirect's medicines section for more information about lithium.
Learn more here about the development and quality assurance of healthdirect content. Is mental illness treatable? Yes, mental illness can be treated. This means that many people who have a mental illness, and are treated, recover well You can help manage your bipolar by reducing stress, understanding your warning signs and looking after your body.
Read more on ReachOut. Bipolar disorder usually requires a long-term treatment plan often involving a range of treatment options to properly manage the condition.
Read more on Black Dog Institute website. Severe mood swings make normal day to day living feel impossible. 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. Do not drive or do anything else that could be dangerous until you know how this medicine affects you.
Use extra care in hot weather and during activities that cause you to sweat heavily, such as hot baths, saunas, or exercising. If you have an infection or illness that causes heavy sweating, vomiting, diarrhea, shakiness, or muscle weakness, check with your doctor right away.
The loss of too much water and salt from your body could lead to serious side effects from this medicine. Do not go on a diet to lose weight and do not make a major change in your diet without first checking with your doctor. Improper dieting could cause the loss of too much water and salt from your body and could lead to serious side effects from this medicine.
Do not take other medicines unless they have been discussed with your doctor. This includes prescription or nonprescription over-the-counter [OTC] medicines and herbal eg, St. John's wort or vitamin supplements. Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects.
Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention. Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects.
Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:. Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. All rights reserved. Information is for End User's use only and may not be sold, redistributed or otherwise used for commercial purposes. Any use of this site constitutes your agreement to the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy linked below.
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