LITHIUM
(LITH ee um) Brand: Eskalith, Lithobid
What is the most significant information I must know about lithium?
• Do not use this medicine without telling your doctor if you are pregnant. It could reason harm to the unborn child. Use an effective form of birth control, and speak 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 interrupt an extended-release tablet. Swallow the pill whole.
• Drink extra fluids to hold from getting dehydrated while you are taking lithium. Speak your doctor if you have been sweating excessively, or if you are sick with fever, vomiting, or diarrhea.
• Avoid becoming overheated or dehydrated during exercice and in hot weather. Follow your doctor's instructions about the type and amount of liquids you must drink. In some cases, drinking too many liquid can be as unsafe as not drinking enough.
• Lithium can reason 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 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 another purposes not listed in this medicine guide.
What must I discuss with my healthcare provider till taking lithium?
• Do not use this medicine if you are allergic to lithium.
• Till taking lithium, speak your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have:
· kidney disease;
· underactive thyroid;
· a severe or debilitating medical condition; or
· if you are dehydrated or have low levels of sodium in your blood (hyponatremia).
• If you have any of these conditions, you may need a doze adjustment or particular trials to safely take lithium.
• FDA pregnancy category D. This medicine can reason harm to an unborn child. Do not use lithium without your doctor's consent if you are pregnant. Speak 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 child. Do not use this medicine 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 baby younger than 12 years old.
How must I take lithium?
• Take this medicine exactly as it was predesigned for you. Do not take the medicine 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 doze to create certain you get the excellent results from this medication.
• Do not crush, chew, or interrupt an extended-release tablet. Swallow the pill intact. It is specially made to release medication slowly in the body. Breaking the pill would reason too many of the drug to be released at one time.
• Measure the liquid form of lithium with a particular 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 create 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 exercice vigorously or sweat more than normal. Dehydration can magnify some of the side effects of lithium.
• Drink extra fluids every day to hold from getting dehydrated while you are taking lithium. Speak your doctor if you have been sweating excessively, or if you are sick with fever, vomiting, or diarrhea for more than a little hours.
• To be certain this medicine is not causing deleterious 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, speak the surgeon onward of time that you are taking lithium.
• Store lithium at room temperature away from moisture and heat.
What happens if I miss a dose?
• Take the missed doze as soon as you remember. If it is nearly time for your following doze, skip the missed doze and take the medication at your following regularly scheduled time. Do not take extra medication to create up the missed dose.
What happens if I overdose?
• Search abnormal medical attention if you think you have used too many of this medication. Overdose symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, drowsiness, muscle weakness, tremor, lack of coordination, blurred vision, or ringing in your ears.
What must I avoid while taking lithium?
• Lithium can reason 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 exercice and in hot weather. Follow your doctor's instructions about the type and amount of liquids you must drink. In some cases, drinking too many 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 are the possible side effects of lithium?
• Get abnormal medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your person, 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 smaller than usual;
· weakness, fever, feeling restless or confused, eye pain and vision problems;
· restless muscle movements in your eyes, tongue, jaw, or neck;
· pain, cool 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, quick 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.
• Smaller 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. Speak your doctor about any unusual or bothersome side effect. You may message side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
What another drugs will affect lithium?
• Till taking lithium, speak your doctor if you are taking any another 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 house remedy antacid);
· carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Tegretol);
· fluoxetine (Prozac);
· metronidazole (Flagyl);
· potassium iodide thyroid medicine (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 another drugs that can interact with lithium. Speak your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal commodity, and drugs predesigned by another doctors. Do not start using a new medicine without telling your doctor.
Where can I get more information?
• Your pharmacist can provide more information about lithium.
Remember, hold this and all another medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medicine only for the indication prescribed.
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