What are the possible side effects of lithium?

http://www.side-effects.ca/lithium-side-effects.ph...

Lithium can cause electrolyte imbalance in your body, particularly with potassium. It's good to take a multi vitamin with mineral pill daily to help offset any imbalance. You need b vitamins, vitamin D and minerals especially.

As was said, therapeutic and toxic ranges are quite narrow so be sure you go for the regular lab checks your doctor prescribes.

You may feel tired, have muscle tremors. Report these to your doctor. Also report any unusual things in your body reaction.

It will take 2 to 3 weeks to build a sustained therapeutic level.

If you are taking it as a mood stabilizer, there are other drugs that do not require the close monitoring and are less likely to have as many side effects. Triliptal is one of them. It is available as generic now.

I am on Lithium and Effexor. I've had weird dreams with Effexor. I never thought about it being the Lithium as well. I have never heard of it as side effect, though. Only swelling and weight gain.

Check out www.drugs.com & www.crazymeds.us & section 10, at http://www.ezy-build.net.nz/~shaneris Here is an extract from my website: " The necessary dosage for Lithium Carbonate, or Citrate, to be effective, is not far short of where it may become dangerous, so, unless you are reliable at taking medications, and have a medication organiser, (which is a good idea, because memory often deteriorates with advancing years) or use an alarm/reminder, you may well be better off using one of the alternatives. It requires regular toxicity monitoring. Lithium Carbonate is on the $4 list at WalMart, (also try calling Target pharmaceuticals). There is a comprehensive article on lithium at http://www.healthyplace.com/ and I suggest that anyone planning on using it read the article, drink at least 2.5 litres of water daily, and maintain their salt levels. See* http://www.walmart.com/catalog/catalog.gsp?adid=15... For Lithium Carbonate at $4/month's supply (more in CA., and 8 other US states). View http://www.pparx.org/ and call 1-888-4PP-ANOW (1-888-477-2669), if financially disadvantaged in the USA, and seeking a bipolar medication subsidy. Also see http://www.needymeds.com/ & www.low-cost-rx.com/ Lithium is understandably in disfavour with the manufacturers and distributers of psychopharmaceuticals, because they can make much bigger profits on their newer product range, which is still protected by patents. It is one of the reasons why they keep churning out new ones; the other being to keep abreast of, or ahead of the competition." My standard post on bipolar follows: See bipolar disorder, at ezy-build * (below) in section 10, and take the quiz, if unsure, and if the results are positive, ensure you get an expert diagnosis from a mental health professional, not doctors, who are much better dealing with physical ailments, and don't diagnose complex disorders like bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and borderline personality disorder often enough to develop any real expertise. Bipolar disorder usually involves major moodswings, which occur without apparent cause, and often over many months, or a matter of years, rather than days, as with most people (unless rapid cycling). I'd take 4 Omega 3 fish oil supplements daily, replacing 2 of them with cod liver oil supplements in the winter months. Try the Lithium Carbonate, or Lithium Citrate (regular tests are necessary, for these) , before trying the other medications, and see how that goes, over a few months, and always check out anything first at http://www.drugs.com/, so you will be aware of the risks, and on the lookout for side effects. If not considerably improved, after a few months, consult your primary mental health care provider, If bipolar type 1, an antipsychotic may also be needed. Everyone should take the Omega 3 supplements, for its other health benefits: see http://www.mercola.com/ TASKBAR. Some people refuse medication, using supplements, and a selective, mostly raw food diet (I do not recommended trying this, if bipolar 1, unless you aren't troubled by hallucinations, or delusional states). Maintain the treatments for the depressive phase, in section 2, at * http://www.ezy-build.net.nz/~shaneris The other mood stabilisers have their risks, and side effects, as well.

I had the side effects of hand tremors and diarrhea when I was on lithium. As I remember, the drug "kicked in" faster than most other drugs.

Good luck with your treatment!

Lithium has a very narrow window of therapeutic effectiveness. The dosage line between "effective" and "lethal" is a fine one, indeed, and varies considerably from person to person. You need to be sure that your doctor is monitoring your blood levels while you are on this rather old-school medication.

Best of luck to you in your treatment,

~M~

One side effect is weight gain because of the salts it is comprised of. This site maybe helpfull:http://www.nami.org/Content/ContentGroups/Helpline...

I glowed in the dark and saw evil man-eating rabbits also .

No not really .

I did stop seeing the nurses in my room having sex .

It was a wild ride that month .

Before the Viet Cong were everywhere .

Now they are not .

Heck who needs drugs to trip out ?

Go to www.webmd.com