Lethargy, dysphoria, a loss of interest in interacting with others and the environment, and a state of increased mental confusion were reported. No generalized effects were found in the responses to the personality inventories. 1. 2.
Take your lithium each night at the same time. You need to take it at night because blood tests need to be done during the day, 12 hours after a dose (see Section 4 'Blood tests after starting to take lithium').
Neurotransmitter Regulation: Lithium increases the activity of calming GABA receptors and decreases the activity of more stimulating dopamine and NMDA receptors, resulting in an overall relaxing, stabilizing effect.
Lithium may take several weeks or months to work. How will it make me feel? If the amount of lithium in your blood is right, you probably will not have any problems taking this medicine. However, some people find it slows down their thinking or makes them feel a bit "numb".
Lithium is a mood stabiliser, but the exact way that it works is not known. Lithium may work by changing the release of chemicals like dopamine or serotonin in your brain. Taking lithium helps you to have more control over your emotions. It helps you cope better with bipolar mood swings.
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.
Lithium is a medication that treats bipolar disorder by improving communication between brain cells to help stabilize mood and emotions. When first starting lithium, many people experience common side effects, such as nausea, shakiness, or greater thirst.
It takes about 1 to 3 weeks for lithium to show the effects and remission of symptoms. Many patients show only a partial reduction of symptoms, and some may be nonresponders. In cases where the patient does not display an adequate response, consider monitoring plasma levels, and titrating the dose.
Like many other antipsychotic and antidepressant drugs, lithium may also cause sexual and erectile dysfunction [20,21]. About one-third of bipolar or schizoaffective patients receiving lithium report sexual dysfunction [20,21].
Studies have shown that the average lithium-induced weight gain is between 4.85 and 22 lbs. Also, keep in mind that different causes contribute to lithium-induced weight gain - we will discuss them in more detail below.
Its estimated antisuicidal effect is found to be larger than its effect on preventing mood episodes, suggesting that there are possible other mechanisms including a reduction in aggression and impulsivity. Lithium is especially recommended for patients who suffer from severe depression with a high risk of suicide.
Lithium helps reduce the severity and frequency of mania. It may also help relieve or prevent bipolar depression. Studies show that lithium can significantly reduce suicide risk. Lithium also helps prevent future manic and depressive episodes.
It is not known how lithium works to stabilize a person's mood. However, it does act on the central nervous system. It helps you to have more control over your emotions and helps you cope better with the problems of living.
Adverse effects were the most common cause for lithium discontinuation. Among the adverse effects, diarrhoea, tremor, creatinine increase, polyuria/polydipsia/diabetes insipidus and weight gain were the top five reasons for discontinuing lithium.
Similarly, lithium itself can have what's known as a "paradoxical" reaction where it actually creates more anxiety and depression, which is another important reason not to use lithium without talking to your doctor. Lithium can take weeks to reach its full effectiveness.
In fact, some patients start feeling less anxious, irritable, and depressed just days after taking low-dose lithium. Despite the evidence supporting the benefits of low-dose lithium, it is still underused as a supplement in psychiatry.
Controlled carbohydrate cravings and a low-calorie diet can help manage your body weight when on lithium. According to the Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, a drug called topiramate helps bipolar patients on lithium lose weight.
According to NAMI, people who take lithium should avoid low-sodium diets and dehydration, because they can increase the risk of lithium toxicity. Talk with your doctor about how to safely manage the salt in your diet to stay within a healthy range.
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.
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.
About 1 person in 10 to 15 gets dull, flat, and “blah” (the “lithium made me a zombie” effect, overrepresented in online testimonials). I explain to my patients in advance that if this happens, we'll give up on it. This adverse effect does not diminish with time and generally persists even if the dose is reduced.
Lithium may cause problems with kidney health. Kidney damage due to lithium may include acute (sudden) or chronic (long-term) kidney disease and kidney cysts.
Various studies have found that lithium is effective in preventing and reducing the frequency of mood episodes, manic episodes, and depressive episodes. 2 It can decrease manic episode symptoms like elevated or irritable mood, racing thoughts, agitation, and decreased sleep.