Lithium Carbonate
About
Lithium Carbonate belongs to a psychological class of drugs called 'anti-manic agents' or 'mood stabilizers' primarily used to prevent and treat mood disorders like mania and bipolar disorder. Mania is a mental condition that causes intense excitement, high energy, and delusions (misbeliefs). Bipolar disorder is a mental condition associated with extreme mood swings ranging from the hyper stage of mania to low mood depression.
Lithium Carbonate contains Lithium carbonate that helps to treat mental disorders by increasing the activity of chemical messengers in the brain; thereby, suppressing the excessive and abnormal activity of nerve cells in the brain and helping in stabilizing a person’s mood.
Take Lithium Carbonate as prescribed. Your doctor will advise you on how often you need to take Lithium Carbonate based on your medical condition. Some people may experience loss of appetite, dizziness, dry mouth, taste change, diarrhoea, blurred vision, slurred speech, shaky movements, increased thirst, and urination. Most of these side effects of Lithium Carbonate do not require medical attention and gradually resolve over time. However, if the side effects persist or worsen, please consult your doctor.
If you are known to be allergic to Lithium Carbonate or any other medicines, please tell your doctor. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, it is advised to consult a doctor before using Lithium Carbonate. Regular blood tests are recommended while taking Lithium Carbonate to monitor the levels of lithium in blood. If you have fits, kidney or heart problems, thyroid, persistent headache, vision problems, and if you are planning or had weight loss surgery, please inform your doctor before taking Lithium Carbonate.
Uses of Lithium Carbonate
Medicinal Benefits
Lithium Carbonate is a mood stabilizer that is used to prevent and treat mood disorders such as mania and bipolar disorder. Lithium Carbonate contains Lithium carbonate that helps to treat mental disorders by increasing the activity of chemical messengers in the brain; thereby, suppressing the excessive and abnormal activity of nerve cells in the brain and helping in stabilizing a person’s mood. Thus, Lithium Carbonate relaxes nerves and calms the mood, which helps in having a better social life and enables to do daily activities comfortably.
Directions for Use
Storage
Side Effects of Lithium Carbonate
- Loss of appetite
- Dizziness
- Dry mouth
- Taste change
- Diarrhoea
- Blurred vision
- Slurred speech
- Shaky movements
- Increased thirst and urination
In-Depth Precautions and Warning
Drug Warnings
Regular blood tests are recommended while taking Lithium Carbonate to check lithium levels in the blood. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, please inform your doctor before taking Lithium Carbonate. If you have hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid gland), please inform your doctor before taking Lithium Carbonate as it may cause low thyroid levels. If you notice decreased amount of urine, dark, reddish urine, muscle pain or weakness, inform your doctor immediately as it may be due to a serious condition called rhabdomyolysis (muscle tissue breakdown) which may lead to kidney problems.
Drug Interactions
Drug-Drug Interaction: Lithium Carbonate may have interaction with high blood pressure-lowering medicines (ramipril, lisinopril, methyldopa, amlodipine, diltiazem), pain killers (ibuprofen, diclofenac, celecoxib, indomethacin), asthma drugs (theophylline), antipsychotics (olanzapine, haloperidol, clozapine, sertindole), fits related drugs (phenytoin, clonazepam, carbamazepine), heart-related medicines (quinidine, amiodarone, propafenone, ranolazine, procainamide, disopyramide, hydroquinidine, ibutilide, sotalol, dofetilide), antidepressants (paroxetine, amitriptyline, fluoxetine), antibiotics (trimethoprim, spectinomycin, metronidazole, tetracycline).
Drug-Food Interaction: Lithium Carbonate may interact with caffeine. Therefore, reduce the intake of caffeine including coffee, tea, or herbal medicines as it may decrease the effect of Lithium Carbonate. Also, avoid alcohol intake as it may increase side effects such as drowsiness, dizziness, or difficulty in concentrating. Intake of sodium may also alter lithium levels. Hence, maintain a constant dietary intake of salt.
Drug-Disease Interaction: If you have fits, kidney or heart problems, thyroid, persistent headache, vision problems, Brugada syndrome (a hereditary syndrome affecting the heart), hypothyroidism (low thyroid levels), and low sodium levels, inform your doctor before taking Lithium Carbonate.
Drug-Drug Interactions Checker List:
Safety Advice
Alcohol
unsafeYou are recommended to avoid consumption of alcohol with Lithium Carbonate as it may increase the risk of side effects such as drowsiness, dizziness or difficulty in concentrating.
Pregnancy
unsafeLithium Carbonate is a Category D pregnancy drug and is not recommended for use during pregnancy as it may cause harm to the unborn baby.
Breast Feeding
unsafeAvoid breastfeeding while taking Lithium Carbonate as it may be excreted in breast milk and cause adverse effects in the baby.
Driving
unsafeLithium Carbonate may cause dizziness, drowsiness or other severe adverse effects. Therefore, avoid driving if you feel drowsy or dizzy after taking Lithium Carbonate.
Liver
safe if prescribedLithium Carbonate is safe to use in patients with liver diseases/conditions if prescribed by a doctor.
Kidney
cautionTake Lithium Carbonate with caution, especially if you have a history of kidney diseases/conditions. The dose may be adjusted by your doctor as required. Lithium Carbonate is not recommended for patients with severe kidney problems.
Children
cautionLithium Carbonate is generally not recommended for children below 12 years. However, Lithium Carbonate may be used in children above 7 years for treating bipolar disorder only if prescribed by a doctor.
Habit Forming
Diet & Lifestyle Advise
- Maintain a constant sodium diet as it may affect lithium levels in the blood and cause adverse effects.
- Limit the intake of caffeine as it may reduce the effectiveness of Lithium Carbonate.
- Do regular exercise and maintain a stable weight as Lithium Carbonate may cause weight gain.
- Drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration and try to drink the same amount of water every day as any major changes in quantity may affect lithium levels.
- Avoid consumption of alcohol as it may increase drowsiness.
Special Advise
- Regular blood tests are advised every week while taking Lithium Carbonate to monitor the levels of lithium in blood. When lithium levels are constant, blood tests may be done every 3 months.
- Drink a constant amount of water daily and maintain a constant sodium intake as any major changes in these two may alter the levels of lithium in blood.
Patients Concern
Disease/Condition Glossary
Mania: It is a mental condition that causes intense excitement, high energy, and delusions (misbeliefs). Mania may occur due to lack of sleep or changes in sleep pattern, high levels of stress, and alcohol intake. Seek medical help immediately if you have any self-harming or suicidal thoughts.
Bipolar disorder: It is also called manic depression, a mental condition associated with extreme mood swings ranging from manic highs to depressive lows. The symptoms of bipolar disorder include mania (high energy and excitability) and depression (loss of interest, hopelessness, and low energy). Bipolar disorder involves lifelong treatment.
FAQs
Lithium Carbonate helps to treat mental disorders by increasing the activity of chemical messengers in the brain; thereby, suppressing the excessive and abnormal activity of nerve cells in the brain and helping in stabilizing a person’s mood.
Lithium Carbonate is not recommended for hypothyroid (underactive thyroid gland) patients as it may increase the risk of low levels of thyroid hormone. Therefore, if you have hypothyroidism, please inform your doctor before taking Lithium Carbonate.
Lithium Carbonate may cause weight gain but it is not necessary for everyone taking Lithium Carbonate to experience this side effect. However, in order to avoid gaining weight while taking Lithium Carbonate, you are advised to do regular exercise and avoid high-calorie drinks. Instead take non-alcoholic drinks, herbal tea and lemon water.
It is advised to inform your doctor if you are planning or had weight loss surgery as the dose may be adjusted accordingly based on lithium levels in blood.
Lithium Carbonate may cause dehydration especially if you have low sodium levels in the body or consume too much alcohol. However, if you notice dark, strong-smelling urine or a decrease in urination, it indicates that you are dehydrated, and this may affect lithium levels in the blood. Therefore, you are recommended to drink plenty of fluids while taking Lithium Carbonate to avoid dehydration.
You are not recommended to stop taking Lithium Carbonate without consulting your doctor as it may worsen the condition or cause recurring symptoms. Therefore, take Lithium Carbonate for as long as your doctor has prescribed it and if you experience any difficulty while taking Lithium Carbonate, please consult your doctor so that the dose may be gradually reduced.
You are not recommended to take Lithium Carbonate with fluoxetine or other antidepressants such as paroxetine and sertraline as co-administration of these medicines may increase the risk of a rare and serious condition known as serotonin syndrome. If you experience blurred vision, increased heart rate, hallucination, fits, confusion, muscle stiffness or spasm, vomiting, nausea, diarrhoea, excessive sweating, stomach cramps, fever, shaking, or shivering, please consult a doctor immediately. However, before using Lithium Carbonate with any other medicines, you are advised to contact your doctor.
