Lithium

Lithium is a naturally occurring substance. As a medication, lithium reduces chemicals in the body that cause excitation. Lithium is used to treat manic episodes of manic-depressive illness. Lithium helps to prevent and control symptoms of mania such as hyperactivity, rushed speech, poor judgment, reduced need for sleep, aggression, and anger. Lithium may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide.

Causes

Lithium is first started there may be mild weight gain, but this will often either correct itself after the body becomes accustomed to the medication or it can be easily remedied by a formal diet, supervised by your doctor.

On-going weight gain in lithium treated patients is almost always associated with the consumption of high calorie drinks: the thirst that lithium can cause may be quite intense and it is best to drink water or some low calorie alternative to relieve this symptom.

Symptoms

• Mild or early: nausea and vomiting
• Moderate or intermediate: agitation, confusion, lethargy, slurred speech
• Severe or late: marked confusion, coma, seizures

Signs

• Mild or early: dysarthria, ataxia, tremor, muscle weakness, hyperreflexia
• Moderate or intermediate: confusion, agitation, hypertonia, myoclonus
• Severe or late: coma, seizures, muscle rigidity, cardiovascular collapse

Treatment

Llithium is often used in conjunction with antipsychotic drugs as it can take up to a week for lithium to have an effect. Lithium is used as prophylaxis for depression and mania in bipolar disorder.

Also, it is sometimes used for other disorders such as incluses:

• Cycloid psychosis
• Unipolar depression
• Migraine and others

It is sometimes used as an "augmenting" agent, to increase the benefits of standard drugs used for unipolar depression. Lithium treatment is generally considered to be unsuitable for children.

Overdose:

Someone you know may have used more than the recommended dose of this medicine, contact your local poison control center or emergency room immediately.