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Lithium is a lifelong treatment.
What is lithium and what does it treat?
Lithium carbonate is a salt that was first approved in the United States in 1970 to treat manic depression (bipolar disorder). Today, it remains a commonly used medication for this illness. There are several different brands of lithium dispensed as tablets, capsules, or liquid (the most commonly used products are listed above). A manic episode, or mania, is when a person experiences several of the following symptoms at the same time: "high" or irritable mood, very high self esteem, decreased need for sleep, pressure to keep talking, racing thoughts, being easily distracted, frequently involved in activities with a large risk for bad consequences (for example, excessive buying sprees). A depressive episode, or depression, is when a person experiences several of the following symptoms at the same time: "low" or depressed mood (for example, sad, empty, tearful), decreased interest in most or all activities, changes in appetite (usually decreased), changes in sleep (usually poor sleep), loss of energy, feeling worthless/guilty/ hopeless/ helpless, difficulty concentrating, thoughts of death (suicidal thinking). Bipolar disorder is an illness which exposes people to these mood changes over the course of time.
Lithium is used to even out the highs (mania) and lows (depression) in mood associated with of bipolar disorder. In some cases, lithium is used to treat people with depression even though they have never experienced a manic episode. Many of these patients have not responded adequately to antidepressants alone, so the addition of lithium to an antidepressant is tried for some people.
Lithium has also been used to treat people with schizophrenia in cases where changes in thinking happen at the same time as a mood change that looks like either mania or depression.
Are there any risks for taking this medication for long periods of time?
With long-term use of lithium, hypothyroidism can occur; however, it can be treated with thyroid supplementation. Kidney damage may also occur, but it is rare. In order to minimize risk, your healthcare provider will periodically measure kidney function and lithium levels with a simple blood test.
What is the usual duration of treatment for lithium?
Mood stabilizer treatment is generally needed lifelong for persons with Bipolar illness. Your doctor can best discuss the duration of treatment you need based on your symptoms and course of illness.
Source:
http://www.nami.org/Template.cfm?Se...aggedPageDisplay.cfm&TPLID=51&ContentID=20820
SIDE EFFECTS:
The most common side effects that can occur in persons taking lithium are fine hand tremor, dry mouth, altered taste perception, weight gain, increased thirst, increased frequency of urination, mild nausea or vomiting, impotence, decreased libido, diarrhea, and kidney abnormalities. Many of the gastrointestinal side effects (nausea, taste alterations, diarrhea) often disappear with continued therapy. Additionally, they may be less common if lithium is taken in divided doses with meals. If diarrhea or excessive urination lead to dehydration, lithium toxicity is possible. Lithium can also cause changes in the electrocardiogram, low blood pressure, and decreased heart rate.
The following side effects suggest that lithium blood levels may be too high, and that the dose of lithium may need to be reduced (after confirmation by measurement of lithium levels in blood): loss of appetite; visual impairment; tiredness; muscle weakness; muscle fasciculations (twitches); tremor; unsteady gait; confusion, seizure; arrhythmias; slurred speech; coma.
About 1 in every 25 persons who receives lithium develops a goiter (an enlarged thyroid gland). Hypothyroidism (low thyroid hormone levels) has been reported. Signs of hypothyroidism may include dry rough skin, hair loss, hoarseness, mania, mental depression, increased sensitivity to cold, and swelling of the feet, lower legs, and neck.
Source: http://www.medicinenet.com/lithium/page2.htm
It sounds to me like Lithium could be a cure that's side effects are worse than the disorder it treats-unless you consider being an empty shell of who you once were a good thing? I'd rather be depressed than be a zombie. Childrens Tylenol it is not.
What is lithium and what does it treat?
Lithium carbonate is a salt that was first approved in the United States in 1970 to treat manic depression (bipolar disorder). Today, it remains a commonly used medication for this illness. There are several different brands of lithium dispensed as tablets, capsules, or liquid (the most commonly used products are listed above). A manic episode, or mania, is when a person experiences several of the following symptoms at the same time: "high" or irritable mood, very high self esteem, decreased need for sleep, pressure to keep talking, racing thoughts, being easily distracted, frequently involved in activities with a large risk for bad consequences (for example, excessive buying sprees). A depressive episode, or depression, is when a person experiences several of the following symptoms at the same time: "low" or depressed mood (for example, sad, empty, tearful), decreased interest in most or all activities, changes in appetite (usually decreased), changes in sleep (usually poor sleep), loss of energy, feeling worthless/guilty/ hopeless/ helpless, difficulty concentrating, thoughts of death (suicidal thinking). Bipolar disorder is an illness which exposes people to these mood changes over the course of time.
Lithium is used to even out the highs (mania) and lows (depression) in mood associated with of bipolar disorder. In some cases, lithium is used to treat people with depression even though they have never experienced a manic episode. Many of these patients have not responded adequately to antidepressants alone, so the addition of lithium to an antidepressant is tried for some people.
Lithium has also been used to treat people with schizophrenia in cases where changes in thinking happen at the same time as a mood change that looks like either mania or depression.
Are there any risks for taking this medication for long periods of time?
With long-term use of lithium, hypothyroidism can occur; however, it can be treated with thyroid supplementation. Kidney damage may also occur, but it is rare. In order to minimize risk, your healthcare provider will periodically measure kidney function and lithium levels with a simple blood test.
What is the usual duration of treatment for lithium?
Mood stabilizer treatment is generally needed lifelong for persons with Bipolar illness. Your doctor can best discuss the duration of treatment you need based on your symptoms and course of illness.
Source:
http://www.nami.org/Template.cfm?Se...aggedPageDisplay.cfm&TPLID=51&ContentID=20820
SIDE EFFECTS:
The most common side effects that can occur in persons taking lithium are fine hand tremor, dry mouth, altered taste perception, weight gain, increased thirst, increased frequency of urination, mild nausea or vomiting, impotence, decreased libido, diarrhea, and kidney abnormalities. Many of the gastrointestinal side effects (nausea, taste alterations, diarrhea) often disappear with continued therapy. Additionally, they may be less common if lithium is taken in divided doses with meals. If diarrhea or excessive urination lead to dehydration, lithium toxicity is possible. Lithium can also cause changes in the electrocardiogram, low blood pressure, and decreased heart rate.
The following side effects suggest that lithium blood levels may be too high, and that the dose of lithium may need to be reduced (after confirmation by measurement of lithium levels in blood): loss of appetite; visual impairment; tiredness; muscle weakness; muscle fasciculations (twitches); tremor; unsteady gait; confusion, seizure; arrhythmias; slurred speech; coma.
About 1 in every 25 persons who receives lithium develops a goiter (an enlarged thyroid gland). Hypothyroidism (low thyroid hormone levels) has been reported. Signs of hypothyroidism may include dry rough skin, hair loss, hoarseness, mania, mental depression, increased sensitivity to cold, and swelling of the feet, lower legs, and neck.
Source: http://www.medicinenet.com/lithium/page2.htm
It sounds to me like Lithium could be a cure that's side effects are worse than the disorder it treats-unless you consider being an empty shell of who you once were a good thing? I'd rather be depressed than be a zombie. Childrens Tylenol it is not.
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