One of the most famous drugs prescribed by psychiatrists to stabilize mood is lithium tablets. This drug is often known as lithium carbonate, lithium citrate, litmon or lithium, and it can cause widespread bipolar disorder in the treatment of major depression (resistant to treatment) and manic period (mania) of bipolar disorder.. A wide range of side effects; Therefore, it is recommended not to use it under any circumstances without a doctor's prescription...

Do you know how to take lithium carbonate tablets and what medicines it interacts with? In this article from GCORP LLC magazine, join us to check what diseases lithium tablets are for and what side effects they have.

What is a lithium pill?

Lithium carbonate is one of the drugs prescribed for psychiatric disorders and is classified under the category of mood stabilizers... Psychiatrists prescribe this drug exclusively for bipolar disorder and its manic phase.... Lithium can also be considered as an anti-depressant drug that helps to treat major depression (resistant to treatment) by affecting the central nervous system.

Identity information of lithium tablets

Lithium effect mechanism

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Lithium ion is very similar to sodium ion and can replace it, and the result of this replacement is the dysfunction of nerve cells.. In fact, lithium tablets affect the brain by changing the release of chemicals such as dopamine, norepinephrine, acetylcholine and serotonin..

What is the use of lithium tablets?

Lithium is a psychiatric drug that is prescribed to treat bipolar disorder. In fact, this drug can stabilize mood and prevent extreme behaviors by balancing neurotransmitters in the brain. Therefore, psychiatrists prescribe lithium to reduce manic phase attacks associated with bipolar disorder, such as irritability, aggressive behavior, aggressiveness, exaggerated talk, stubbornness, They do.. they do

One of the other uses of this pill is to treat acute episodes of depression and prevent its recurrence... Lithium pills can reduce the risk of suicide in people with severe depression.

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What is lithium 300 tablets for?

Lithium carbonate 300 is one of the medicinal doses of this pill, which is prescribed for the treatment of mental disorders such as the following:

• bipolar disorder
• Acute depression
• Reduction of manic states in mania sufferers

How to use lithium carbonate

How to use this drug depends on the condition of the patient, the type of disorder, the manufacturer of the drug and the level of lithium in the blood... Therefore, only a psychiatrist can determine the appropriate dosage of lithium.... On the other hand, mental disorders have different spectrums and this pill cannot be prescribed with a specific dose for all people...

Usually, the doctor determines the dosage of lithium carbonate based on the amount of lithium in the blood... So it can be said that a blood test is a necessary prerequisite to determine the dosage of lithium tablets in each period of treatment.... Mental health experts believe that the duration of the effect of taking lithium tablets is three weeks, following the points below, and they believe:

• To avoid digestive discomfort, take lithium carbonate medicine with food.
• Salt consumption can change the level of lithium in the blood. Therefore, it is better to listen to the doctor's recommendations regarding the amount of salt consumption during the treatment period.

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• Arbitrarily changing the dose of lithium can cause irreversible side effects.
• Take lithium medicine at the same time every day.
• Avoid breaking, halving and chewing the medicine...
• Avoid sudden discontinuation of lithium medications.
• If you miss a dose of medicine, take the missed dose as soon as you remember... But if the next dose of medicine is close, you can take lithium tablets according to the schedule... Remember that taking 2 doses of medicine at the same time is dangerous and causes side effects.
• Lithium drugs can cause drowsiness.. so avoid driving and other activities that require full alertness during the treatment period.

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The best time to take lithium tablets

Choosing when to take this pill is up to you.... The important thing about how to take lithium is that you have to take it at a certain time every day.... However, doctors believe that taking it at night can prevent you from feeling sleepy during the day.

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Contraindications to the use of lithium drug

Before you start taking this medicine, tell your psychiatrist about the following diseases or conditions:

• Pregnancy and breastfeeding
• Sensitivity to antidepressants
• Epilepsy and Parkinson's
• brain disorders
History of leukemia Cardiovascular disease
• Thyroid disorders
• breathing problems
• Uncontrolled diabetes
Kidney diseases Psoriasis
• Difficulty urinating
• Severe dehydration of the body
• Decreasing body sodium
• Infections
• Viral diseases with fever, diarrhea, nausea, sweating and vomiting

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How to stop taking lithium tablets

You should not stop this pill arbitrarily without consulting a psychiatrist.. because it can cause serious side effects... The psychiatrist will usually consider an appropriate treatment plan to stop taking lithium drugs and prescribe an alternative pill if needed.

Our suggestion is to contact a doctor through the possibility of online consultation with a psychiatrist on the GCORP LLC website.

What are the consequences of suddenly stopping lithium?

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• hand tremors
• Excessive urination
• Muscle weakness
• Extreme thirst
dry mouth
• Recurrence of disease symptoms in less than 6 months

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Lithium pill and obesity

Lithium can affect the endocrine glands and cause changes in the body's metabolism.. Research has shown that this pill inhibits thyroid function.. As a result, most of those who use lithium for a long time suffer from hypothyroidism and its side effects are weight gain..

Read more: What are the symptoms of severe and acute depression?... The best treatment method

Lithium pill and hair loss

Hair loss can be considered as one of the side effects of taking this pill, which occurs in 10% of people.... To prevent this problem, you can use zinc and selenium supplements after the online consultation of skin and hair specialist GCORP LLC.

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Is the use of lithium tablets allowed during pregnancy and breastfeeding?

Using lithium tablets during pregnancy without prescribing a psychiatrist and consulting a gynecologist is not recommended.. But if you notice pregnancy while taking this drug, do not stop taking lithium without consulting a psychiatrist... Untreated mental problems are dangerous for the fetus and the pregnant mother.. Therefore, during pregnancy, psychiatrists usually prescribe alternative drugs that have fewer side effects.

It is also not recommended to take this pill during breastfeeding. Because lithium is transferred to the baby through breast milk and leaves side effects.

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Is lithium tablets for schizophrenia?

Psychiatrists commonly use lithium to stabilize mood and use it as an adjunct to antipsychotic drugs to treat schizophrenia..

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Complications of lithium carbonate tablets

The most important risks and side effects of this drug include the following:

Common side effects

• dizziness
sleepiness
• fatigue
• weight gain
• hand tremors
• Increasing the volume of urine
• Extreme thirst
• Disturbance in kidney function

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Allergic reaction

Inform your doctor immediately if you experience any of the following allergic reactions:

• Severe confusion
• Itching
• Hives
• Skin rash
• Swelling of the face, tongue and throat
• Respiratory disorder

Serious side effects

Go to the emergency room right away if you experience the following symptoms after taking lithium:

• Fainting
• Seizures
• Severe dizziness
• breathing problems
• Slow or irregular heartbeat

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Serotonin poisoning syndrome

One of the most dangerous side effects of this drug is an increase in the level of serotonin in the body, which causes poisoning... To prevent this syndrome, you must inform your doctor about the use of any other drug that may contain serotonin..

Symptoms of poisoning caused by increased serotonin levels are:

• Imbalance
• Severe dizziness
• Illusion
• Fast heartbeat
• Muscle spasm
• Feeling confused and confused
• Unexplained fever
• boredom
• Severe nausea, vomiting and diarrhea

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Lithium drug interaction (Lithium)

Lithium carbonate tablets interact with the following drugs and can affect how they work:

• Angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) such as losartan and valsartan
• ACEI inhibitor drugs such as captopril and enalapril
• Non-steroidal pain relievers (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen and naproxen
Water pills and diuretics such as hydrochlorothiazide and furosemide
• Drugs treating other mental illnesses such as chlorpromazine, haloperidol, thiothixin
• Antidepressants such as fluoxetine, duloxetine and venlafaxine
• Metronidazole
• sodium bicarbonate
Spectinomycin
• Phenytoin
• Carbamazepine
• muscle relaxants

Guide to see a doctor

If you see frequent abnormal behaviors in those around you, don't ignore them... Currently, most mental disorders can be treated with the help of a psychiatrist... Bipolar disorder and manic phase is one of these disorders whose symptoms can be reduced by taking lithium pills... This pill has a high effect on the nervous system of the brain... Therefore, it should be prescribed by a psychiatrist.

If you are taking lithium medication or have doubts about this pill, you can visit the GCORP LLC website... GCORP LLC allows you to meet the best specialist doctors, including experienced psychiatrists, through an online appointment system and make an appointment for face-to-face consultation or phone, text and video consultation..

Read more: Depressive disorders.. symptoms, causes and ways of treatment

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources: webmd | Drugs