Lithium Side Effects

There is a very fine line between lithium side effects adn lithium toxicity. Lithium is one of those medications that needs to be closely monitored when being used. Your doctor will order lithium levels in order to make sure that you are getting just the right amount. You cannot have too much of it or it then becomes toxic. You can't have too little either otherwise it just doesn't do the job.

When you first taking lithium, your doctor or healthcare provider, will most likely order lots of lab work which will include measuring the amount of lithium your body is "hanging on to". She/he will keep assessing till you are getting just the right amount, but of course it won't stop there.

According to the manufacturer, Lithium is indicated for the treatment of the manic episodes associated with manic-depressive illness.

Commonly Occuring Lithium Side Effects

• Acute dystonia - abnormal muscle tone; involuntary, slow, twisting muscle movements
• Albuminuria - presence of albumin in the urine
• Alopecia - hair loss
• Anesthesia of skin - no feeling of pain on the skin
• Anorexia - loss of appetite
• Ataxia - lack of coordination/inability to coordinate voluntary muscle movements
• Blackout spells
• Blurred vision
• Cardiac arrhythmia - abnormal heart rhythms
• Choreo-athetotic movements - uncontrollable limb movements, extreme range of motion, and changing/changeable muscle tone
• Chronic folliculitis - chronic infection of the hair follicles
• Coma
• Confusion
• Dehydration
• Diarrhea
• Dizziness
• Dry mouth
• Drying and thinning of hair
• Epileptiform seizures
• Euthyroid goiter and/or hypothyroidism (including myxedema)
• Exacerbation of psoriasis
• Fatigue
• Fine hand tremor
• Glycosuria - presnece of glucose (sugar) in the urine
• Hyperactive deep tendon reflexes
• Hypotension - low blood pressure
• Incontinence of urine or feces
• Lethargy
• Mild nausea
• Mild thirst
• Muscle hyperirritability - fasciculations, twitching, clonic movements of whole limbs
• Nausea
• Nystagmus - rapid, involuntary eye movements; involuntary "to and fro" jerking movements of the eyes
• Oliguria - urinating less than normal
• Peripheral circulatory collapse
• Polyuria - excessive urination
• Pseudotumor cerebri - increased intracranial pressure and papilledema i.e. increased pressure in the eyes
• Psychomotor retardation
• Restlessness
• Slurred speech
• Somnolence - sleepiness; a semiconscious state
• Stupor - intense lethargy; unresposiveness; partial or total unconsciousness
• Tendency to sleep
• Transient scotomata - an area of your visual field that is lost
• Tremor
• Vertigo - dizziness; a reeling, spinning, or whirling sensation
• Vomiting
• Weight loss
• Xerosis cutis - a type of extremely dry skin

Rarely Occuring Lithium Side Effects

• Albuminuria - presence of albumin in the urine
• Cutaneous ulcers - ulcers of the skin
• Diffuse non-toxic goiter with or without hypothyroidism
• Edematous swelling of ankles or wrists - fluid retention in the wrists and ankles
• Excessive weight gain
• Generalized pruritus with or without rash - pruritus = itching
• Headache
• Hyperthyroidism
• Leucocytosis - high white blood cell count
• Metallic taste
• Painful discoloration of fingers and toes and coldness of the extremities
• Transient electroencephalographic (EEG) and electrocardiographic (ECG) changes - changes in brain waves and heart rhythms
• Transient hyperglycemia - high blood sugar
• Worsening of organic brain syndromes

We are usually the best men
when in the worst health
- English proverb

Drug Manufacturer Information

Miles Pharmaceuticals
Division of Miles Laboratories, Inc.
West Haven, Connecticut 06516 USA
by Pfizer Inc., New York, N.Y. 10017
(212) 733-2323

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February 3rd, 2010