How to prevent lithium toxicity
You may take lithium as a treatment for bipolar disorder. It''s the most common form of treatment for this condition. Lithium toxicity can be caused by underlying health issues, changes to medication, or incorrect dosage.
Lithium is commonly prescribed by psychiatrists to manage recurrent bipolar illness. Lithium was approved in the 1970s by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a mood stabilizer and a treatment for mania.
Lithium is a powerful medication that has antimanic properties. Though lithium has been approved as a treatment, its effects on the brain aren''t completely understood. Researchers believe lithium makes the brain less responsive to stimulation that causes manic episodes. It''s also thought to reduce the responsiveness to neurotransmitters.
Lithium can become dangerous when it''s taken in excess. When excessive amounts are taken intentionally or accidentally, it can cause acute or acute-on-chronic overdose symptoms.
To determine whether you''re experiencing lithium toxicity, you first need to know the common side effects of prescribed lithium. They include:
Some signs of lithium toxicity are similar to its side effects, but more severe. Symptoms of lithium toxicity include severe nausea and vomiting, severe hand tremors, confusion, and vision changes. If you experience these, you should seek immediate medical attention to check your lithium levels.
There are three types of lithium toxicity. They range from mild and uncomfortable to severe and dangerous if left untreated.
Acute lithium toxicity. Symptoms commonly include feeling weak, having a worsening tremor, feeling unbalanced or uncoordinated, poor concentration, diarrhea.
Acute-on-chronic lithium toxicity. With this level of poisoning, you could experience gastrointestinal (GI) problems. You may also experience neurological problems.
Chronic lithium toxicity. At this level, you will mostly experience neurological symptoms. Severity will depend on the levels of lithium in your body.
If you have one or more of the following symptoms, you may be experiencing early lithium toxicity:
Lithium toxicity mostly affects your kidneys and central nervous system. In acute lithium toxicity, your GI tract will be affected too. In more severe cases, you may experience neurological or cardiovascular problems. In early lithium toxicity, you may have mild confusion. As the toxicity worsens, you may feel delirious or even have seizures or go into a coma.
In very rare cases, lithium toxicity may cause diabetes insipidus. This condition leads to large amounts of urine in your body, regardless of how much fluid you drink. You''ll also experience a significant amount of thirst.
If you''re experiencing any of these symptoms or side effects, you should seek immediate medical attention. Left untreated, lithium toxicity can progress and worsen. Lithium poisoning can be life-threatening and should be monitored and treated promptly.
By noticing the early signs of lithium toxicity, you can get the help you need. Contact your doctor or psychiatrist if you feel like you''re experiencing any side effects from your medication. You can also have them check your lithium levels to find out if they''re too high.
When caught early, lithium toxicity can be treated by keeping or reducing your lithium levels to the low to medium range. If you notice a lithium-induced tremor, you may be treated with beta-blockers.
Diligent monitoring is the best way to avoid lithium toxicity. You''ll also need to make sure other medications you''re on don''t affect your lithium excretion. If your body excretes too much lithium, it can also create toxic levels in your body.
Medications that can interfere with this include:
Your doctor should monitor you closely to ensure you''re taking the right levels of lithium. It''s also important that you tell them about any side effects. Since lithium toxicity can happen through your body''s excretion, you might not know initially whether you have high levels in your body.
California Poison Control System: "Lithium Toxicity."
Hedya, S., Avula, A., Swoboda, H. StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing, 2020."International Journal of Bipolar Disorders: "Lithium side effects and toxicity: prevalence and management strategies."
Medscape: "Lithium Toxicity."
Jacquelyn has been a writer and research analyst in the health and pharmaceutical space since she graduated with a degree in biology from Cornell University. A native of Long Island, NY, she moved to San Francisco after college, and then took a brief hiatus to travel the world. In 2015, Jacquelyn relocated from sunny California to even sunnier Gainesville, FL, where she owns 7 acres and more than 100 fruit trees. She loves chocolate, pizza, hiking, yoga, soccer, and Brazilian capoeira. Connect with her on LinkedIn.
Dr. Philip Ngo is a pharmacist with over a decade of experience in community pharmacy. His interests lie in drug information, disease state management, and mental health. He is passionate about educating others on medication use and currently practices in Houston, Texas.
Natalie Silver is a writer, editor, and owner of Silver Scribe Editorial Services, a publishing services company. Natalie adores working in a profession that allows her to learn about many different topics all in a day''s work. She lives outside of Philadelphia with her husband and two children. You can learn more about Natalie''s work on her website https://silverscribeeditorial /.
Pharmacist specialists from the University of Illinois Chicago helped write and review our generic drug content. All of our drug content is created by a team of highly trained pharmacists who ensure that our articles are accurate and accessible. These pharmacists take highly complex drug information and translate it into clear, easy-to-read language, helping our readers make educated decisions about their own health care.
Heather Hobbs (she/her) is an editor at Healthline Media and RVO Health. She has also worked in content creation, marketing, copy editing, and search engine optimization (SEO) for brands, agencies, and nonprofit organizations. A former educator, she earned her MA in teaching as well as a BA with a double major in English writing and Spanish, along with a minor in French. You can find her on LinkedIn.
Kimberly is a freelance health, travel, and lifestyle writer and editor living in Birmingham, AL. She has previously written for Cooking Light, Eating Well, Coastal Living, Real Simple, Reader’s Digest, and more. When she’s not writing, you’ll likely find her watching "Murder, She Wrote" and sorting her collection of books that she’ll certainly one day find time to read, or planning her next vacation, preferably to an island, please.
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