Lithium Side Effects

Understanding the lithium side effects is the best way to overcome your addiction.

Understanding the lithium side effects is the best way to overcome your addiction.

Lithium is a medication that is most commonly used to treat a person with bipolar disorder. It works by decreasing the abnormal activity in their brain. The most common symptoms that lithium can work well for are depression and vast mood changes. Lithium side effects can vary greatly depending on the person and the how they use the drug. It is important when a person is taking the medication, that they don’t make changes in their dose or stop taking the drug without consulting their doctor.

Some side effects that occur, may not need medical attention. Some lithium side effects may be only taking place due to the body adjusting to the medication and will go away during the treatment. Your medical doctor should be able to tell you what to expect and what needs to be seen if it does occur. If any of the following side effects do occur and they start to bother you, make sure to consult your doctor right away.

Common Lithium Side Effects

The following side effects are common and have been found in different users that have used the drug for both short and long periods of time. If you or a loved one experiences any of these side effects, it is important for you to consult your doctor. They may either want to you come of the medication slowly or change your dose.

  • Diarrhea
  • Vomiting
  • Weight gain
  • Muscle weakness
  • Hair Loss
  • Acne
  • Impaired memory
  • Depression
  • Swelling of the feet, lower legs or neck
  • Cold
  • Unusual excitement

Overdose Lithium Side Effects

When you or a loved one has overdosed on lithium, it is important to go to the nearest emergency room for medical treatment. Depending on the amount of lithium that was taken, the overdose side effects can greatly vary and become fatal.

  • Blurred vision
  • Ringing in the ears
  • Slurred speech
  • Trembling
  • Lack of coordination
  • Extremely tired
  • Convulsions
  • Death

Some of the less common overdose symptoms:

  • Skin rash
  • Bloated / pressure in the stomach
  • Muscle twitching

Resource Box: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC161639/

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