Lithobid

Lithobid is a prescription medication used to treat and prevent episodes of mania in people with bipolar disorder (also known as manic-depressive disorder), a disorder that causes episodes of depression, mania, and other abnormal moods. Lithobid belongs to a group of medications called antimanic agents. It works by decreasing abnormal activity in the brain.

Lithobid is available as an extended-release (long-acting) tablet to take by mouth. It is usually taken 2 or 3 times a day. Do not chew, crush, or divide extended-release lithium tablets. Swallow tablets whole.

Common side effects of Lithobid include uncontrollable shaking in the hands, increased urination, thirst, and nausea.

Lithobid can also cause dizziness, drowsiness, and blurred vision. Do not drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how Lithobid affects you.

Lithobid is a prescription medication used to treat and prevent episodes of mania in people with bipolar disorder (also known as manic-depressive disorder), a disorder that causes episodes of depression, mania, and other abnormal moods. Lithobid belongs to a group of medications called antimanic agents. It works by decreasing abnormal activity in the brain.

This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Take this medication exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully.

The dose your doctor recommends may be based on the following:

• the condition being treated
• how you respond to this medication

The recommended dose of Lithobid for acute episodes of mania is 900 mg 2 times a day.

The recommended dose of Lithobid for long-term control and prevention of episodes of mania is 600 mg 2 or 3 times a day.

Doses of Lithobid should be individualized on the basis of response to therapy and levels of lithium in your blood.

Warning

Lithium toxicity is closely related to serum lithium levels, and can occur at doses close to therapeutic levels. Facilities for prompt and accurate serum lithium determinations should be available before initiating therapy.

Serious side effects have been reported with Lithobid, including:

• Lithium toxicity. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have some or all of the following symptoms of lithium toxicity:
  • diarrhea
  • vomiting
  • drowsiness
  • muscular weakness
  • lack of coordination
  • giddiness
  • blurred vision
  • ringing in the ears
  • increased volume of urination
• Neuromuscular side effects. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have some or all of the following symptoms of neuromuscular side effects:
  • ​tremor
  • muscle twitching
• ​Central nervous system side effects. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have some or all of the following symptoms of central nervous system side effects:
  • ​seizures
  • slurred speech
  • dizziness
  • vertigo
  • incontinence of urine or feces
  • sleepiness
  • restlessness
  • confusion
• ​Cardiovascular side effects. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have some or all of the following symptoms of cardiovascular side effects:
  • ​irregular heartbeat
  • low blood pressure
• ​Gastrointestinal side effects. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have some or all of the following symptoms of gastrointestinal side effects:
  • ​decreased appetite
  • vomiting
  • nausea
  • diarrhea
• ​Dermatologic side effects. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have some or all of the following symptoms of dermatologic side effects:
  • drying and ​thinning of the hair
  • exacerbation of psoriasis
  • loss of feeling in the skin
  • infections of the skin

Lithobid can also cause dizziness, drowsiness, and blurred vision. Do not drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how Lithobid affects you.

Do not take Lithobid if you:

• are allergic to lithium or to any of its ingredients
• have kidney disease
• have cardiovascular disease
• are dehydrated
• are taking diuretics

Serious side effects have been reported with Lithobid. See the "Lithobid Precautions" section.

Common side effects of lithium include:

• fine hand tremor
• increased urination
• thirst
• nausea

This is not a complete list of Lithobid side effects. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Tell your doctor if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Especially tell your doctor if you take:

• acetazolamide (Diamox)
• aminophylline
• angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors such as benazepril (Lotensin), captopril (Capoten), enalapril (Vasotec), fosinopril, lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril), moexipril (Univasc), perindopril (Aceon), quinapril (Accupril), ramipril (Altace), and trandolapril (Mavik)
• angiotensin II receptor antagonists such as candesartan (Atacand), eprosartan (Teveten), irbesartan (Avapro), losartan (Cozaar), olmesartan (Benicar), telmisartan (Micardis), and valsartan (Diovan)
• antacids such as sodium bicarbonate
• caffeine (found in certain medications to treat drowsiness and headaches)
• calcium channel blockers such as amlodipine (Norvasc), diltiazem (Cardizem, Dilacor, Tiazac, others), felodipine (Plendil), isradipine (DynaCirc), nicardipine (Cardene), nifedipine (Adalat, Procardia), nimodipine (Nymalize), nisoldipine (Sular), and verapamil (Calan, Covera, Verelan)
• carbamazepine (Tegretol)
• medications for mental illness such as haloperidol (Haldol)
• methyldopa (Aldomet)
• metronidazole (Flagyl)
• nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as celecoxib (Celebrex), indomethacin (Indocin), and piroxicam (Feldene)
• potassium iodide
• selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as citalopram (Celexa), duloxetine (Cymbalta), escitalopram (Lexapro), fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem), fluvoxamine (Luvox), paroxetine (Paxil), and sertraline (Zoloft)
• theophylline (Theolair, Theochron)

This is not a complete list of Lithobid drug interactions. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

The FDA categorizes medications based on safety for use during pregnancy. Five categories - A, B, C, D, and X - are used to classify the possible risks to an unborn baby when a medication is taken during pregnancy.

Lithobid falls into category D. It has been shown that the use of lithium in pregnant women caused some babies to be born with problems. However, in some serious situations, the benefit of using this medication may be greater than the risk fo harm to the baby.

Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.

Lithobid has been detected in human breast milk. Lithium should not be used by nursing mothers, except in rare and unusual circumstances in which, in the view of the physician, the potential benefits to the mother outweigh possible hazards to the child.