Research shows that if you are taking lithium for bipolar disorder and you stop taking it suddenly (i.e. over the course of less than 14 days), then you have a 50% (one in two) chance of becoming ill again within six months and a 90% (nine in ten) chance of becoming unwell again within three years.
The biggest downside reported was the risk of new episodes of mania or depression. According to the study results, this risk was much more pronounced in people who stopped taking their lithium suddenly rather than gradually.
The NICE guidelines for bipolar disorder recommend that you gradually reduce your dose of lithium over at least four weeks. Ideally, you would reduce it over a period of up to three months. This is to lower your risk of relapse.
Weight gain can result from taking Lithium, but it's not necessarily permanent. In some cases, the weight gain from Lithium can be lost after stopping treatment. Studies show that Lithium weight gain seems to peak within the first 2 years of taking this psychiatric medication.
Lithium may also affect the levels of certain hormones that regulate metabolism, such as insulin and leptin, leading to changes in energy expenditure and the accumulation of body fat.” In addition to causing a heartier appetite, lithium can lead to sodium retention, which can cause bloating.
Concerning adverse effects, patients discontinued lithium more often than doctors because of emotional blunting (p < 0.001), diarrhoea (p < 0.05) and stomach ache (p < 0.01). Doctors discontinued prescribing lithium if patients had not stuck to the required follow-up (p < 0.01).
Lithium is generally safe to take for a long time. Most people take it for years with no problems. If you've been taking lithium for some time, it can cause weight gain. It can also cause problems with your kidneys or thyroid gland.
Lithium also increases brain concentrations of the neuronal markers n-acetyl-aspartate and myoinositol. Lithium also remarkably protects neurons against glutamate, seizures, and apoptosis due to a wide variety of neurotoxins. The effective dose range for lithium is 0.6-1.0 mM in serum and >1.5 mM may be toxic.
Lithium remains first choice as maintenance treatment for bipolar affective disorder. Yet, about half of all individuals may stop their treatment at some point, despite lithium's proven benefits concerning the prevention of severe affective episodes and suicide.
Lithium – When abruptly discontinued, people who have been taking lithium to stabilize moods may experience mood instability and a relapse of mania.
If you need to stop taking lithium, it is best for you to come off it gradually, over at least four weeks, but preferably over three to six months. Gradually reducing the dose will make it less likely that your symptoms come back (compared to stopping the lithium quickly).
If you have to stop taking lithium for any reason, talk to your GP about taking an antipsychotic or valproate instead.
In order for lithium to work properly, it must be taken every day in regularly spaced doses as ordered by your doctor. This is necessary to keep a constant amount of lithium in your blood. To help keep the amount constant, do not miss any doses and do not stop taking the medicine even if you feel better.
Lithium can have toxic effects on the central nervous system (CNS) that can be both acute and chronic. The syndrome of irreversible lithium-effectuated neurotoxicity (SILENT) was suggested in the 1980s to describe lithium intoxication-induced persistent neurological sequelae.
When restarting lithium for those who recently stopped, higher starting doses may be used based on previous maintenance dose. There are a variety of preparations available. The dosage regimes associated with each is different and it is important these are followed.
Short-term side effects can include nausea and diarrhoea, muscle weakness or a dazed feeling. A long-term side effect can be weight gain. Your lithium dose needs to be adjusted to suit you. Go for your blood tests to make sure you have the right amount in your system.
In addition to its effects on mood, lithium is known to alter neurocognition-improving some functions while impairing others. These opposing and complex actions likely occur both acutely and long term and are probably subject to changes in plasma levels.
Lithium, a monovalent cation similar to sodium with an unknown mechanism, was first approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a mood-stabilizing medication for the treatment of mania in the 1970s. Lithium is a very powerful, antimanic medication with a narrow therapeutic index.
Long-term treatment with lithium is associated with a reduction of the GFR and a twofold increased risk of chronic kidney disease (86). Patients with BD in older age are consequently at a higher risk of these adverse effects after having taken lithium for several years (78).
The syndrome of irreversible lithium effectuated neurotoxicity (SILENT) is characterized by cerebellar dysfunction, extrapyramidal symptoms, brainstem dysfunction, and dementia. Other symptoms can include nystagmus, choreoathetoid movements, myopathy, and blindness.
Quetiapine covers ground that lithium does not. It is more effective against mixed manias, while lithium is preferred for the purer, euphoric highs. It also works better in acute depressive episodes.
Lithium helps reduce the severity and frequency of mania. It may also help relieve or prevent bipolar depression. Studies show that lithium can significantly reduce suicide risk. Lithium also helps prevent future manic and depressive episodes.
The life expectancy for someone with bipolar disorder is approximately 67 years old. A 2021 study researched the effect of bipolar disorder on longevity and found that: risk of death is 2.6 times greater than the general population. the average life span is between 8–12 years shorter than the general population.
Reduced thyroid function, or hypothyroidism,4 is a well-known potential complication of long-term lithium treatment. This condition leads to a reduced metabolic rate, which in turn leads to weight gain.