LITHIUM: SIDE EFFECTS

CCHR HAS A PDF

The Side Effects Of Common Psychiatric Drugs

It enumerates some Side Effects of Lithium, and many more Psychiatric Drugs as we mentioned in our previous post. So if you’re wondering What’s Known about the Psych Drugs sold in Your Country outside the US you May be able to find a cross reference to whatever Consumer Name a particular, newer drug in Your Country is sold under to its US Consumer Name, ….. & use our FDA Adverse Reaction Reports.

LITHIUM

Sold as:

Cibalith-S (lithium)

Eskalith (lithium)

Lithane (lithium)

Lithobid (lithium)

Lithonate (lithium)

Lithotabs (lithium)

Acne

Birth defects if given to a pregnant woman

Blackout spells

Blurred vision

Cardiac arrhythmia

Change in the ability to taste food

Chest tightness

Coma

Confusion

Constipation

Crossed eyes

Decreased appetite

Depression

Diabetes

Diarrhea

Difficulty thinking

Dizziness

Drowsiness

Dry mouth

Excessive saliva in the mouth

Fast, slow, irregular, or pounding heartbeat

Fine hand movements that are difficult to control

Frequent urination

Gas

Giddiness

Hair loss

Hallucinations

Headache

Incontinence

Increased thirst

Indigestion

Insomnia

Itching

Joint or muscle pain

Lethargy

Lightheadedness

Loss of appetite

Loss of coordination

Movements that are unusual or difficult to control

Muscle weakness, stiffness, twitching, or tightness

Nausea

Painful, cold, or discolored fingers and toes

Paleness

Pounding noises inside the head

Rash

Restlessness

Ringing in the ears

Seizures

Sexual problems

Slurred speech

Stomach pain or bloating

Stupor

Swelling of the eyes, face, lips, tongue, throat, hands, wrists, feet, ankles, or lower legs

Thin, brittle fingernails or hair

Thyroid problems

Tiredness

Tongue pain

Tremors

Uncontrollable tongue movements

Unusual discomfort in cold temperatures

Vomiting

Weight gain or loss134

Lithium is a mineral given in salt form. It is found in tiny amounts in minerals, water, plant, animal and human tissues. However, just because it is a naturally occurring substance, do not make the mistake of thinking it is safe.

One of the most dangerous effects of lithium prescribed to patients is that in order to achieve a “sedating” effect, the “therapeutic” dosage that psychiatrists use is near toxic; i.e., so poisonous that it can cause serious harm or even death.135

Medical experts state that the almost inevitable result of lithium not being metabolized is that it can lead to kidney damage. Lithium is even more hazardous when too much of it accumulates in the body and the toxicity from this can also lead to permanent brain damage and death.136

134 Physicians’ Desk Reference, (Medical Economics Company, New Jersey, 1998), pp. 2822-2823; David L. Richman, M.D., Leonard Roy Frank, and Art Mandler, Dr. Caligari’s Psychiatric Drugs (Alonzo Printing Co., Inc., California, 1984), p. 39.

135 David L. Richman, M.D., et al., op. cit., pp. 38-39.

136 Ibid.