levomilnacipran vs lithium

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Side-by-side comparison of levomilnacipran and lithium. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.

minor Known Drug Interaction

Examples: other SNRIs, SSRIs, triptans, tricyclic antidepressants, opioids, lithium, buspirone, amphetamines, tryptophan, and St.

Drug Class
levomilnacipran Serotonin-Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitor (SNRI)
lithium Mood Stabilizer
Type
levomilnacipran Prescription
lithium Prescription
Summary
levomilnacipran

Fetzima is a medicine used to treat major depressive disorder (MDD) in adults. It helps to improve your mood by affecting certain chemicals in the brain.

lithium

Lithium is a mood stabilizer medicine. It helps to balance mood swings.

What It Treats
levomilnacipran

Fetzima is used to treat major depressive disorder (MDD) in adults. MDD can cause you to feel sad, lose interest in activities, and have trouble with daily life. Fetzima can help improve your mood and reduce these symptoms.

lithium

Lithium is used to treat bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder causes unusual shifts in mood, energy, activity levels, and concentration. Lithium helps to control the extreme highs (mania) and lows (depression) of this condition.

How It Works
levomilnacipran

Fetzima is a type of drug called a serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI). It works by increasing the levels of serotonin and norepinephrine in your brain. These chemicals can help improve your mood and reduce symptoms of depression.

lithium

Lithium affects the flow of sodium in nerve and muscle cells in the body. This helps to stabilize your mood. It may also affect other chemical messenger systems in the brain.

Common Side Effects
levomilnacipran
  • Nausea
  • Constipation
  • Increased sweating
  • Increased heart rate
  • Erectile dysfunction
lithium
  • Tremor (shaking)
  • Nausea
  • Increased weight
  • Fatigue (feeling tired)
  • Vomiting
FAERS Reports
levomilnacipran
  • Pain 210
  • Vomiting 208
  • Memory Impairment 189
  • Paraesthesia 179
  • Hypoaesthesia 178
lithium
  • Toxicity To Various Agents 2,179
  • Drug Interaction 1,526
  • Tremor 1,462
  • Nausea 1,344
  • Weight Increased 1,153
Serious Warnings
levomilnacipran

Antidepressants may increase the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors in young adults. Your doctor should closely watch you for worsening depression or suicidal thoughts. Fetzima is not approved for use in children.

lithium

Lithium levels in your blood need to be monitored closely by your doctor. Too much lithium can be toxic and cause serious side effects. Make sure to attend all scheduled blood tests.

Pregnancy
levomilnacipran

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Using Fetzima in the last months of pregnancy may cause problems in the newborn. There is a pregnancy registry for women who take antidepressants during pregnancy.

lithium

Lithium can harm your unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Lithium can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing infant. Talk to your doctor about the best way to feed your baby if you are taking lithium.

Also Compare, Nearby Drugs

How to Read This levomilnacipran vs lithium Comparison

levomilnacipran is classified in the Serotonin-Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitor (SNRI) drug class, while lithium sits within the Mood Stabilizer class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.

Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, levomilnacipran has 964 submissions while lithium has 7,664. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume, not per-patient risk, so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. These two drugs have a known minor interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to both of these medicines increase a chemical called serotonin in your brain, and taking them together can cause serotonin levels to become too high.. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.

A table cannot represent individual circumstances. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This registry does not provide medical, treatment, substitution, or medication-change directions for levomilnacipran or lithium.

Registry boundary: This comparison displays source-record fields and does not provide individualized medical direction.