lithium
Brand names: Lithobid, Eskalith
Lithium is a mood stabilizer medicine. It helps to balance mood swings.
Drug Pricing (NADAC)
Generic Price
$0.08/unit
Generic Available
Yes (14 manufacturers)
Pricing data from NADAC (CMS), effective December 18, 2024. Compare all drug costs →
What it does
Lithium is used to treat bipolar disorder.
Common side effects
Tremor (shaking), Nausea, Increased weight
Key warnings
Lithium levels in your blood need to be monitored closely by your doctor.
How It Works
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.
How to Take It
Take lithium exactly as your doctor tells you. Swallow the tablets whole. Do not crush or chew them. You can take lithium with food or on an empty stomach.
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
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.
Missed Dose
If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and continue with your regular schedule.
Storage
Store lithium at room temperature, away from moisture and heat.
Side Effects (from patient reports)
Based on 14,526 FDA adverse event reports.
FDA Adverse Event Report Analysis
Detailed analysis of 24,367 reports from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Reports span 2004–2025.
Total Reports
24,367
Death-Related Reports
2,021
Hospitalization Reports
9,664
Top Indication
Product Used For Unknown Indication
Gender Distribution
Age Distribution
Most Reported Adverse Reactions (FAERS)
| # | Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | DRUG INEFFECTIVE | 2,243 |
| 2 | TOXICITY TO VARIOUS AGENTS | 2,179 |
| 3 | OFF LABEL USE | 1,550 |
| 4 | DRUG INTERACTION | 1,526 |
| 5 | TREMOR | 1,462 |
| 6 | NAUSEA | 1,344 |
| 7 | WEIGHT INCREASED | 1,153 |
| 8 | FATIGUE | 1,065 |
| 9 | VOMITING | 1,016 |
| 10 | DEPRESSION | 986 |
| 11 | ANXIETY | 961 |
| 12 | SOMNOLENCE | 914 |
| 13 | INSOMNIA | 899 |
| 14 | SUICIDAL IDEATION | 891 |
| 15 | DIZZINESS | 819 |
Reactions in Death Reports
Reactions in Hospitalization Reports
Source: FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) Reports are voluntary and do not establish causation
Serious Warnings
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.
Known Drug Interactions
7 DRUG INTERACTIONS • Potassium supplements/potassium-sparing diuretics: hyperkalemia ( 7.1 ) • Lithium: Increased serum lithium levels; toxicity symptoms ( 7.1 ) • Injectable gold: facial flushing, nausea, vomiting, hypotension ( 7.1 ) • Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs): Risk of renal dysfunction, loss of antihypertensive effect ( 7.1 ) • Do not exceed doses greater than 20 mg daily of simvastatin ( 7.1 ) • mTOR inhibitors: increased risk of angioedema ( 7.1 ) • Dual inhibition of the RAS: Increased risk of renal impairment, hypotension, and hyperkalemia ( 7.1 ) • Neprilysin i...
Mechanism: Benazepril can make it harder for the kidneys to remove lithium from the body, causing lithium levels to rise. This increase can lead to lithium poisoning or other serious side effects.
What to do: Your doctor should check your lithium blood levels often to make sure they stay in a safe range. They may need to change your lithium dose while you take this medicine.
Do not exceed twice the patient’s usual dose Enzyme (CYP3A) inhibitors Ranitidine 150 mg twice daily 1 mg single dose 1.2 1.4 Dose adjustment not needed Cimetidine 400 mg twice daily 1 mg single dose 1.1 1.3 Dose adjustment not needed Erythromycin 500 mg four times daily 1 mg single dose 1.1 0.94 Dose adjustment not needed Other Drugs Amitriptyline 50 mg twice daily 3 mg twice daily 1.2 1.1 Dose adjustment not Needed *Change relative to reference Effect of Risperidone on other drugs Lithium Repeated oral doses of risperidone tablets (3 mg twice daily) did not affect the exposure (AUC) or pe...
Mechanism: Taking risperidone does not change the amount of lithium that stays in your bloodstream or how your body handles it.
What to do: No dose changes are necessary for lithium when it is used at the same time as risperidone.
Lithium generally should not be given with diuretics because they reduce its renal clearance and add a high risk of lithium toxicity. Read circulars for lithium preparations before use of such concomitant therapy.
Mechanism: Amiloride makes it harder for your kidneys to get rid of lithium. This can cause lithium to reach toxic levels in your body.
What to do: These drugs should generally not be used together because of the high risk of lithium poisoning.
Table 1: Amiodarone Drug Interactions Concomitant Drug Class/Name Examples Clinical Comment Pharmacodynamic Interactions QT Prolonging Drugs class I and III antiarrhythmics, lithium, certain phenothiazines, tricyclic antidepressants, certain fluoroquinolone and macrolide antibiotics, azole antifungals, halogenated inhalation anesthetic agents Increased risk of Torsade de Pointes.
Mechanism: Both drugs can affect the electrical rhythm of your heart. Taking them together increases the risk of a dangerous and irregular heartbeat.
What to do: Your doctor should monitor your heart rhythm closely if you must take these medications together.
Valsartan – Hydrochlorothiazide Lithium: Increases in serum lithium concentrations and lithium toxicity have been reported during concomitant administration of lithium with angiotensin II receptor antagonists or thiazides. Monitor lithium levels in patients taking Exforge HCT. ( 12.3 ) Lithium: Increased risk of lithium toxicity.
Mechanism: Valsartan can make it harder for your kidneys to clear lithium from your body. This can cause lithium to build up to levels that are poisonous to your system.
What to do: Your doctor should monitor your lithium levels closely to prevent toxicity while you are taking these drugs together.
Common Questions
What should I avoid while taking lithium?
Can I drink alcohol while taking lithium?
How long does it take for lithium to work?
Will I need blood tests while taking lithium?
What should I do if I experience side effects?
Can I stop taking lithium suddenly?
Does lithium interact with other medications?
What are the symptoms of lithium toxicity?
Can lithium affect my kidneys?
Can lithium affect my thyroid?
What are the common side effects of lithium?
Does lithium interact with other medications?
What drug class is lithium?
Is lithium safe during pregnancy?
Has lithium been recalled?
Active Recalls
Lack of Assurance of Sterility
Tri-Coast Pharmacy
Related Medications in Mood Stabilizer
Other drugs grouped near lithium — same-class peers and common alternatives.
acamprosate
Campral
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alprazolam
Xanax
Alprazolam (Xanax) is a medication that can help you with anxiety and panic disorders.
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amitriptyline
Elavil
Amitriptyline is a medicine used to treat depression.
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amphetamine/dextroamphetamine
Adderall, Adderall XR
Adderall XR is a stimulant medicine.
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aripiprazole
Abilify
Aripiprazole (Abilify) is a medicine used to treat certain mental disorders and mood problems.
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Medication Guides
Understanding Drug Interactions
How CYP450 enzymes, inhibitors, and inducers affect your medications
Generic vs Brand Name Drugs
FDA requirements, cost savings, and when the difference matters
Narrow Therapeutic Index Drugs
Why some drugs demand precise dosing and monitoring
Common Drug Interactions
Dangerous medication combinations and how to protect yourself
Related Health & Safety Data
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What the FDA Data Shows for lithium
The FDA label for lithium (sold under brand names such as Lithobid, Eskalith) classifies it as a prescription-only medication in the Mood Stabilizer class. Lithium is used to treat bipolar disorder. Official labeling lists 6 commonly reported side effects, including Tremor (shaking), Nausea, Increased weight.
Post-market surveillance from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) captures real-world experience. For this drug, FAERS contains 14,526 voluntary reports. The database also lists 90 documented drug interactions derived from FDA labeling, with the top-flagged interaction rated major severity. NADAC pricing from CMS shows a generic unit cost of $0.08.
Report counts do not establish causation — a FAERS entry documents a temporal association, not proof that the drug produced the outcome. Widely prescribed medications naturally accumulate more reports than niche therapies, so raw totals must be interpreted alongside total exposure. Shortage status, recall history (currently 1 recall record on file), and patent information further shape supply and switching decisions. This page summarizes public FDA data for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice — always consult a licensed healthcare provider before starting, stopping, or changing any medication.
Data Sources
Drug labeling: FDA Drug Labels (SPL/DailyMed). Adverse events: FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Pricing: CMS National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC).
FAERS reports are voluntary and do not establish causation. Drug interactions are derived from FDA labeling and clinical references. Always consult a healthcare professional before making medication decisions.
Last updated: August 17, 2023
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
All federal data sources used on this page
- FDA Orange Book — approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence. accessdata.fda.gov/cder/ob
- FDA DailyMed — NIH-hosted drug labeling for FDA-approved meds. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov
- FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) — post-marketing safety surveillance. fda.gov/drugs/faers
- NLM RxNorm — standardized clinical drug nomenclature. nlm.nih.gov/research/umls/rxnorm
- CMS Medicare Part B Drug Average Sales Price Files — federal drug pricing data. cms.gov/medicare/part-b-drugs/asp
- FDA Drug Shortages Database — current and resolved drug shortage tracking. accessdata.fda.gov/drugshortages