What the FDA labels say about taking them together
Amitriptyline and lithium
Amitriptyline's FDA label of September 8, 2026 names lithium in its warnings section; lithium's label does not name amitriptyline itself but warns about its class (Tricyclic antidepressants). The amitriptyline label: “Serotonin Syndrome The development of a potentially life-threatening serotonin syndrome has been reported with tricyclic antidepressants, including amitriptyline hydrochloride, alone but particularly with concomitant …”
Check it at the source: the amitriptyline FDA label on DailyMed (effective September 8, 2026, Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, Inc.); the lithium FDA label on DailyMed (effective December 23, 2025, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Inc., USA).
What does the amitriptyline label say about lithium?
Amitriptyline label, warningsSerotonin Syndrome The development of a potentially life-threatening serotonin syndrome has been reported with tricyclic antidepressants, including amitriptyline hydrochloride, alone but particularly with concomitant use of other serotonergic drugs (including triptans, tricyclic antidepressants, SSRI/SNRI, fentanyl, lithium, tramadol, tryptophan, buspirone, and St. John’s Wort) and with drugs that impair metabolism of serotonin (in particular, MAOIs, both those intended to treat psychiatric disorders and also others, such as linezolid and intravenous methylene blue).
Source: FDA drug label (Amitriptyline Hydrochloride), Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, Inc., effective September 8, 2026 (SPL set 4e520c63-1cf6-40f6-a51c-3f9b0e181342), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed
What does the lithium label say about amitriptyline?
Lithium's label does not name amitriptyline itself; it warns about its class (Tricyclic antidepressants):
Lithium label, warnings and precautionsThe risk is increased with concomitant use of other serotonergic drugs (including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, triptans, tricyclic antidepressants, fentanyl, tramadol, tryptophan, buspirone, and St. John’s Wort) and with drugs that impair metabolism of serotonin, i.e., MAOIs [see Drug Interactions ( 7.1 )].
Source: FDA drug label (Lithium Carbonate), Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Inc., USA, effective December 23, 2025 (SPL set 63b3790f-a9b5-47f4-bae1-ddf8b43c13c1), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed
These are the labels' own sentences. PlainMeds does not grade interactions; a pharmacist or prescriber can say what they mean for one person's medicines.
Both medicines on the record
| Amitriptyline | Lithium | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | Depression | Bipolar disorder |
| Boxed warning | Yes | Yes |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC) | $0.03 per tablet 10 mg tablet | $0.104 per capsule 300 mg capsule |
| Shortage now | No current entry | No current entry |
Source: FDA NDC Directory, CMS NADAC of October 7, 2026 and the FDA Drug Shortage Database (FDA files October 8, 2026)
What next?
- Check more medicines together
- up to five at once