Q: Is it bad to use alcohol when you are bipolar and you are using Lithium?
Hi, Chad. Alcohol and meds are not a good mix. Certainly, don't drink without your doc's permission - and trust me the permission will be in the nature of one or two beers or wines a week, tops. Also, it is wise to avoid caffeine and foods with high sugar content. Anything that can affect your mood should not be in your body interfering with your meds. Keeping close watch on what goes into your body is likely to make your lithium work a lot better.
Yes. If you are bipolar and using Lithium , you have a very small toxic to therapeutic
window for the dosage of Lithium in the blood. In English, this means anything that changes your metabolism of Lithium such as drinking alcohol can change your Lithium level
in the blood. If you have too little Lithium in your blood , it will not be effective and your moods will be unstable, too much Lithium in your blood and you could die.This is not an exaggeration , please look up lithium at www.WebMD.com.
Cassie81
Yes. If you are bipolar and using Lithium , you have a very small toxic to therapeutic
window for the dosage of Lithium in the blood. In English, this means anything that changes your metabolism of Lithium such as drinking alcohol can change your Lithium level
in the blood. If you have too little Lithium in your blood , it will not be effective and your moods will be unstable, too much Lithium in your blood and you could die.This is not an exaggeration , please look up lithium at www.WebMD.com.
Cassie81
It is recommended that you stay away from alcohol.
id advise any1 on lithium not to drink,im disabled now because of drink and lithium combined,nearly 3 yrs later i can walk unaided,usually lithium is prescribed for people with bi polar disorder,im on seraquel now but i still dont feel any different,your body continues to make lithium 30days after u stop taking it
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hiya i was on lithium for years but became an alcoholic to the extent i was totally paralysed for 4 weeks,couldnt move a muscle and had 4 hours of therapy and out the door because im classed as mentally ill and that stands for nothing in ireland,there should be more awarness of the drug as it nearly killed me along with the drink