Taking Lithium: Your Daily Safety Guide

Keep your blood tests

• Blood tests check your lithium level, kidneys, and thyroid.
• Have the lithium test 12 hours after your last dose. On test days, take your morning dose after the test.
• Your level goal: ____________. Next test: ____________.

Keep salt and fluids steady

• Drink about 8 to 12 cups (2 to 3 liters) of fluid a day, unless your provider gives you a limit.
• Eat your usual amount of salt. Do not start a low-salt diet without asking.
• Drink extra fluids in hot weather, during hard exercise, or with a fever.
• Call if you have vomiting or diarrhea.

Take it the right way

• Take lithium with food at the same times each day.
• A slight hand shake, thirst, and passing more urine are common.
• Do not stop it on your own.

Ask before other medicines

• Do not take ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or naproxen (Aleve). They raise your lithium level.
• Ask before starting water pills or blood pressure medicines.
• Keep coffee, tea, and cola about the same each day.

Plan ahead for pregnancy

• Talk with your provider before you try to get pregnant. Lithium raises the risk of heart problems in the baby.