Taking Lithium With Other Medicines And Herbal Supplements

Cautions with other medicines

There are some medicines that may affect the way lithium works and this can change the levels of lithium in your blood.

Speak to your doctor or pharmacist before starting to take lithium if you take:

• tablets that make you pee more (diuretics) such as furosemide or bendroflumethiazide
• non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) - used for pain relief and swelling such as aspirin, ibuprofen, celecoxib or diclofenac
• medicines used for heart problems or high blood pressure such as enalapril, lisinopril or ramipril (ACE inhibitors)
• some medicines used for depression such as fluvoxamine, paroxetine or fluoxetine
• antibiotics such as oxytetracycline, metronidazole, co-trimoxazole or trimethoprim
• medicines for epilepsy such as carbamazepine or phenytoin

These are not all the medicines that can affect the way lithium works. Always check with your doctor before you start or stop taking any medicine.

Mixing lithium with herbal remedies and supplements

There's not enough information to say that complementary medicines, herbal remedies and supplements are safe to take with lithium. They're not tested in the same way as pharmacy and prescription medicines. They're generally not tested for the effect they have on other medicines.

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you're taking any other medicines, including herbal remedies, vitamins or supplements.

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