Lithium

[sabaijai]

A friend diagnosed with bipolar II disorder has just moved to Thailand and needs to continue her prescription for lithium. Is lithium available in Thailand, and is it prescription only?

[mrtoad]

A friend diagnosed with bipolar II disorder has just moved to Thailand and needs to continue her prescription for lithium. Is lithium available in Thailand, and is it prescription only?

I'm not sure that it is available over the coounter. However, it is vitally important that ther register with a doctor so that they can have there bloods monitored , as the dosage from time to times needs to be altered due to the serum lithium levels. These are normally monitored regularly, but it is l;ikely that your friewnd knows this.

Mild adverse effects can occur even if serum lithium levels are 1 mmol/L. Initial postabsorptive symptoms including g.i. discomfort, nausea, vertigo, muscle weakness, and a dazed feeling frequently disappear after stabilization of therapy. More common and persistent side effects: fine hand tremor, fatigue, thirst, polyuria. Mild to moderate toxic reactions occur at lithium levels of 1.5 to 2 mmol/L; moderate to severe reactions at levels > 2 mmol/L. Progressive intoxication may be manifest3ed by confusion, increasing disorientation, muscle twitchings, hyper-reflexia, nystagmus, seizures, diarrhea, vomiting, and eventually coma and death.

Basically, in simple terms it is very important that the Lithium therapy is closely monitored due to the toxicity of it.

[Irene]

Available but subject to prescription.

[sabaijai]

A friend diagnosed with bipolar II disorder has just moved to Thailand and needs to continue her prescription for lithium. Is lithium available in Thailand, and is it prescription only?

I'm not sure that it is available over the coounter. However, it is vitally important that ther register with a doctor so that they can have there bloods monitored , as the dosage from time to times needs to be altered due to the serum lithium levels. These are normally monitored regularly, but it is l;ikely that your friewnd knows this.

Mild adverse effects can occur even if serum lithium levels are 1 mmol/L. Initial postabsorptive symptoms including g.i. discomfort, nausea, vertigo, muscle weakness, and a dazed feeling frequently disappear after stabilization of therapy. More common and persistent side effects: fine hand tremor, fatigue, thirst, polyuria. Mild to moderate toxic reactions occur at lithium levels of 1.5 to 2 mmol/L; moderate to severe reactions at levels > 2 mmol/L. Progressive intoxication may be manifest3ed by confusion, increasing disorientation, muscle twitchings, hyper-reflexia, nystagmus, seizures, diarrhea, vomiting, and eventually coma and death.

Basically, in simple terms it is very important that the Lithium therapy is closely monitored due to the toxicity of it.

Thanks for that, I'll pass this info on to my friend. She's from the UK, probably knows about the blood monitoring, but in case she doesn't, do you know how often she is supposed to get tested?

[mrtoad]

I'll be honest I bloody well can't remember exactly . 3 monthly if memory serves me right.