I watched a friend of my daughter go through a lithium imbalance at age 16. She had an adolecent 'psychotic break', (in love with someone who didn't know she was alive, exploited by her mother who insisted whe work 40 hrs per week and get straight A's- mom used the money to fix the roof, viciously bullied by a bunch on newly born again's because she was Catholic- who wouldn't break down)-
this is a partial list of symptoms:
From Drugs.com
http://www.drugs.com/pro/lithium.html
Outpatients and their families should be warned that the patient must discontinue Lithium carbonate therapy and contact his physician if such clinical signs of Lithium toxicity as diarrhea, vomiting, tremor, mild ataxia, drowsiness or muscular weakness occur.
Lithium carbonate may impair mental and/or physical abilities. Caution patients about activities requiring alertness (e.g., operating vehicles or machinery).
Lithium may prolong the effects of neuromuscular blocking agents. Therefore, neuromuscular blocking agents should be given with caution to patients receiving Lithium.
The distribution space of Lithium approximates that of total body water. Lithium is primarily excreted in urine with insignificant excretion in feces. Renal excretion of Lithium is proportional to its plasma concentration. The half-life of elimination of Lithium is approximately 24 hours. Lithium decreases sodium reabsorption by the renal tubules which could lead to sodium depletion. Therefore, it is essential for the patient to maintain a normal diet, including salt, and an adequate fluid intake (2500 to 3000 mL) at least during the initial stabilization period. Decreased tolerance to Lithium has been reported to ensue from protracted sweating or diarrhea and, if such occur, supplemental fluid and salt should be administered under careful medical supervision and Lithium intake reduced or suspended until the condition is resolved.
In addition to sweating and diarrhea, concomitant infection with elevated temperatures may also necessitate a temporary reduction or cessation of medication.
The concomitant administration of Lithium with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors should be undertaken with caution as this combination has been reported to result in symptoms such as diarrhea, confusion, tremor, dizziness and agitation.
Adverse Reactions
The occurrence and severity of adverse reactions are generally directly related to serum Lithium concentrations as well as to individual patient sensitivity to Lithium, and generally occur more frequently and with greater severity at higher concentrations.
Adverse reactions may be encountered at serum Lithium levels below 1.5 mEq/L. Mild to moderate adverse reactions may occur at levels from 1.5 to 2.5 mEq/L, and moderate to severe reactions may be seen at levels of 2.0 mEq/L and above.
Fine hand tremor, polyuna and mild thirst may occur during initial therapy for the acute manic phase, and may persist throughout treatment. Transient and mild nausea and general discomfort may also appear during the first few days of Lithium administration.
These side effects usually subside with continued treatment or a temporary reduction or cessation of dosage. If persistent, cessation of Lithium therapy may be required.
Diarrhea, vomiting, drowsiness, muscular weakness and lack of coordination may be early signs of Lithium intoxication, and can occur at Lithium levels below 2.0 mEq/L. At higher levels, ataxia, giddiness, tinnitus, blurred vision and a large output of dilute urine may be seen. Serum Lithium levels above 3.0 mEq/L may produce a complex clinical picture, involving multiple organs and organ systems. Serum Lithium levels should not be permitted to exceed 2.0 mEq/L during the acute treatment phase.
The following reactions have been reported and appear to be related to serum Lithium levels, including levels within the therapeutic range:
Neuromuscular/Central Nervous System - tremor, muscle hyperirritability (fasciculations, twitching, clonic movements of whole limbs), hypertonicity, ataxia, choreoathetotic movements, hyperactive deep tendon reflex, extrapyramidal symptoms including acute dystonia, cogwheel rigidity, blackout spells, epileptiform seizures, slurred speech, dizziness, vertigo, downbeat nystagmus, incontinence of urine or feces, somnolence, psychomotor retardation, restlessness, confusion, stupor, coma, tongue movements, tics, tinnitus; hallucinations, poor memory, slowed intellectual functioning, startled response, worsening of organic brain syndromes, myasthenia gravis (rarely);
Cardiovascular – cardiac arrhythmia, hypotension, peripheral circulatory collapse, bradycardia, sinus node dysfunction with severe bradycardia (which may result in syncope);
Gastrointestinal - anorexia, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, gastritis, salivary gland swelling, abdominal pain, excessive salivation, flatulence, indigestion;
Genitourinary - glycosuria, decreased creatinine clearance, albuminuria, oliguria, and symptoms of nephrogenic diabetes insipidus including polyuria, thirst and polydipsia;
Dermatologic - drying and thinning of hair, alopecia, anesthesia of skin, acne, chronic folliculitis, xerosis cutis, psoriasis or its exacerbation, generalized pruritus with or without, rash, cutaneous ulcers, angioedema;
Autonomic - blurred vision, dry mouth, impotence/sexual dysfunction;
Thyroid Abnormalities - euthyroid goiter and/or hypothyroidism (including myxedema) accompanied by lower T3 and T4. I131 uptake may be elevated. (See PRECAUTIONS.) Paradoxically, rare cases of hyperthyroidism have been reported;
EEG Changes - diffuse slowing, widening of the frequency spectrum, potentiation and disorganization of background rhythm;
EKG Changes -reversible flattening, isoelectricity or inversion of T-waves;
Miscellaneous - fatigue, lethargy, transient scotomata, exophthalmos, dehydration, weight loss, leukocytosis, headache, transient hyperglycemia, hypercalcemia, hyperparathyroidism, excessive weight gain, edematous swelling of ankles or wrists, metallic taste, dysgeusia/taste distortion, salty taste, thirst, swollen lips, tightness in chest, swollen and/or painful joints, fever, polyarthralgia, dental caries.
Some reports of nephrogenic diabetes insipidus, hyperparathyroidism and hypothyroidism which persist after Lithium discontinuation have been received.
A few reports have been received of the development of painful discoloration of fingers and toes and coldness of the extremities within one day of the starting of treatment with Lithium. The mechanism through which these symptoms (resembling Raynaud's syndrome) developed is not known. Recovery followed discontinuance.
Cases of pseudotumor cerebri (increased intracranial pressure and papilledema) have been reported with Lithium use. If undetected, this condition may result in enlargement of the blind spot, constriction of visual fields and eventual blindness due to optic atrophy. Lithium should be discontinued, if clinically possible, if this syndrome occurs.
Why wouldn't we all want that in our drinking water?
julie77
NOT TO MENTION GETTING TARRED AND FEATHERED BY A POPULATION ENRAGED BY BEING FORCED INTO POVERTY BY WALL STREET AND WASHINGTON DC GREED!
As reported at:
http://www.sntp.net/drugs/lithium_breggin.htm
"ohn Cade accidentally discovered the effect of lithium while injecting it into guinea pigs in his laboratory in Australia. Serendipitously he noticed that the guinea pigs became sedated and even flaccid. As he explained in the 1949 Medical Journal of Australia, "A noteworthy result was that after a latent period of about two hours the animals, although fully conscious, became extremely lethargic and nonresponsive to stimuli for one to two hours before once again becoming normally active and timid."
Notice that the animals became "extremely lethargic and unresponsive to stimuli." Does this sound like the discovery of a treatment specific for "biochemical imbalance" in manic patients? It is, in fact, the now-familiar brain-disabling effect we first saw described in regard to the lobotomizing impact of the neuroleptics. Because this is so disillusioning, the typical textbook of psychiatry makes no mention of the many studies of lithium effects on animals, and the average psychiatrist knows little or nothing about it.
After this unexpected finding in guinea pigs, did Cade then set up a series of scientifically controlled studies in animals? No need for that, when he had ready access to human guinea pigs in the local state mental hospital. He quickly discovered that he could subdue hospital inmates as easily as he did the guinea pigs, making them into more docile inmates. He himself admitted in his pioneering report that the drug produced a nonspecific leveling effect:
An important feature was that, although there was no fundamental improvement in any of them, three who were usually restless, noisy and shouting nonsensical abuse ... lost their excitement and restlessness and became quiet and amenable for the first time in years. (italics added)
So, my response to this proposal to put lithium into the public drinking water in this country? A hearty "hell no!", thank you very much!
While its prescription, carefully monitored by medical professionals, may be of help to a few people, the last thing Americans need right now is to be more unaware of what is going on around them than they already are