Litca 250mg Tablet is used in the treatment of bipolar disorder and mania in adults. It is sometimes used to treat other behavioral disorders as well. It reduces the frequency of manic episodes and decreases the intensity of those episodes that might occur.
Litca 250mg Tablet should be taken with food. However, it is advised to take it at the same time each day as this helps to maintain a consistent level of medicine in the body. Do not skip any doses and finish the full course of treatment even if you feel better. If you have missed a dose, take it as soon as you remember it. You should continue to take this medicine for as long as the doctor advises and do not stop taking it suddenly as it may result in harmful effects.
Side effects associated with the use of this medicine include tremors, slurred speech, uncoordinated body movements, nausea, Vomiting, acne, increased white blood cell count, and memory impairment. It may also cause hair loss, enlarged thyroid gland, skin rash, and increased thirst. This medicine may also cause weight gain and to control it, you should have a balanced diet and exercise regularly. If you have been taking this medicine for a long time then regular monitoring of thyroid and kidney function may be required.
Most side effects do not require any medical attention and disappear as your body adjusts to the medicine. Consult your doctor if they persist or if you’re worried about them
Common side effects of Litca
Tremors
Slurred speech
Uncoordinated body movements
Nausea
Acne
Increased white blood cell count
Memory impairment
Hair loss
Goiter (enlarged thyroid gland)
Skin rash
Increased thirst
Weight gain
Polyuria
Diarrhea
Vomiting
How to use Litca Tablet
Take this medicine in the dose and duration as advised by your doctor. Swallow it as a whole. Do not chew, crush or break it. Litca 250mg Tablet is to be taken with food.
How Litca Tablet works
Litca 250mg Tablet works by suppressing the abnormal and excessive activity of the nerve cells in the brain.
Safety advice
Alcohol
UNSAFE
It is unsafe to consume alcohol with Litca 250mg Tablet.
Pregnancy
CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR
Litca 250mg Tablet is unsafe to use during pregnancy as there is definite evidence of risk to the developing baby. However, the doctor may rarely prescribe it in some life-threatening situations if the benefits are more than the potential risks. Please consult your doctor.
Breast feeding
CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR
Litca 250mg Tablet is probably unsafe to use during breastfeeding. Limited human data suggests that the drug may pass into the breastmilk and harm the baby.
Driving
UNSAFE
Litca 250mg Tablet may cause side effects which could affect your ability to drive.
Kidney
CAUTION
Litca 250mg Tablet should be used with caution in patients with kidney disease. Dose adjustment of Litca 250mg Tablet may be needed. Please consult your doctor.
Liver
SAFE IF PRESCRIBED
Litca 250mg Tablet is probably safe to use in patients with liver disease. Limited data available suggests that dose adjustment of Litca 250mg Tablet may not be needed in these patients. Please consult your doctor.
What if you forget to take Litca Tablet?
If you miss a dose of Litca 250mg Tablet, skip it and continue with your normal schedule. Do not double the dose.
All substitutes
For informational purposes only. Consult a doctor before taking any medicines.
Litca 250mg Tablet is one of the most effective long-term treatment for bipolar disorder.
It may also be used for the treatment of mania.
Your lithium blood levels, thyroid function, and kidney function may be monitored as long as you take this medicine.
It may cause diarrhea and dehydration. Drink plenty of water and and use normal amounts of salt. Inform your doctor if you start or stop a low-salt diet.
Monitor your weight during treatment as Litca 250mg Tablet can cause weight gain.
Do not drive or do anything that requires mental focus until you know how it affects you.
Inform your doctor if you have persistent stomach upset, problems with your speech, or extreme drowsiness. Your dose may need to be adjusted.
Do not take Litca 250mg Tablet if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Do not stop taking the medication suddenly without talking to your doctor.
Fact Box
Chemical Class
Organic Carbonic Acids
Habit Forming
No
Therapeutic Class
NEURO CNS
Action Class
Mood Stabilizers
Interaction with drugs
Taking Litca with any of the following medicines can modify the effect of either of them and cause some undesirable side effects
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I have mood disorder,sucidial thoughts. My psycriatrist give me litca tablet. But my family dnt wnt to continue it bcz they aftaid of if it became a habbit. I take litca for 1.5months. Should i off my medicine.
Dr. Jyoti Kapoor Madan
Psychiatry
Based on your clinical history, your doctor plans the type of medicine and it's dose and duration. For first episode of anxiety/ depression/ panic, the usual maintenance phase is 6 months of asymptomatic period, after which medicines can be gradually tapered. But treatment may need to continue longer depending on severity and frequency of episodes. To take any decision to change medication or stop them, several factors have to be taken in account for which regular follow up with your psychiatrist is important. For second opinion, seek a proper consultation with another psychiatrist and take along your previous prescriptions.Irregular treatment can worsen symptoms and create resistance to medicines. Educate yourself and your family about these illnesses.
Mania is a component of Bipolar Affective Disorder. Bipolar Affective Disorder is a chronic problem caused by Neuro chemical disturbance in brain. It is characterised by excessive mood swings leading to disruption in routine life. Treatment is with mood stabilizer medicines and antipsychotic medicines which may need to continue throughout life. Please see a psychiatrist for further guidance.
Suffering from Depression and Mania, what should be done
Dr. Jyoti Kapoor Madan
Psychiatry
Bipolar Affective Disorder is a chronic problem caused by Neuro chemical disturbance in brain. It is characterised by excessive mood swings leading to disruption in routine life. Treatment is with mood stabilizer medicines and antipsychotic medicines which may need to continue throughout life. Please see a psychiatrist for further guidance.
I am patient of biopolor disporder since 14 year. Had 5 major attacks of manic. Last attack was in 2013. I am regularly taking medicine quitipin, divakot and litca. I want to know whether these medicins is having side effect. Or if yes than is there any substitute
Dr. Jyoti Kapoor Madan
Psychiatry
Divalproex Sodium can affect liver, cause hair fall and weight gain among other things. Lithium can affect kidneys. Regular follow up with your psychiatrist helps identify if side effects are occurring or not. There are no medicines without side effects and medicines are necessary for treatment of bipolar disorder. It's best that you maintain regular follow up with psychiatrist and get LFT and KFT done every 6 months.
Tab. Manasa Mitra Vataki 1-0-1 and Kalyanaka Ghritam 10 gram twice a day with luke warm wtar after food and Sarswatharishta 15 ml twice a day with equal quantity of water for 2 months
Bipolar Affective Disorder is a chronic problem caused by Neuro chemical disturbance in brain. It is characterised by excessive mood swings leading to disruption in routine life. Treatment is with mood stabilizer medicines and antipsychotic medicines which may need to continue throughout life. Please see a psychiatrist for further guidance.
It takes some time before you see improvement in your symptoms after taking Litca 250mg Tablet. Though it varies from person to person, it may take 1-3 weeks or longer for you to see the full benefits of Litca 250mg Tablet. Do not stop taking Litca 250mg Tablet if you feel you are not improving. Instead, discuss it with your doctor.
Does Litca 250mg Tablet make you sleepy?
Yes, Litca 250mg Tablet can cause nervous system disorders like sleepiness and dizziness and feeling confused. It can also cause rapid eye movements, blurred vision, or blind spots in your eyesight. If you experience any of these symptoms, consult your doctor. In addition, avoid driving or operating heavy machinery as it can be hazardous for you.
Is Litca 250mg Tablet bad for kidneys?
Yes, Litca 250mg Tablet may cause kidney problems. Litca 250mg Tablet is not prescribed in patients who already have severe kidney impairment. The kidney problems may not be reversible and the symptoms include swollen ankles, passing a lot of urine and feeling thirsty. Before starting treatment with Litca 250mg Tablet, your doctor will get blood tests done to see if your kidney function is normal. During Litca 250mg Tablet therapy, any gradual or sudden changes in renal function, even within the normal range, may indicate the need for re-evaluation of treatment.
Can Litca 250mg Tablet cause gain in weight?
Litca 250mg Tablet can cause both weight gain or weight loss. You should keep a check on your weight during Litca 250mg Tablet therapy. If you feel you are gaining or losing too much weight, consult your doctor who will assess whether the change in weight is due to Litca 250mg Tablet or some other reason.
What is the most important information I should know about Litca 250mg Tablet?
Litca 250mg Tablet therapy should only be started if adequate facilities for assessing Litca 250mg Tablet levels are available. This is because Litca 250mg Tablet toxicity is related to increased levels of Litca 250mg Tablet in blood. Litca 250mg Tablet toxicity can even occur at dose which is effective for treatment. Therefore, your doctor may closely monitor your Litca 250mg Tablet levels weekly until stabilization is achieved, then weekly for one month and then at monthly intervals thereafter.
How should Litca 250mg Tablet be taken?
Take Litca 250mg Tablet exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Check with your doctor if you are not sure. It is meant for oral administration and can be taken with or without food. However, if you start following a certain type of diet, talk to your doctor first. Any drastic changes in the amount of water you drink or amount of sodium (salt) in your diet may require more frequent monitoring of Litca 250mg Tablet levels.
Which medicines decrease Litca 250mg Tablet levels?
You should inform your doctor about the medicines you are taking before starting Litca 250mg Tablet since many medicines interfere with the working of Litca 250mg Tablet. Some medicines decrease the levels of Litca 250mg Tablet in blood which means that it will not work well. These include theophylline (for asthma), caffeine, anything containing sodium bicarbonate, or a special group of diuretics (water tablets) called carbonic anhydrase inhibitors and urea used to treat skin conditions.
Tata 1mg's sole intention is to ensure that its consumers get information that is expert-reviewed, accurate and trustworthy. However, the information contained herein should NOT be used as a substitute for the advice of a qualified physician. The information provided here is for informational purposes only. This may not cover everything about particular health conditions, lab tests, medicines, all possible side effects, drug interactions, warnings, alerts, etc. Please consult your doctor and discuss all your queries related to any disease or medicine. We intend to support, not replace, the doctor-patient relationship.
References
Stahl SM, editor. Lithium. In: Stahl's Essential Pschopharmacology: Prescriber's Guide. 5th ed. New York, New York: Cambridge University Press; 2014. pp. 349-54.
Meltzer H. Antipsychotic Agents & Lithium. In: Katzung BG, Masters SB, Trevor AJ, editors. Basic and Clinical Pharmacology. 11th ed. New Delhi, India: Tata McGraw Hill Education Private Limited; 2009. pp. 502-504.
Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed) [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Library of Medicine (US); 2006. Lithium. [Updated 2020 Jan 20]. [Accessed 20 Feb. 2020] (online) Available from:
Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO). [Accessed 25 Mar. 2019] (online) Available from:
Lithium Carbonate [Patient Information Leaflet]. Ahmedabad, Gujarat: Torrent Pharmaceuticals :Ltd.; 2022. [Accessed 20 Feb. 2024] (online) Available from: