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Research:
Lithium & ALS

See how ALS patients taking lithium are doing in real-time by viewing FRS scores before and after starting lithium. Easily compare individual dosages and blood levels, and filter results by a rich set of patient characteristics.

Icon_bullet_arrow Research: Lithium & ALS


Brand Names: APO-Lithium, Camcolit, Carbolithium, Eskalith, Licarb, Lithane, Lithicarb, Lithionate, Lithionit, Lithium Carbonicum, Lithium ER, Lithobid, Lithosun, Maniprex, Plenur, Priadel, Quilonum SR, Roxane, Teralithe
Generic Name: Lithium Carbonate
See also: Lithium

What is Lithium Carbonate? Lithium Carbonate is used to treat and prevent episodes of mania in people with bipolar disorder (manic depressive disorder). Lithium is in a class of medications called antimanic agents, which work by decreasing abnormal activity in the brain. Read more...Click to read more below

See more information, including instructions, precautions, side effects, and interactions.


Reasons Taken

304 patients in the community are taking or have taken Lithium Carbonate.

Reason # Patients Percentage of patients
Slow my ALS progress 268 88%
Other 12 3%
disease-related symptoms 2 <1%
Atrophy, upper body muscles 1 <1%
Fasciculations 1 <1%
Anxiety 1 <1%
Support another treatment 1 <1%

Dosages

Based on the patients currently taking Lithium Carbonate.

Top 10 (Show all)

All (Show Top 10)

  0 mg day 15 mg day 20 mg day 75 mg day 84 mg day 100 mg day 150 mg day 200 mg day 210 mg day 225 mg day 250 mg day 300 mg day 400 mg day 450 mg day 500 mg day 600 mg day 750 mg day 800 mg day 900 mg day 1200 mg day
  11 Number of Patients: 11 1 Number of Patients: 1 1 Number of Patients: 1 1 Number of Patients: 1 1 Number of Patients: 1 1 Number of Patients: 1 9 Number of Patients: 9 1 Number of Patients: 1 1 Number of Patients: 1 1 Number of Patients: 1 5 Number of Patients: 5 58 Number of Patients: 58 6 Number of Patients: 6 34 Number of Patients: 34 8 Number of Patients: 8 53 Number of Patients: 53 10 Number of Patients: 10 1 Number of Patients: 1 11 Number of Patients: 11 2 Number of Patients: 2  

Duration

How long current patients have been taking Lithium Carbonate or how long patients were taking Lithium Carbonate before stopping.

Currently taking Lithium Carbonate

0-1 month 1-3 months 3-6 months 6 months-1year 1-2 years 2 years or more
5
8
37
119
1
5

Stopped taking Lithium Carbonate

0-1 month 1-3 months 3-6 months 6 months-1year 1-2 years 2 years or more
12
29
33
13
1
0
Why Patients Stopped Taking Lithium Carbonate (multiple reasons could be selected)
Reason # Patients Percentage of patients
Did not seem to work 42 48% Did not seem to work: 48%
Side effects too severe 34 39% Side effects too severe: 39%
Other 14 16% Other: 16%
Personal research 10 11% Personal research: 11%
Doctor's advice 8 9% Doctor's advice: 9%
Not indicated 3 3% Not indicated: 3%
Expense 1 1% Expense: 1%

Patient Reported Evaluations

Results from 39 patient evaluations. See the overall results and all individual evaluations.

Efficacy (Effect based on reason taken)

Moderate 5% 2
Slight 5% 2
None 27% 10
Can't tell 62% 23

Slow my ALS progress

Side-effects (as an overall problem)

Severe 8% 3
Moderate 8% 3
Mild 26% 10
None 59% 23

Top reported side-effects include: Weight gain, tremors in hands, Nausea

Summary results are based on 39 individual responses. For more information, see overall results for Adherence, Burden and Cost.

Individual Patient Reported Evaluations (2 of 39)

  • dbl30569
    Mouth/throat: moderate
    Arms: severe
    Chest: mild
    Legs: moderate
    See profile
  • by dbl30569
    Aug 18, 2008
  • EfficacyNone
  • Side-effectsMild
  • Slow my ALS progress

  • Tullnut
    Mouth/throat: none
    Arms: none
    Chest: none
    Legs: moderate
    See profile
  • Tullnut
  • by Tullnut
    Aug 20, 2008
  • EfficacySlight
  • Side-effectsMild
  • Slow my ALS progress

See all evaluation results for Lithium Carbonate



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