Patient Information Leaflet

Camcolit -250

Lithium Carbonate

Please read this leaflet carefully before taking your medicine. If you have any questions, or are not sure about anything, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

What is this medicine?

The name of this medicine is Camcolit - 250 lithium carbonate. Each tablet contains 250 mg lithium carbonate. Camcolit works to help people with mood disorders.

Camcolit also contains maize starch, magnesium stearate, pregelatinised maize starch, hypromellose and macrogol 400.

Each pack contains 1000, 100 or 50 tablets.

What is Camcolit used for?

Camcolit is used to help cases of mania or bipolar affective disorders and recurrent depression. It is sometimes used to treat other behavioural disorders.

Before you take Camcolit

Make sure your doctor knows if:

• you have ever had kidney disease
• you have or have had heart problems or related problems such as high blood pressure. Also tell your doctor if any or your family members have ever had heart problems
• you have Addison's disease
• you are pregnant or are thinking of becoming pregnant
• you are breastfeeding
• you are taking or have recently taken any other medicines including medicines obtained without a prescription

Do not take Camcolit if you are also taking a medicine to treat schizophrenia or psychosis.

While you are taking Camcolit

Before you start taking Camcolit, and while you are taking it, your doctor should check on your:

• kidneys and urine
• thyroid
• heart

It is important that you tell your doctor if you notice any side-effects or are ill whilst you are taking Camcolit. These could be early signs that your doctor should give you another check-up. Elderly patients should take particular care about this. Possible side-effects are described later in this leaflet, and your doctor will probably tell you about them as well.

Consult your doctor before taking Camcolit if you are taking any of the following medications:

• diuretics (water tablets)
• anti-depressants called tricyclics or tetracyclics
• antibiotics called tetracyclines
• non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. These are used for rheumatism and for other pains. You can also get pain killers of this type without a prescription, so check with your pharmacist before you buy them. Aspirin and paracetamol do not react with lithium.
• for heart rhythm disorders (quinidine, lidocaine, flecainide, amiodarone, sotalol)
• for the treatment of leukaemia (arsenic trioxide)
• for the treatment of nausea and vomiting (dolasetron)
• for the treatment of an infection given into a vein (erythromycin)
• for the treatment of malaria (mefloquine)

If you want to go on any sort of diet, talk to your doctor first.

How to take Camcolit

The usual dose of Camcolit is between 1 and 4 tablets a day. The exact number of tablets you need every day depends on the level of lithium in your blood. Your doctor will give you a blood test then tell you how many tablets to take, and when to take them. Always follow your doctor's instructions. Your doctor will repeat the blood test regularly whilst you are taking Camcolit.

Try to take your tablets at the same times every day. Swallow the tablets with a drink. Do not chew them.

The level of lithium in your blood can be changed if you sweat or are sick or have diarrhoea. If any of these happen to you, drink plenty of water.

 

If you miss a dose, take it when you remember. If you forget for more than 6 hours, just take the next dose when it is due. Tell your doctor if you miss a few doses.

If anyone takes too many tablets, contact a doctor immediately.

What about side-effects?

As explained, it is important to have the right level of lithium in the blood. If it is too high, then you are more likely to get one or more of the following side-effects:

• mild stomach upset
• diarrhoea
• feelings of sickness
• dizziness
• dazed feeling
• muscle weakness
• slight shaking of the hands
• passing a lot of urine
• feeling thirsty
• changes in heart rate for example a slower, faster or irregular heart beat. If this happens contact your doctor immediately.

These are more likely to appear when you first start taking Camcolit, but they may well disappear when you are settled on treatment.

If you have a skin condition called psoriasis, Camcolit may make it worse.

Long term treatment with lithium can affect the kidneys, thyroid, or mental function. Rarely the parathyroids, and levels of calcium, magnesium and substances called anti-nuclear antibodies in the blood are affected.

Occasionally heart rhythm disturbances have been reported. Any change in heart rate or other heart symptoms should be reported to your doctor.

If you notice any changes in the way your body is working, or you think Camcolit is causing you any problems, always tell your doctor. Tell your family about lithium side effects so they know what to look for too.

How to store Camcolit

• Do not store above 25°C. Keep container tightly closed.
• Keep all medicines out of reach and sight of children.
• Do not use Camcolit after the "use before" date shown on the pack.