Librium vs. Eskalith

• Are Eskalith and Librium the Same Thing?
• What Are Possible Side Effects of Librium?
• What Are Possible Side Effects of Eskalith?
• What Is Librium?
• What Is Eskalith?
• What Drugs Interact with Librium?
• What Drugs Interact with Eskalith?
• How Should Librium Be Taken?
• How Should Eskalith Be Taken?

Librium (chlordiazepoxide) and Eskalith (lithium) are used for treating bipolar disorder.

Librium is also used to treat anxiety disorders or alcohol withdrawal.

Eskalith is also combined with antidepressants to treat depression.

Librium and Eskalith belong to different drug classes. Librium is a benzodiazepine and Eskalith is an antimanic agent.

Side effects of Librium and Eskalith that are similar include nausea and vomiting.

Side effects of Librium that are different from Eskalith include drowsiness, tiredness, dizziness, constipation, blurred vision, swelling, skin rash, irregular menstrual periods, or headache.

Side effects of Eskalith that are different from Librium include mild hand tremor, weakness, lack of coordination, dry mouth, altered taste perception, weight gain, increased thirst, increased frequency of urination, loss of appetite, stomach pain or upset, impotence, decreased libido, diarrhea, thinning or drying of the hair, itching skin, and kidney abnormalities.

Both Librium and Eskalith may interact with MAO inhibitors, medicines to treat psychiatric disorders, narcotics, or antidepressants.

Librium may also interact with barbiturates or blood thinners.

Eskalith may also interact with buspirone, St. John's wort, tramadol, "triptan" migraine headache medicines, tryptophan, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), hydrochlorothiazide, ACE inhibitors, and methyldopa.

Do not stop using Librium suddenly, or you could have unpleasant withdrawal symptoms.

Common side effects of Librium include:

• drowsiness,
• tiredness,
• dizziness,
• nausea,
• vomiting,
• constipation,
• blurred vision,
• swelling,
• skin rash,
• irregular menstrual periods, or
• headache.

Tell your doctor if you have side effects of Librium including:

• confusion,
• depression,
• hyperactivity,
• hallucinations,
• slurred speech,
• trouble walking,
• facial or muscle twitching,
• sleep disturbances,
• trouble urinating,
• changes in sex drive, or
• jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes).

Side effects of Eskalith include

• mild hand tremor,
• weakness,
• lack of coordination,
• dry mouth,
• altered taste perception,
• weight gain,
• increased thirst,
• increased frequency of urination,
• mild nausea or vomiting,
• loss of appetite,
• stomach pain or upset,
• impotence,
• decreased libido,
• diarrhea,
• thinning or drying of the hair,
• itching skin, and
• kidney abnormalities.

Librium (chlordiazepoxide) is a benzodiazepine used to treat anxiety disorders or alcohol withdrawal.

Eskalith (lithium) is an antimanic agent used for treating manic episodes due to bipolar disorder. Eskalith is also combined with antidepressants to treat depression. Generic formulations of Eskalith are available.

Librium may interact with barbiturates, blood thinners, MAO inhibitors, medicine to treat psychiatric disorders, narcotics, or antidepressants. Tell your doctor all medications you use.

Lithium interacts with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), hydrochlorothiazide, ACE inhibitors, and methyldopa. Eskalith can cause harm to a fetus. Do not use Eskalith without your doctor's consent if you are pregnant. Tell your doctor if you become pregnant during treatment with Eskalith. Talk to your doctor about using birth control while you are taking Eskalith. Eskalith can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Consult your doctor before breastfeeding.

Librium (lorazepam) is administered orally. For optimal results, dose, frequency of administration, and duration of therapy should be individualized according to patient response. To facilitate this, 0.5 mg, 1 mg, and 2 mg tablets are available.

The usual range is 2 to 6 mg/day given in divided doses, the largest dose being taken before bedtime, but the daily dosage may vary from 1 to 10 mg/day.

For anxiety, most patients require an initial dose of 2 to 3 mg/day given two or three times a day.

For insomnia due to anxiety or transient situational stress, a single daily dose of 2 to 4 mg may be given, usually at bedtime.

For elderly or debilitated patients, an initial dosage of 1 to 2 mg/day in divided doses is recommended, to be adjusted as needed and tolerated.

The dosage of Librium (lorazepam) should be increased gradually when needed to help avoid adverse effects. When higher dosage is indicated, the evening dose should be increased before the daytime doses.

Lithium doses vary widely and are adjusted based on measurements of the levels of lithium in the blood. Most patients require 900-1200 mg daily in 2-3 divided doses.