Lithium

Long-term lithium use is a known cause of primary hyperparathyroidism.

Did lithium cause my parathyroid disease? Many years ago, I took lithium for several months. Recently I was diagnosed with primary hyperparathyroidism. Is the lithium to blame?

Lithium is a known cause of primary hyperparathyroidism, but likely did not cause it in this case. Lithium-associated primary hyperparathyroidism usually occurs after many years (think decades) of lithium therapy. It can cause parathyroid disease in less time, but if the lithium was only taken for several months, many years ago, it is most likely unrelated. Interestingly, lithium-associated...

Primary HPT Multigland disease Hyperplasia Lithium

I have been on lithium for bipolar disease for over 20 years. Recently I was diagnosed with high calcium. One doctor says the high calcium is just a result of the lithium, while another thinks I have primary hyperparathyroidism. Which is it?

This clinical picture is most consistent with lithium-associated primary hyperparathyroidism. Lithium is well-known to cause both hypercalcemia (high calcium) and primary hyperparathyroidism (which itself causes high calcium). In some cases, lithium can cause high calcium that is reversible if you stop lithium. If the calcium has been high for many years, it is less likely to be reversible. It ...

Multigland disease Hyperplasia Lithium