Recently my sister was started on lithium twice a day and then discharged with no monitoring. She later was admitted for toxicity. Is this her fault and will her tremors improve?
Whenever a physician starts lithium, he/she is OBLIGATED to follow the patient very closely and monitor lithium levels at least twice a week.
Lithium is a very difficult drug to handle and can easily cause toxicity, which in most cases is permanent. I think you should speak to a good malpractice lawyer, as it is obvious the doctor was negligent. I cannot think of any good reason why he/she did not measure the levels of lithium.
If the doctor for whatever reason is unable to monitor lithium levels, then he/she should never start the patient on lithium; this is not the type of medication one should be fooling around with.
Whenever a physician starts lithium, he/she is OBLIGATED to follow the patient very closely and monitor lithium levels at least twice a week.
Lithium is a very difficult drug to handle and can easily cause toxicity, which in most cases is permanent. I think you should speak to a good malpractice lawyer, as it is obvious the doctor was negligent. I cannot think of any good reason why he/she did not measure the levels of lithium.
If the doctor for whatever reason is unable to monitor lithium levels, then he/she should never start the patient on lithium; this is not the type of medication one should be fooling around with.
