Lithium is a god send from the old ages for most of us. Now with newer meds there are different choices.

Lithium made me numb and very dumb. Now it doesn't work at all plus I get toxic levels from it. Others here have done very well with Lithium.

I took Lithium for years, without any side effects. For me, it just quit working. My kidneys function fine.

The fact is that we're all going to respond differently to any med so the best way to judge is to see what it's doing to us. I've been using lithium for 32 years without any major concerns. Lithium is cheap, being a naturally-occurring product and at least for me it works a treat, keeping me out of mania, jail and hospital. I have developed some hand tremors but I can live with that. While using lithium I've been quite creative in writing songs, worked full time and played in various bar bands too. You may find different but that's normal.

I experienced hair loss with Lithuim... one of the reasons I stopped taking.

Started seeing my Pdoc again.... tomorrow is my second appointment... I dread hearing her tell me that we will be starting lithium again.. but it might be the only thing that saves my brain from the marathon its been running.

Im glad ur at theraputic levels.. I hope you dont have any bad side effects.

Lithium has been a god send for me. I wish I was put on it sooner. I have had no bad side effects and I hope it stays that way.

Lithium is a great med with really low side effects. The main one is the kidney issue, and quarterly blood checks take care of that. Most of the new age BP meds have some type of kidney/liver issue.

I've used it off and on for 23 years....saved my life, literally, many times.

Kat

My hand trembled so bad when i took lithium that i couldnt put on my make up or right a not or hold a soda...it was bad...my hair also got really dry and brittle and would just break off...i chose to stop taking it.

Ash

I got toxic levels and I was shaking so badly I couldn't function even with propanalol.

Like Tommy said, everyone will respond differently to different medications. I've been on Lithium a year. Kidneys are fine but I do drink a lot and have to really work to keep from getting dehydrated. Yay Lithium.

I loved lithium.. I had hair loss pretty bad last summer.. think it was levels going to high with the heat.. shakes got pretty bad too but it made me feel pretty level. I loved that so it was worth it.. now with no insurance for blood work I'm on my own.. but if I get too bad off again.. getting right back on it..

I forgot about the hair loss as it has been 10 or more years since I had that side effect. My pdoc put me on Biotin (a supplement), Vit. D, Vit. E and told me to use Rogaine for women. It's OTC at all drugstores and the store generic brand is like $10 bucks. You can use it long term and it works great, the Biotin and Vit. D & E help keep your hair healthy and happy.

Kat