I was put on lithium after my suicide ideation episode in early Jan, and was on it for a month total. (I just finished coming off 900mg.)

I am ambivalent towards lithium. On one hand, it didn't work well for my rapid cycle bi polar II; it increased the rate in which i was cycling, and I had my first serious mixed episode. On the other end, I didn't get manic.

I'm a young man, I will admit, and I didn't have any serious side effects aside from the excessive thirst, and the drying of my hands to the point of the skin was coming off. (No joke, and i was drinking half my weight in ounces in water daily. Like 100 ounces of water, a day.)

I know this probably doesn't help you. But I think i may be against the grain here as most folks here have glowing reviews of it. And i was only on it for a month before i couldn't take the more intense depression and mixed episodes.