Well, sorry to say that I had kidney damage from Lithium. (My nephrologist said that it causes closure of the tiny arteries in the kidneys and there's nothing nephrologists can do about that.) As soon as I dropped lithium, toxic blood work cleared up. I was also told by an endocrinologist that it is one of the most toxic medications out there. (Drink water,
please to keep well hydrated while on lithium.)

Please try to take the lowest possible dose to calm you, but at the same time, go for the effort to correct any problems with your diet that may be enhancing the symptoms.

The lower the dosage of meds and the better the control of the diet, the easier it's
going to be on you and your kidneys.

Lamictal was an excellent medication--even at 50 mg--it worked for me, but I gradually had to keep cutting back on the amount until I reached 15 mg; even that was too much, and I developed acne on the right side of my face. (That has been published on the internet rather extensively, too.)

The answers really lie, in my view, in taking a pro-active effort on our part to get our diet as beneficial as possible, and hope that a small dose of meds will keep things stable.

I read recently that the use of the Omega 3 fatty acids added to the diet may
be the first real supplement that may fight bipolar illness. (Nordic Omega 3 fatty acids is an excellent one--2 per day for me--and that works.) Increase your vitamin B series, vitamin A, and C, and vitamin D3.) Please watch the sugar intake like a hawk; it also causes mood swings and cravings for more, just as grains do.

I literally hate the side effects of medications and do everything I can to avoid them
by changes in the diet.

(Get rid of gluten, please. It causes wide mood swings in people sensitive to it, along with many other strongly detrimental effects to our systems.)

Best reading I've done lately is Dr. David Williams' Wheat Belly. I would not be at
all surprised if it doesn't turn out in years to come that the final result will be that
wheat is the real culprit in many, many problems with mental illness and physical
illness. It is known to affect schizophrenia profoundly, and it causes wide mood
swings, as well, but not yet defined as the cause of bipolar symptoms.

I hope you are feeling better very soon.

Take care.