My husband is the one who went into sudden kidney failure due to lithium toxicity despite blood monitoring having been done actually quite soon before the whole nightmare began. A friend of mine took lithium for decades and ended up with severe hydrocephalus in her early 70's that the neurologists partially attributed to the long-term lithium use.

Between personally witnessing both incidents, I made the personal decision that I would no longer take lithium, even though it worked well for me. My pdoc understands my point of view even though he doesn't completely agree with it. He is working with me on finding an alternative; currently trying lamictal again and that seems to be going well thus far.

I had no problems coming off of lithium. Pdoc said oddly enough that where patients often see a change/problems in at about the one month mark with their mood.