I'm on lithium...about 3months or so. I was on too high a dosage so my side effects were INTENSE up until a couple weeks ago. They lowered it, and now the side effects have lessened. Diabetes? High cholesterol? ������ I was thinking about getting off of it bc of gross skin and hair now. I've finally just gotten eating under control. I found that it made my hunger insatiable. So maybe I gained 5 lbs but it's coming off already since they lowered the dose.

All in all yes it does work tremendously for my BP symptoms unlike no other drug I have yet to try (I'm BP1) and I'm tired if being a guinea pig..but I think I may ween off.. I have a feeling I will end up on depakote..was on high doses of that and seroquel after my first manic episode but I gained 30 lbs in two months..now after the fact I think it was just the combo. So I'll give it a whirl. I'm on lamictal which I will stay on but that by itself doesn't control my mania. Seroquel in low doses has been awesome for my sleep too. I have also tried risperdall, haldol, saphris, and I think that's about it as far as comparability to lithium. My current regime is lithium700 mgs, seroquel 25 mgs, Wellbutrin 75 mgs, gabapentin300 mgs, lamictal 300 mgs---have you taken any or all the meds I mentioned? And did you mean meds like mood stabilizers or APs? To mimic the benefits of lithium?