I gained all my lithium weight in the first 3 months I think. It was a lot of weight really fast, I think 40 lbs? But I had more weight gain on it than most people. I was in a clinical trial so they were monitoring such things and I gained tons on lithium and only 8 lbs when I started Depakote which is backwards from many people.

I didn't have an upset stomach or salty taste so I don't know about those two. I don't remember any initial side effects except weight gain and thirst. I did drink enormous amounts of water from the very start and that was strange because until starting lithium I wasn't much of a water drinker. So it did give me one lifelong good habit.

For whatever it is worth I was on lithium for 11 years I think and I miss it. It was a good drug. I had to stop it because of toxicity but it helped a lot in some hard times.