Lithium carbonate is all lithium but if that is the generic you get then you are on straight, old lithium. Esaklith is lithium CR in generic (continuous release). Lithobid/lithomax/litho a few other things is lithium ER extended release. CR was much easier for me to handle and my body liked it better. I was on the regular for a long time but after my first toxicity changed because I had thrown it up so many times smelling the capsules made me sick (I got toxic and remained toxic for months because we kept drawing levels but my levels would be down because of vomiting which was attributed to the ulcer I also had then and stress b/c my therapist left the country with almost no notice. After 6 months I went off work to focus on not vomiting and that's when the toxicity finally showed up. So I threw up a lot for many months and got pretty sensitive about it. Ugh. Awful memories.