Speaking from Experience: Lithium

Information from posts written by members of the About Bipolar Disorder Forum Community about their experiences with Lithium, which is used as a mood stabilizer in the treatment of manic-depressive illness.

Please be aware that this material contains the personal experiences and opinions of consumers and in no way should be construed as medical advice.

Posts may have been edited by the Guides for spelling, grammar or clarity.

To read the entire discussion, click the link following each quote.

Dosage

• I daily take 1 to 1-1/2 of the 450mg Eskalith time released form. My blood level ranges from .29 to .33 which my psychiatrist approves of, even though it is lower than the recommended standard.
  Julie

• The amount you take is not as important as the resultant blood level you hold. The therapeutic range is 0.6 to 1.2 mEq/L. I ride at 0.9 and take 1800 mg daily.
  Scooby

• I was on Lithium for a few months but they kept having to raise the dosage so they could get me to a therapeutic level but that never happened - the dosage was at 1500 mg/day and it still wasn't at the right level.
  Lisa

More of this Feature

• Part 1: How Well Does It Work For You?
  
• Part 2: Dosage Experience
  
• Part 3: General Side Effects
  
• Part 4: Specific Side Effects
  
• Part 5: Lithium and Weight Gain

Lithium - Main Menu