Lithium for how long?

How long can I take lithium for my bipolar disorder?

Lithium is an excellent drug for BPD. Unfortunately it has a narrow therapeutic index- this simple means that the drug can quickly become toxic with minor variations in the dose. If you have been on lithium for a long time and it works, stay on it as long as you get the levels monitored regularly. Your doctor should also be monitoring your kidneys, heart and thyroid function on a regular basis. Lithium is one of the few drugs in medicine which has an anti-suicide benefit-that means that unlike other CNS medications, it does not induce bad thoughts about harming yourself.