"i am writing mostly because after having so many people tell me their horror stories about lithium i was looking for something positive and found this site.  i was prescribed lithium after my first manic episode and it has helped to level me out.  i was also on olanzapene which i blame for the 20lbs i gained (being in the hospital for a month and then snacking obsessively and not excercising didn&#039;t help).  my thoughts of suicide are a lot less  for the first time in a long time and i feel generally more stable than i did even on effexor which i was on for years."