Lithium and kidneys

I have been on 1200mg of lithium for bi-polar disorder for about 3 half years.  My most recent blood test revealed that there is damage to my kidneys. The numbers on whatever test went from 69 to 57. I understand that 57 is moderate damage.  What can I expect in the coming months with the damage to my kidneys as well as stopping the lithium and the withdrawals associated with it?   What other medication will be offered to rep;lace the lithium?

[jimgreg]

i went sevre toxic oin lithiem this same day last yr..i got sick..and stopped drinking water..was 2xx,s the toxic rate,,is 1.5  i was 3   i went threw a bad time...let me explain this. to you....

when the GFR goes down these are the numbers that you tasking about..then you build a toxic serem level..so my advice is to get another test asap..you might have to stop the litiem..and everything that i went threw..i was in stage 2 real failure,,it all; got better as the lithiem left the kidney..see but i dehydrated and that also was secondary to the toxicity if this makes since to you...

either your  not drinking enough water or your in mild dehydration now,,,  please keep in mind if you start shaking sevre go to er  DONT MESS AROUND..I WAS LUCKY..I ONLY HAVE 1 KIDNEY HAS IT IS NOW..

MY GFR WAS 4.8  IN 3 DAYS IT WAS 60 OR GREATER AS THEY SAY...YOU HAVE TO DRINK ALOT OF WATER NOT POP WATER..YOU CAN DRINK CAFFEINE IT LOWERS THE SEREM LEVELS  WERE SALT RAISES THE LEVELS OF LITHIUM IN YOUR KIDNEYS..SO IF YOUR NOT DRINKING AT LEAST 70 OZ'S ADAY YOU COULD VERY WELL HAVE A  BUILD UP OF LITHIUM.....I DONT WANT TO SCARE YOU BUT PLEASE GO TO THE ER  AND GET LABS TAKING...THIS WILL  SHOW YOUR LITHIUM LEVELS NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I DONT KNOW YOU OR HOW EDUCATED THEY HAVE YOU..I LEARNED ABOUT ALL THERE IS TO KNOW ON ALL MEDS IM ALSO BIPOLAR 1`..NOW UNMEDICATED..THAT TIME I HALLUCINATED 9 DAYS..I THE ICU  THEY HAD 2 WOMEN TAKING CARE OF ME...PLEASE  MAIL ME IF YOU WANT  TO I WILL ANSWER ANYTHING..I WOULDNT WISH THIS ON ANYONE....THE  LITHIUM LEVELS ARE      0.6-1.2   ANYTHING  OVER 1.1  UR GOING TO FEEL..I MEAN IN SHAKING OR THROWING UP..I BET YOU SHAKE NOW EVEN..AND HAVE BEEN ..BUT NOT SEVRE AS YOU WOULD IF YOU WERE IN FULL BLOWN TOXIC...AS LONG AS YOUR DRINKING THE WATER AND YOUR KIDNEYS ARE GOOD THEN NO PROBLEM...BUT YOU SAYING YOUR GFR IS 69 TO 57  IS NOT GOOD...ITS NOT SEVRE BUT ON LITHIUM  ITS SEVRE ENOUGH TOM,STOP WHAT YOUR DOING AND GET CHECKED..

IF ANYTHING GO TO THE ER AND TELL THEM YOUR ON LITHIUM AND YOU WANT UR LAB TAKING...I GOT SOOOOO BAD FRIEND THAT I DINT EVEN REALIZE  TO CALL 911..MY BROTHER TOLD MY MOM THAT MY VOICE WAS CRACKING AND I WAS TREMBLING..I NEVER CALLED THERE FOR 3 DAYS..THEY NW SOMETHING WAS NOT RIGHT......MAIL ME IF YOU NEED ANYTHING.....IM JAMES!!!