How to tell if Lithium is working?

I didn't have any symptoms when I went on it. I had been manic once and depressed a few times before I went on it but was stable when he told me to start it. He told me it's a preventative medicine, that it will make future lows better and the mania less severe. But the mania wouldn't be as severe anyway because my manic episode was off the charts from being caused by antidepressants, and so that wouldn't tell me anything I don't think. I became kind of depressed after for a few days on the lithium but it went away without the dose changing at all. So I had no symptoms

What would be the point in taking a med if you could NEVER tell if it was working? You'll know if it works because you'll feel tremendously better.

I'm not even sure if I have bp, cause mania induced by meds should't count towards a diagnosis but he says the DSM-IV is wrong and it does count.

Not true. If it's working, you'll notice your moods will become more stable. A good thing to do is keep a mood chart and fill it out everyday. You can google image search "mood chart" and print one out and just fill it out every day. You can bring it to each pdoc appointment and it will be a good visual representation of how the meds are affecting your moods.

Great idea, thanks :) I'll try that.