For five years, Clare Dolman took lithium to manage her bipolar disorder. The medicine kept her happy and well with few side effects, and she described it as a wonder drug. But when she began to plan for a pregnancy, her psychiatrist advised her to go off the medication to protect the fetus. This was 1988, and it was the standard guidance at the time.
While Dolman experienced some stresses during the pregnancy, her mood remained stable. But soon after giving birth, she began to experience mild hallucinations.
