I have both bipolar and ADD and what my doc has told me is that with any sort of stimulant you run the risk of inducing a manic episode. When I was on concerta it really didn't do anything for me and Ritalin threw me into a manic episode. Once the doc took me off Ritalin I came back down. So yes, getting off the stimulant helps in controlling the mania.

I was kinda diagnosed with ADD before I knew I was Bipolar, I went to the doctor and described what I know now were the symptoms of a manic episode. He gave me Concerta, wow did that ever throw me for a loop. It was deemed that I do not have ADD based on the simple fact that the Concerta sped me up. I still wonder sometimes though, my brain is very much like a television that somebody has sat on the remote to, change...change...change. It gets trying sometimes.