Hey, I'm curious about your own experiences. Two-and-a-half years ago, I had a major manic episode which lasted months. I was fortunate to have a good support system, and a good health-care plan. I did end up in jail, briefly, and then psychiatric ER, but after a couple of months short-term disability, I was able to resume my normal life, including my full-time job as a software-developer. I've been on Depakote for most of the time since, and recently switched to Lamictal.

For the first year, I had lots of mood swings - periods of days or weeks with mild manic symptoms, and periods of depression. But by the start of 2008, those swings had quietened down, and I basically swung between feeling somewhat flat, and depressed, with the occasional "normal" day or two. I never have manic symptoms now.

I admit I miss the minor manic swings to some extent, since they came with a lot of creativity. And, since they weren't the dangerous sort, they'd be much more preferable to the flat periods. However, I realize there's no way to get them back without going off my mood-stabilizers (which I've never done), and that's far too risky both to myself and my family.

My question is: are there other people out there who are long-time stable, and take mood-stabilizers religiously but still occasionally experience minor, non-dangerous manic swings? Or do people occasionally go off mood-stabilizers in order to experience such swings, but resume the medication to make sure they don't get out of control?

(Lamictal is somewhat dangerous to go off and on though, since it can cause a life-threatening rash in isolated cases, so that's a limiting factor for me.)

Thanks, and am interested in peoples' input. Keith