[Chenryu76]

Is it possible to live without meds with bipolar disorder? I'm on meds, but I met someone once who wasn't taking meds and had the same condition.

[cdunn42]

Not highly recommended and I would suggest that you contemplate this move with the assistance of a licensed and trained Psychiatrist.

[polyonamous]

Depends on the severity of your symptoms, i have episodes when i need meds, but long patches inbetween when i can cope without, but need to have a stable and very routine life to do this!

I'd say that most diagnosed with bipolar require medication.

I tried to go off my medication once by myself, and it turned out to be a horrible decision. I had to be hospitalized and put back on medication.

That being said, everyone is different. cdunn42 is right...if you are considering this move of going off medication, then you should do it with the assistance of your pdoc.

[Merlin]

I too have had the experience of being hospitalized as the consequence of going off of medication. It's just too risky for me.

[kriya6]

My doctor decided that I wasn't bipolar even after having the diagnosis almost my entire life, he decided I am just a plain old drug addict, and he flat out refuses to give me any medication besides regular antidepressants, which always induce mania- distractibility, racing thoughts, inability to sit still, not sleeping, sometimes hearing "voices"though they are more like thoughts that other people are in myhead, reading my thoughts and talking to me telepathically, seeing "signs" in all sorts of mundane things. etc. This guy is a quack, I don't feel safe with him at all. I have been begging for a new doc for over two years, to no avail. I think I should be able to sue this guy for taking all these years away from me- I've been nonfunctional for years!!
Kriya

[blueoctober]

Chenryu, Living without meds is not an option for me. BP can be from mild to extreme and if a person is on the mild end it may give them a sense that he or she can go without meds. It may also be that the person is chasing the high of the hypomania or mania. Personally, I hate both the hypomania and depression.

I have had symptoms since I was very young (my first attempt was at 8). I did not seek help until I was 31 and I had ended up in a 6 week Psych hospital stay. For me the illness got worse as I aged and even now the depressions are still brutal even with meds (I have BP II). For many there is a progression in the illness. For instance untreated or even treated the illness can progress for BP II to BP I.

kryia, can you get a referral to a new p-doc from your gp? Are you still using? If you are using that may be why your current p-doc is having difficulties diagnosing because he or she can't tell if the symptoms are from the bp or the drug use?

[Anneinside]

I know that I don't function without medication. I was on Effexor and lithium in 1992-95 and thought I could go off them. Every 3 or 4 months I would go into hypomania with extreme irritability and was given anti-anxiety medication. Then, finally after about 1.5 years, I crashed into a depression that lasted 3 years before it was finally under control, for awhile. I have now had a year of stability due to medications and ECT.

I know that I am in for a lifetime of medication and probably some ECT treatment.

[sanityseeker]

I am beginning to doubt it very much. I was first dx'ed with BP when I was in my late teens. I refused treatment and just lived with the consequences. Crash and burn depresssions routinely alternated with flying high manic episodes that would last days, weeks and even months.

Now I am in my 50's and I don't recover or cope like I used to. The mania is less intense then it used to be but the depression is much more intense and the episodes last a lot longer.

I think I have more mixed and rapid cycling then I remember ever having before. Now it is like a constant monitoring of my moods and reprogramming of my thinking. Other health issues the last decade have compounded the symptoms too.

I have refused medication for a variety or reasons. All of which seem to be wearing thin on me because I am not getting better. In fact other then being more aware, attentive and better equiped to cope since accepting the diagnosis it isn't enough. All the behavioural changes and mental exercises in the world don't seem to be helping me get better. I cope and I suffer. I don't get any relief.

I am tempted to check out my new doctor and see where a conversation about meds to treat the bi polar might take us. I will likely need to go back to the pdoc. It is very difficult for me to open this door. I am so afraid of doctors and meds that my hands shake just writing about it. Huge triggers of fear and anxiety.

I have been at this point before and talked myself out it time and time again. I could write a book of my excuses why not to take meds. Truth be told..... if the proof is in the pudding I am proof that going it without meds may not be a very wise decision.

[Amandas256]

I don't suggest going without meds. To me it is just too risky to go without them. I would be a basket case if I didn't take mine. The mania and depression are bad enough with them.

[sanityseeker]

That's just it Amanda. Why do you still have to suffer if you are on meds? Why don't the meds work better? I just don't get it. It makes me angry actually. I take a pill every morning to maintain my thyroid level. It works like a charm. Why can't they do the same with my BP symptoms? It just doesn't make sense to me and that is a big part of why I have gone this long without them. I am still waiting to hear from that person for whom the meds provide them a significantly better quality of life then I am living without the meds. I read the forums and it seems meds or no meds everyone here hits hard times just like I do. I guess any improvement is worth something but I just think they should be able to do better then that for us.

[Chenryu76]

I've been sometimes falling asleep at night and missing my evening dose, and other times I feel worried I may have taken my evening dose amount (which is higher) in the morning (this has happened before) so I take a morning dose in the evening in order to even things out just in case I have done this.

[crystalrose]

Well my Dr said that in pregnancy I am going to have to have minimal medication, so I always think it is possible. I do think that it would increase dependence on the therapist or dr, because there are less resources.
When I am pregnant I want to be completly drug free, regardless of how hard it is.

[Chenryu76]

I've been sometimes missing my evening dose (because of falling asleep) or worrying I've taken my evening dose (which is greater) in the morning (which has happened in the past) by mistake and so taking my smaller morning dose in the evening in order to even things out.

[Shakti]

Originally Posted by sanityseeker

That's just it Amanda. Why do you still have to suffer if you are on meds? Why don't the meds work better? I just don't get it. It makes me angry actually. I take a pill every morning to maintain my thyroid level. It works like a charm. Why can't they do the same with my BP symptoms? It just doesn't make sense to me and that is a big part of why I have gone this long without them. I am still waiting to hear from that person for whom the meds provide them a significantly better quality of life then I am living without the meds. I read the forums and it seems meds or no meds everyone here hits hard times just like I do. I guess any improvement is worth something but I just think they should be able to do better then that for us.

I am on Lamictal, Wellbutrin, Risperdal, and Buspar. I'm 100% stable (for the first time and it's lasting). My meds changed my life. It took 3 yrs to get it right, but hot damn, is it ever right now. So now you've heard from one person for whom meds have not only provided a significantly higher quality of life, I'm well (as in not at all sick) and some days I don't even think the word "bipolar" anymore, whereas before it was the King that ruled my world. My quality of life now is as good as or probably better than a "normal" person's. I never thought I'd ever be able to say that again, but I can. I feel perfect--not manic perfect...just perfect as in I'm myself again (felt like I almost forgot who I was over these last years) and I love myself and my life, and feeling normal with normal emotions is a precious gift I had to work hard for. I'm completely, fully functional. Setbacks? I'm sure at some point, but this is my magic combo.

My flavor of bipolar has been a NASTY one. BP1, ultra rapid cycling with suicidal/dysphoric depression and dysphoric/mixed mania and almost never ever ever a normal hour, much less a normal day. So maybe there's still hope? I think there is. I KNOW there is. (Although I've wondered exactly what you are wondering for years.)

[Medicated]

Originally Posted by sanityseeker

That's just it Amanda. Why do you still have to suffer if you are on meds? Why don't the meds work better? I just don't get it. It makes me angry actually. I take a pill every morning to maintain my thyroid level. It works like a charm. Why can't they do the same with my BP symptoms? It just doesn't make sense to me and that is a big part of why I have gone this long without them. I am still waiting to hear from that person for whom the meds provide them a significantly better quality of life then I am living without the meds. I read the forums and it seems meds or no meds everyone here hits hard times just like I do. I guess any improvement is worth something but I just think they should be able to do better then that for us.

THAT is the exact reason I discontinued my "mood stabilizers" a couple of weeks ago. I realized that despite perfect compliance with my medications, they had never shielded me from the depressive episodes that they were intended to prevent... so why am I taking them? They were making me drowsy, foggy, and fat, and not serving their purpose. Doesn't make much sense to me.

Similarly, what's the point of taking an antidepressant months after you were initially depressed? To me, it's like taking sudafed year-round (and dealing with its side effects) just in case you happen to get a cold. At this point, I'd rather prove to myself that I'm actually still sick before I continue medicating myself for it.

I'm still not completely medication free, but I'm down to an average dose of an antidepressant, wellbutrin, and of an anxiety med, BuSpar. No more mood stabilizers. Maybe I'll discontinue the wellbutrin in the future, but for now I want to abuse it for its weight loss effects if nothing else.

One thing I should note is that I discontinued my medications while feeling pretty stable since about February. I can't say for sure whether my fairly steady mood was a result of the many medications I was taking vs. the natural ebb and flow of time, but I do know that the side effects were becoming unbearable for me.

It's possible that I might REALLY regret this decision in the future if I go down in a huge ball of flames... but I've been taking medications for so long that I'm not sure what my baseline really is. Maybe it's not so bad... but I have to find out... even if I regret it... because at least then I'll know for sure.

I think I need a new screen name...

[MadyJohannah]

Chenryu I was dx'ed with bp when I was 27 (I think) and I was on meds--about 9 different ones before my doc found something that worked for everything. I was living with my baby bro at the time and dating a guy who was dx'ed with bp1. He was the main reason I went to a doc--he pushed me into going and I am glad he did. I was on meds for about two years. I then quit my job--big mistake- and moved back home. I now live with my older sister who flat-out drives me f-ing insane. She is a major trigger. Because I moved back home, I had to give up my doc. I moved back in March of '09 and just now got back on meds. The past year and a half was the worst. could't sleep, gained weight, everything was a trigger, stayed angry most of the time, very irritable, at the drop of a hat, mind you, and everything that could go wrong in my mind did go wrong. I hated it. My cycle was this: depression, guilt, anger, depression, guilt, anger, etc...everyday. This past summer was the worst of my life. I even started to hate being around my nieces. I had been like this, only worse, before my diagnosis. I tried to go it alone...I tried things like omega 3 fish oil, valerian root to help me sleep, st john's wort, exercise, meditation, relaxation, you name it. Nothing worked.
Nothing works quite like good ol meds. I was never so happy to spend money in my life as I was when I saw that script bottle

That being said, not everyone is the same. I'm sure there are some of you out there who can do it and power to you, but I can't. Maybe it'll work for you. I think it is good advice to talk to your pdoc first, but if it's what you really want to do, maybe you should do a little research and prepare yourself and take the plunge. It may be great. I hope it works for you

<Raises hand>... Speaking here as one for whom meds have significantly improved things. The last 2 times I picked meds up at the pharmacy threw me into very scary financial territory. And I never had a moment of doubt that I would do it. I knew that I couldn't afford NOT to. It's THAT big a difference. Does that mean I never have a bit of trouble? No. But it's a WHOLE LOT LESS. I never want to go back there. I feel bad that people do have trouble, but that does not negate the difference that meds can make.

[thinker22]

I spent 2 years of trying to find the right meds to help with my depression, mania, and anxiety. This was after a lifetime of experiencing extreme emotions, but not being able to get treatment since my parents wouldn't allow for counseling or meds...not that I ever asked for them...but that they were in denial that there was a problem with me and didn't want to look bad in front of their church friends if they found out. Anyway, it has been a long journey, but my current meds combo is working wonderfully. Nothing externally has changed in my life situation, but I feel like I have my brain back. I don't wake up depressed or anxious and haven't had mania since last summer. I feel like I am strong enough to handle the stressors in my life because of a new general sense of well being that is in my mind.

My miracle cure: Cymbalta, Geodon, benztropine, diazepam, and thyroid meds for hypothyroidism. I also take supplements of probiotics, calcium, magnesium, vitamin D, the Bs, C, and a complex of minerals suspended in liquid. I am also receiving treatment for heavy metals poisoning (lead and mercury mostly), so it leaches out the good and bad minerals (these pills I take every 2 weeks), and that's why I take so many minerals to replenish what is lost. I'm hitting this disease at all angles and I'm so glad I didn't give up.

I've tried to go off all my meds too, but my depression (with sui thoughts) and anxiety came back. I figure I'm not going to mess with success anymore.

Best of luck to you in your quest for treatment. Psychotherapy has also been extremely important to my recovery. It's nice to have someone to check in with when your emotions are all over the place. Keeps you sane week to week to purge some of the stuff that backs up. It's like a safety net to have a professional on call.

[bridgie]

There are many people that are living without meds but are they really living. I am currently trying to reduce my medications to the lowest amount I need. I dream I could have to take nothing. Reality is I haven't been able to yet. I've been dealing with this since a young age. I've tried multiple times going off meds always end the same way needing to go back on. Maybe someday I'll be able to get off for good. I sure hope so.

[lilred3382]

I was actually diagnosed in 2003 with BP II and I have refused meds every day of it. I infact have questioned th whole diagnosis thing.

I have periods of time where im ok and feel the diagnosis is wrong but the last few weeks im questioning my own questioning, though more than like it is right and i really do need medications. A psych that i personally know says that I would be hard to medicatte though it be possible since i cycle so rapidly.

Good luck..take them if you need them...

[unico]

I have Bipolar NOS, I think (I get mixed episodes, hypomanic and depressed episodes, and I think the beginnings of manic episodes that I get under control with medication). For me medication is a necessity. I went a long time without it and remained very suicidal and couldn't control my thoughts. Most medications don't work for me, but Zyprexa does wonders. Maybe someone with less severe bipolar could control their moods better, though...?

[Anneinside]

Originally Posted by Chenryu76

I've been sometimes falling asleep at night and missing my evening dose, and other times I feel worried I may have taken my evening dose amount (which is higher) in the morning (this has happened before) so I take a morning dose in the evening in order to even things out just in case I have done this.

If you are having trouble keeping track of taking your medications then you need a pill box minder. They have sections for 7 days a week, some have 2 sections per day. Then it is easy to look and see if you have taken your medication. They are cheap and well worth the small expense. You can find them at any pharmacy.

[Anneinside]

Originally Posted by Medicated

Similarly, what's the point of taking an antidepressant months after you were initially depressed? To me, it's like taking sudafed year-round (and dealing with its side effects) just in case you happen to get a cold. At this point, I'd rather prove to myself that I'm actually still sick before I continue medicating myself for it.

There is a big difference between antidepressants and antihistamines, time. Antihistamines work immediately while antidepressants may take up to six weeks to start working. Meanwhile you may very well be suicidal. You can do without antihistamines as all you will have is a drippy nose. Without antidepressants you may not have a life.

[Medicated]

I'm crashing and burning and eating my words.

As much as I hate to admit it, I think I need medication too.