Medication free for six weeks!

As a longtime. Bipolar I suggest you be mindful of your moods. We all know everyone sees and shares big shifts in emotion. We are often bind. I feel good I am cured. I personally have taken several different meds in all configurations. I am terrified when they change my meds. I never know...Will I feel better, worse, or nothing ( which is by far the worst.) Be cautious and self-aware, be mindful and I sincerely wish you the best. No one's the same.

You obviously interpret text by your own personal perceptions.

I'm confused: you wrote, "I feel good that I am cured." Absolutely no one who genuinely has bipolar is ever "cured." If you think otherwise, then refer me to any of the psychiatric research that would support your claim. Rather, if you've really been "cured," then you never actually had bipolar to begin with.

I thought I was "cured" before. I went crazy-manic, went depressed, then I went through a "normal" phase, and I was convinced I was cured....
... Bipolar is a genetic brain disorder, it's not curable. I went back into a depression last December, and I am now in a hypo-manic phase.,,

But, I was cured!!! And now it's back...
Most bipolar people think they are "cured" at some point, especially if they feel good for awhile.
********, nobody is ever cured. Sure, it's possible to treat and manage bipolar,and even live a relatively normal life for years on end.... But as far as I know, nobody has ever been cured.

One of the points that is missing in this discussion is whether everyone posting is talking about BP I or II. BP I has psychosis and is more severe than BP II or cyclothymia. BP is a continuum and perhaps those with the types that do not include psychosis are more easily able to manage their symptoms without meds. If you have ever been psychotic you are probably more likely to have been terrified or shamed by it, therefore more likely to prefer to stay on meds. I have BP I and as for me, just the "threat" of psychosis and hospitalization keeps me throwing pills down my throat every day.

I also think that doctors who determined a patient's symptoms are severe enough to required meds is likely to only appear to support going off of them. It might be interpreted by a patient seeking to do so as acceptance. A good doctor will care enough to keep an established professional relationship going so when/if the fall comes the patient has someone to trust.

I think everyone hopes for the best for Resident Bipolar, and wishes to help him in their own way. For me, if you're BP II and have a will of iron, go for it, and best wishes. If you're BP I you're playing with fire, as in the fire from hell.

I don't think the preference of meds or no meds has to do merely with severity of the condition. How one is and has been helped by the meds is an equally important factor. I think the "I give up" thread gives some ideas of the complexity of the issue....

VH, that is an excellent thread. Here it is for anyone who missed it:

http://forums.psychcentral.com/bipol...i-give-up.html

Eh, I had a shrink recommend meds to me for grief issues at the age of 10. She seen me like for hour at most. I think doctors err on side of medicating rather than letting the patient manage it themselves. Isn't there some legal liability issues? And how many people actually went to a psychiatrist and left without prescription?

I also believe that it's possible to recover enough to be able to ween of medication. After all when you break a bone, you don't take painkillers for the rest of your life.

Note: I said "a good doctor". Unfortunately, there are some quacks in the field of psychiatry, as in all fields of medicine. If a doctor isn't open to all a client may suggest, it wouldn't be someone I'd recommend working with. The client must be their best advocate. In the case of acute symptoms interfering with quality of life, I think meds are worth a shot so symptoms can be under control enough to allow the patient and physician to work together and explore other options.

Anyone can file a malpractice suit against a doctor who they feel have harmed them.

I don't know how many have left the office without a prescription, but most I expect most people who go to a psychiatrist (voluntarily) expect to leave with a prescription for relief.

Some people who have had broken bones do require pain meds for the rest of their lives. I am all for pain relief, and meds are the best option for some debilitating conditions and yes, even psychic pain. Let's not forget we're talking about complicated neural chemistry and there simply aren't homeopathic recipes or genetic fixes for everything (yet). Meds are the healthiest alternative for some of us.

Nor are there meds for bipolar yet either, I wish people would stop pretending that there are...

(Besides Lithium of course, which many people can't even tolerate...)

A "Mood Stabilizer" is an anti-convulsant, yet I don't imagine that many of us suffer from any type of seizure disorder

Maybe when drs ACTUALLY figure out how to make a bipolar pill I'll have more faith in the medical model. Instead, they find off label uses for stuff and chuck them at us like its our golden ticket.

I doubt there will ever be one bipolar pill. The range of symptoms is too broad. The best we can do is hope we find a few medications that address the biochemical imbalance (involving several neurotransmitters).

I strongly doubt it too, my point was, and is not aimed directly at you but at the general consensus regarding herbal remedies or whatnot.

My point being, that people are so quick to point out that these remedies are not designed to treat the severity of bipolar, when the exact same can be said for prescription meds...

We all try different things and we stick to what works best, but many forget that meds are just a big a gamble as any other method. Only difference is that its FDA approved.

Okay. I'll attempt to reply to all these. It will be very disorganised because there is a lot of negative discussion and debate on this thread but never mind that.

It's all going very well at the moment, thank you. There are many things I'm considering but for now I'm having great success with things as they are. I've actually noticed great physical health benefits as well as the mental health benefits from living a healthier lifestyle.

Urges are still urges. Someone in the house dropped a mug earlier and the shards of ceramic were a reminder of previous habits but I simply swept it away - I'm good at that. My lungs feel so much better after the smoking habit left my life and the extra vitamins I'm taking in from a strictly monitored diet make me feel a lot better in myself.

Thank you for your recommendation.

Always glad to see you around, IZ Ah you noticed the quick attempt at humour. That's good. I'm a lot funnier in person, honestly!

In contradiction to a couple of the replies to this thread, I'm optimistic that I'm not as much as an idiot as it seems I appear! I'm not one to suddenly stop taking my meds without any plans should things not go well but neither am I one to resign myself to the balance of medication for the rest of my life.

You can't succeed without trying, can you?

Hope you're doing well. Always a pleasure

The difference between Insulin for someone with Diabetes and psychiatric medication for someone with Bipolar is we know all we can about Diabetes but not nearly enough about mental illness. Psychiatrists can pretend all they want but nobody knows the true cause of Bipolar Disorder for sure or fully understands how the illness works.

We know that if a patient were to stop taking his/her insulin, he/she would almost certainly die after a short period of time. Bipolar Disorder and other mental illnesses are different in that respect - you have a lot more time to work with and there are changes you can make in terms of nutrition and lifestyle that can make a difference. Practices such as Mindfulness, CBT and DBT can also have a beneficial effect.

Frankly I am offended by your reply. I am neither ignorant to this illness nor am I foolish. I've had my share of psychiatric hospitalisations (whilst on medication), grief, pain and even CPR and I've definitely had enough of an experience to fully understand this illness. Whilst I worked in the Pharmaceutical industry I also learned a lot about medications and although I didn't take the money from my employer to go to University to study it more, I definitely developed quite an interest in the profession. I understand it all very well. My partner's grandfather also has dementia which we're around every day of the year and my close friend committed suicided, who had Bipolar Disorder.

It would perhaps be foolish to rush into medication cessation suddenly without any therapeutic techniques or contingency plans in place - especially when done without the knowledge of a healthcare professional but that is not the case here.

You may not recognise the symptoms of an oncoming episode but I have learned to recognise every aspect of the warning signs before an episode arrives - that applies to both mania and depression. They are subtle signs indeed but I am an extremely attentive person. Mania always comes on quite quickly for me but I still have a partner that also knows the signs and has the emergency numbers he needs.

I currently have a cold. Why am I telling you this? Well. The only thing I miss about medication is dropping immediately off to sleep and sleeping through the day, as sleeping with an viral infection can be quite the annoyance.

Thank you for your supportive reply.

Thank you Christina

I am Bipolar I and I don't see why that makes it much more of an issue. There should be no reason not to try managing a mental illness with therapy and non-medicinal methods once you're able to identify triggers, early signs of an episodes and maintain a stable mood for a long period of time.

Medication was hindering me in multiple ways and I am glad to be free of it.

I went down from five to three and then three to none. It can be done. Just make sure you take the steps I took and to involve a healthcare professional - I DO NOT recommend stopping medication in any case without the consultation of the appropriate people.



Going off meds has gone badly for me before. That doesn't mean I'm not able to try once again as long as I have the right things in place before I do so.

Medication isn't the only answer. You cannot know before you try. Should things go wrong, myself and my partner know what to do. I have taken precautions.

Hospital stays are never fun: psychiatric or not. I've had five inpatient stays though and they've ALL been while I've been taking my medication as prescribed - starting from when I was 14.

Thank you. I keep a mood diary for this reason. It's essential to be aware of your moods when unipolar, yet alone when you have a mental illness.

I am Bipolar I with a history of psychosis but that doesn't mean I'm not entitled to make a try at life without medication. That fear was what kept me taking my medication too, but that medication is what me made constantly tired, annoyed, stressed, unmotivated, emotionally dull and gain a lot of weight.

I'm a lot happier where I am now. That may change and I may relapse. That does NOT mean it was for nothing or that it was foolish or anything of the sort - it just means I tried another approach, I knew the precautions and that it didn't work out. It will help me to know that I can't function without medication and I'll be back on them again.

I think it's bad to deem yourself a medicated human being for the rest of your life without at least trying. It doesn't have to be the only way and there are professionals that would agree.

Exactly. Medication can be very helpful to allow patients to learn to identify triggers and early signs of an episode, take part in therapy and discover their purpose in life and what they want to do.

Many seem to believe that medication is the end of the line like I once did but that is not the case. It's not just due to the severity. In my care plan I'm noted down as having severe mental illness with a long history of repeated suicide attempts and even one case of resuscitation. When I go to the doctors, they get a red warning coming up about my "severe psychiatric episodes".

None of that means that I can't try another way.

It's not like I've done it without foreknowledge and emergency procedures in place, either.

------

By the way: I was actually told that medication is an issue for me because I'm impulsive. I had to have my medication in small quantities because it was feared I'd impulsively take a large dose as an attempt to end my life. I did, actually: numerous times.

Once, I even broke into my parent's room using a cloned door key and stole medication from there where it was being kept for this reason. I took the lot and slept pretty much constantly for two days before I woke up and cried and admitted what Id done to my mother because I felt so awful. At the hospital, I actually told them I was attention seeking and a cry for help. Why? I didn't want to be kept in the place. It obviously wasn't a cry for help as I went to sleep and didn't expect to wake up.

My point is. Having all those medications sat there was always tempting for me. That temptation is gone. They all bring back bad memories.

Risperidone, Olanzapine, Citalopram, Lithium, Quetiapine, Sertraline, Fluoxetine (my first medication), Melatonin, Lorazepam, Propanalol, Amitriptyline and others I wasn't even told what they were (psych ward PRN). I wasn't really much better off with any of them.

I think many who do not take meds are risking having their symptoms reoccur . If this involves psychosis, I think the possible damage is compounded. But many appear to be in positions where they can try. Good for them.

But for me who my mother relies on me 100% and all the time, I obviously do not have this luxury. I also do not think many other fellow sufferers do either. There is just too many responsibilities to get in the way. If I do not take care of my mother, she will be eventually removed from my care. If I end up in a psych hospital, my mother will definitely be placed in a nursing home by a Adult Protection Services. I just have too many serious responsibilities.

I wish I can try without medication. But the cost from a relapse is simply too great. There is no one to back me up. Even though I can support others who do try to go off their meds. But I do not think this is for everyone, including me.

I have tried to going med-free several times. It always helps me to feel better physically. The last time, my medical doc told me my eyes were much brighter and that I spoke much more intelligently. Eventually, my mood dropped to the depression end, and I found a new Pdoc who put me on a lot fewer meds. I hope you are able to stay med-free for a long time.

I have tried to end my meds twice and each time I end up severely depressed and suicidal. Be careful.

But relapse happens even on meds. In a way if your meds are keeping you stable, you are probably lucky. Many here have heavy heavy heavy duty coctails according to their signatures and posts..... and yet, they still relapse from time to time.

Getting well is not a luxury. At the same time one could claim "I am kept it together all my life, I don't have the luxury to spend years trying to find medication coctail that may or may not work".

I don't think anybody tries a way of healing because it's costly, hard and complicated. One choses a way that is the best for them and makes things the best (unless you are an emotional masochist, eh). But they say insanity is trying the same thing over and over again hoping for a different result. sometimes leap of faith is required. For some it's going on medication. And then for some it's going off it.

I agree with this. Going off meds is not always irresponsible. I don't have links right now, but there are studies showing that people living with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia in developing countries have better outcomes than people in Western countries even though those in developing countries have less access to meds. The reason? People in developing countries, on the whole, have greater ties to extended family and support, and also to culturally meaningful methods of healing, than people in the West. Of course, this isn't always the case, but it is true on the whole. I actually heard about these studies from my psychiatrist, who is working with me to lower (and possibly eventually stop) my antipsychotic based on the studies showing brain atrophy with long term AP use. Will I have future episodes? Maybe, but there's nothing guaranteeing that I wouldn't have had them if on meds.

I'm not saying that people should stop their meds abruptly (which is dangerous) or avoid meds when acutely psychotic, but neither my doctor or I see a reason for medicating me for the rest of my life, as some people advocate. Don't get me wrong, I don't have anything against those who choose meds long-term--I just don't think that's the only way to live. By the way, I have schizoaffective disorder, bipolar I type, and have already started reducing meds and feel great (but not manic). I think the key is to have non-med alternatives in place before trying to go med-free--for example, mindfulness/meditation, maintaining a regular schedule, exercising regularly, eating a healthy and balanced diet, having meaningful relationships in your life, etc.

Best,
Hope

I have bipolar I, and I am off meds right now and have been for a few months. Meds have not proven to prevent me from have episodic recurrences of my depression (which is my main bipolar symptom; I'm rarely on the manic end.) My pdoc and I have worked together for years, and he supports my decision to take meds during episodes when I am needing that help and then taper off once I'm stable again. Staying on meds full-time has never served me preventatively (it would be nice if the did, but they haven't proven to do so ever), so it just doesn't make sense to take them constantly if they aren't doing what they are supposedly designed to do for me. I have no problem monitoring my moods and symptoms and calling him up when it is time to go back on them. I respond quickly to meds and they do work for me when I am in an episode, so this is the route we have taken instead of constant meds.

I've made great strides in therapy in monitoring and managing my bipolar symptoms, and am much better equipped now to recognize early when I need to seek help so that the episodes don't reach the degree of disruption as the used to.

Like BipolarResident, this isn't something I would do without working with my pdoc and my therapist closely, but it is route I have chosen and it is working for me thus far as best as anything else I have tried. I completely realize I will probably have future episodes, with or without meds, and I have equipped myself with a support system to manage those episodes when they do arise.

You made some good points here. Medication has been helping me. So I guess I am lucky. I wonder how much it is the competence of the pdoc and how aggressively they pursue a solution? Most pdocs I have had are one or the other. I have had only one that was very competent and aggressively pursues remission.

My pdoc has been very dedicated to helping me and quite aggressive really in what he has tried. I've been a case where meds initially help when given, but they either stop working after a time or simply don't work preventatively for me. Just lucky that way I guess. I'm just glad he isn't too hard nosed not to hear me out, make decision WITH me instead of for me, and not give up on finding a workable solution.