This may be a bad idea, but...

Well, the sedation and weight gain have finally become enough. I am getting off of my meds.

I was going to wait to have my doctor taper me down, but I'm eager to be off of the poison so I'm just going to cut out the 5 mg pill of zyprexa (just take the 6 mg zyprexa/50 mg Prozac pill) and a few weeks later set myself free entirely.

My manias are very gentle and mild. The real problem is depression, and that tends to be seasonal. I'll get a light box and exercise more. If that doesn't work, then maybe I'll consider pharmacology again.

Last time I quit my meds, in April, I did it cold turkey. I ended up in the ER, suicidal. So to avoid that fate, I am making a promise to myself and all of you. No matter how hellish withdrawal is, no matter how much I want to give up...I will not harm myself for a month. I've never made a promise like that before. I think it will keep me safe and out of the hospital.

Do you have any coping activities to use for the emotions that will inevitably surface? Not saying it cannot be done (by gods I am doing it), but it's different. So it's important to know how to body surf that.

I'm bit worried if you aren't uncosciously self-boycotting. If not, good luck.

Can you taper the Prozac as well? I don't know if they are capsules or pills that can be halved or quartered. I think withdrawal from Prozac may not be fun at all. That's a decent amount of Prozac to come off of. I don't know but I wouldn't come off that with no taper.

I also would make sure you don't end up taking Prozac with no zyprexa. That could set off a manic episode and it could get ugly.

Also I just want to make sure you have thought this through, and like Venus said you have coping skills to help you out when things get rough. I feel like I remember a pretty depressed post from you about two weeks ago, which would go against your seasonal theory (at least that a light box would help with).

But ultimately it's your choice. I know I would love to be meds free. I also Know it's not an option right now and may not be for a long time. I respect your decision if it's made in the right frame of mind!

I agree with wildflower, think this through....think it through again and finally think it through! Coming off meds is really tough and it sounds like it didn't go smooth for you in the past. This message is being brought to you by someone with lots of experience with this. Lots of bad experience!

If you're going to come off medication, just be sure to do it safely. The Harm Reduction Guide to Coming Off Psychiatric Drugs is really helpful for these purposes. You can access it here http://www.willhall.net/files/Coming...e2Edonline.pdf

Be well!

Considering you previous posts of psychosis and depression, I think you should reconsider your decision of dropping meds. Are you going to do this under supervision of a pdoc? Have you thought this through? Perhaps the reason you are not psychotic now is because the meds are working? Perhaps an adjustment of meds is in order which could manage the side effects better?

Good luck!

Bad idea. Bad, bad idea. You have admittedly been unstable in recent times; why go off your meds while you're still in flux?

But if you are bound and determined to go off meds, at least do it with the knowledge AND SUPERVISION of your prescriber. There are other meds which are less sedating and don't contribute to weight gain (e.g. Geodon, Latuda etc.) and work on the same bipolar symptoms. Going cold turkey is NOT smart and you will rue the day.....Believe me, we all have times when we want to stop our meds, and that usually happens when we are least able to cope with the results of that decision.

Don't do it. Not without your doctor's help. You don't want to end up in the hospital, or worse.

Please call your pdoc tomorrow and tell them.

like what everyone else has said, you should do it with your dr, not on your own. they can provide support you need in case of emergency.

Alright, an update: I've been taking 5 mg less of zyprexa for almost a week now. I'm doing well; a little shaky, but mostly okay. I'm still having a hard time waking up, and go through hungry spells where I want to eat everything in sight, but I suppose these side effects won't stop until I'm completely off the meds.

The biggest thing I've noticed is changes in my motivation. Instead of being mildly motivated most of the time, on the lower dose of the zyprexa I go through periods of intense motivation (still nowhere close to mania, though) and periods where all I want to do is lie in bed and sleep.

Just a thought...I needed to sleep so my doctor put me on Ambien. Two days later I was in the hospital with severe depression and psychosis. Stopped the Ambien and felt better almost immediately.

My point being...don't mess unsupervised with your meds. Sometimes we are the least best judge of what we need. I don't know about you, but i can be fine one day and in the hospital the next. Not worth it, even if you feel good right now.

How do these two parts follow up? YOu had a reaction to something...prescribed by doctor. You stopped on your own, you felt better..

not saying one should play their own doctor... but your story certainly doesn't illustrate the point too well in this case

secretum... bipolar means fluctuations in everything....if you wanna do the med free thing, you gotta find a way to work with it.

sorry venus...sometimes i don't make sense...i post to try to support people. sorry again.

it's okay.

i tried to and was sucessful in completely going off my meds, took about two weeks for the world to come crashing down then a another two weeks to feel any relief as i restarted my meds back up...don't do this.....