[Wanderlust90]

I honestly haven't thought about my mood for a few days. It really hasn't impacted on my life, I've just been getting about my day without the negative self talk or desire to self destruct. Is this a short burst of stability? Is the the calm before the storm? I really feel like being off all medications is helping me? I'm worried this last years ups & downs are more due to me being on an AD?

[bipolardigest]

Hi,

It's amazing you have been able to get through negative self talk for a few days, however, with Bipolar you have to be very careful. Let me ask you this since you stated you have been off medications. How come you came off them? Where you ok on them? or did you swing off because of the side effects?

I have been on meds for 15 years and have made great progress over the years. I am calculating progress based on how I was when I first got diagnosed to how I am now. To be honest I rather stay on the medication because NO need to stop the momentum if I feel great right now. However,

With bipolar you have to be careful because it's something which can only be stabilized and from my experienced NOT cured. Another thing is maybe meds helped you handle situations better. How will your mood be if you encounter a problem in life and your NOT on meds?

It's a very sensitive line which you have to be careful about especially as it relates to mental health.

Hope to hear back so we can chat some more.

[Standup2me]

Did you stop taking your meds?
How long ago?
Why did you stop?

[Wanderlust90]

Originally Posted by Standup2me

Did you stop taking your meds?
How long ago?
Why did you stop?

Approx a month, bit less. I stopped taking them all because of side effects combined with them not really helping all that much & feeling blunted again which seemed to be the work of the lithium, besides making me intermittently nauseated though out the day. I can't say that Prozac didn't help with the depression, it really did but I think it also keeps me in this always uneasy, bored, agitated state that's exhausting. Lithium helps make it less intense but doesn't stop it. Instead it's like I can't even cry on lithium. I don't know that others have the same experience but I hated not being able to just express my sadness, it came out as frustration instead. Also Prozac completely inhibited any libido & made any intimate moments with my partner feel like a chore. I just wasn't connected with him. Our relationship is actually improving now I'm returning to a normal libido over the last month. Didn't think it would improve so quickly.

I was scared of stopping lithium again, last time I did I had auditory hallucinations within a few days & self harmed, very depressed but very very very agitated. At this time I was taking a medication (pristiq, an snri) that was bad from the start. It made me incredibly agitated. So maybe it was the pristiq without the lithium that messed me up last time. I've had a fair bit of agitation early on after stopping but it went away & now I feel like somethings changed, I can't put my finger on it but I just feel better.

I'm by no means suggesting others do what I did. It's a big risk stopping 2 psych meds simultaneously when your already unstable, particularly lithium. I feel lucky to be on Prozac with its extended half life it's the easiest ssri to withdraw, infact I've probably still got some of the active metabolites in my system almost a month later. I have been lucky. Also have never had a full manic episode so wasn't too concerned that I would become psychotic or anything. I still question my dx, if I'm doing well off all meds despite having withdrawn fairly inappropriately at that then how could I be bipolar & requiring medications for life? I will still stay in contact with my therapist though.

Not sure how to break the news to my pdoc though. I don't think he will be all that impressed but oh well.

[bipolardigest]

Originally Posted by Wanderlust90

Approx a month, bit less. I stopped taking them all because of side effects combined with them not really helping all that much & feeling blunted again which seemed to be the work of the lithium, besides making me intermittently nauseated though out the day. I can't say that Prozac didn't help with the depression, it really did but I think it also keeps me in this always uneasy, bored, agitated state that's exhausting. Lithium helps make it less intense but doesn't stop it. Instead it's like I can't even cry on lithium. I don't know that others have the same experience but I hated not being able to just express my sadness, it came out as frustration instead. Also Prozac completely inhibited any libido & made any intimate moments with my partner feel like a chore. I just wasn't connected with him. Our relationship is actually improving now I'm returning to a normal libido over the last month. Didn't think it would improve so quickly.

I was scared of stopping lithium again, last time I did I had auditory hallucinations within a few days & self harmed, very depressed but very very very agitated. At this time I was taking a medication (pristiq, an snri) that was bad from the start. It made me incredibly agitated. So maybe it was the pristiq without the lithium that messed me up last time. I've had a fair bit of agitation early on after stopping but it went away & now I feel like somethings changed, I can't put my finger on it but I just feel better.

I'm by no means suggesting others do what I did. It's a big risk stopping 2 psych meds simultaneously when your already unstable, particularly lithium. I feel lucky to be on Prozac with its extended half life it's the easiest ssri to withdraw, infact I've probably still got some of the active metabolites in my system almost a month later. I have been lucky. Also have never had a full manic episode so wasn't too concerned that I would become psychotic or anything. I still question my dx, if I'm doing well off all meds despite having withdrawn fairly inappropriately at that then how could I be bipolar & requiring medications for life? I will still stay in contact with my therapist though.

Not sure how to break the news to my pdoc though. I don't think he will be all that impressed but oh well.

Hi,

Sorry about the delay in writing back to you.

No matter what you choose to do at this point, I would suggest telling your doctor right away. It's just safer since they know the effects of immediately stopping medication. I wanted to come off them once and brought it up to my doctor. She told me to be very careful and she can start a slow process to get me off. However, I had a bad turn around so stayed on.

Maybe you just need to adjust the dosage or something. To find the right dose does take time, and NOT to mention you'll have to find the right dose on the right medication suitable for you. Please keep in touch and let me know how things go.