[UpDownMiddleGround]

I have been thinking about stopping my meds for some time now. I talked to my pdoc about it a few months back and he started tapering me off. I ended up with a ptsd episode that sent me into a tailspin and it kind of halted everything. For the last two months, I have been on welbutrin in addition to lamictal, ativan, and respiridone. I went to my pdoc last week and he increased the dosage of welbutrin. He seems to have forgotten that we were going in the opposite direction. This week, I decided enough is enough. The only way I am going to be able to see if I can handle life without meds is to handle life without meds. So, as of today, I am off. I decided that I would not tell anyone this time. Everybody seems to freak out whenever I even think about it. They don't even know how things would be for me off my meds. This whole idea of tapering me off one med at a time does mot work because when you adjust one, it throws everything else off. Today was a good day. I have faith that tomorrow will be just as good.

[A Hobbit]

I quit meds about 18 years ago. My wife is trying to get me back on them now.

[Tucson]

You are in for a very rough ride. Lets hope you make it through med free.

Tucson

[UpDownMiddleGround]

I am hoping that I make it over the bumps in the road without any bruises. I'm hopeful.

Not trying to say no meds is a bad move.. but if just tapering one sends you off into a tailspin is it such a good idea to stop all at once with no doctor supervision?

[UpDownMiddleGround]

HalloweenSkye, my theory is that they all work together to keep everything in balance so when you just remove one at a time, it throws everything off center. That is why I wanted to try it with just removing all of it at once. If I tell my doctor, he is not going to be in favor of it, I'm sure. I figure I will call him and let him know after about a week or two -- when I can see how things are going.. I kind of wish there was a month or so of my life that I did not have to be accountable to anyone so that I could do this without fear of symptoms but that time never comes.

[jacky8807]

There are many websites for great harm reduction tools when tapering off meds if you haven't googled it already. I hope it all works out for you

I've stopped taking Latuda about 5 days ago because I hate it, and I've felt great ever since I've done that. Though, I didn't tell my pdoc because he's been out of the office since Wednesday and won't return until this Tuesday. I'm still taking my Lamcital and Lexapro, however.

Sometimes I want to start from scratch with my meds. Like, I want to get off them and see what happens. Then if I need meds, start them up again.

It's probably not a good idea to do this without supervision, but I'm the client, and technically I can make the choice to go off meds.

I don't think it's awful if you want to go off your meds. There are plenty of people here who've done it, and they've done things like DBT to help them cope with their symptoms.

[UpDownMiddleGround]

Originally Posted by jacky8807

There are many websites for great harm reduction tools when tapering off meds if you haven't googled it already. I hope it all works out for you

what would I google?

[raspberrytorte]

I think wanting to be med free is great!

I would do it myself, but I have to wean because I have intense withdrawals even with tapering, and I'm only on two meds but way high doses of both of them and I don't have time or am able to go through an arduous wean/withdrawal situation right now.

Anyway, good luck!

If you start feeling withdrawal from stopping everything cold turkey, I'd go back and taper.

[wildflowerchild25]

Good luck! I know for me I can't function without meds but I understand wanting to be led free. For me I just look at it like I have a medical condition. I wouldn't attempt to be led free if I were diabetic. But I get why people don't like psych meds.

Just be careful and be prepared for some really rough months. Withdrawals can be terrible.

[wildflowerchild25]

Also, isn't Ativan a benzo? If it is and you've been taking it regularly you really can't quit it cold turkey. Benzo withdrawal can literally kill you. If you want to quit I would at least keep that one and taper from it.

[wildflowerchild25]

Originally Posted by UpDownMiddleGround

what would I google?

Search for the Icarus project.

[gina_re]

I really want off the lamictal, but I know stopping cold turkey wouldn't be the best idea. I think I might just taper off of it extra slow myself. I don't think it mixes well with the others. I'm pretty sure I've quit drugs cold turkey in the past, but I can't remember at all what happened.... Good luck!!

Where did the term cold turkey even come from??

[Icare dixit]

Originally Posted by gina_re

I really want off the lamictal, but I know stopping cold turkey wouldn't be the best idea. I think I might just taper off of it extra slow myself. I don't think it mixes well with the others. I'm pretty sure I've quit drugs cold turkey in the past, but I can't remember at all what happened.... Good luck!!

Where did the term cold turkey even come from??

You can just stop immediately. At least that's what "they" say, have found.

[Icare dixit]

Originally Posted by wildflowerchild25

Search for the Icarus project.

Icare googlixit. Sorry.

[Icare dixit]

Great you experiment. Fine if you do so without following the advice of a doctor, I guess (I sure do! ). Just realise that the effects will only be known after a while. Maybe a month or two, maybe three considering how many meds you took.

Do also realise that it's risky. You shouldn't downplay any problems or be afraid to seek help because of non-compliance.

Edit:
Just because I didn't read your post and this thread well enough, it has been said, but it can't hurt to also say it: quitting benzos immediately can (indeed) be very dangerous. I'd suggest to never ever take them again, but first lower the dose very gradually. Also mentally it's likely to mess with you so much as to maybe bring you back to square one in dealing with BP.

[jacky8807]

Originally Posted by wildflowerchild25

Search for the Icarus project.

This is what I was going to say!

[jacky8807]

See there are many ppl who go med free and are bipolar and do fine. My niece who is 9 years old with type 1 diabetes would die very quickly without insulin. I know it's a common comparison but it's different
However some ppl without bipolar meds may die very quickly as well. But many do ok

[Dontspeak]

I don't know, would you say to someone with normal levels of serotonin and dopamine, I'm going to short you of these neurotransmitters? Because for my condition, without medication, that's what would happen. When I am at my healthiest, the medication has stabilized their production. That's the medicine working. Going off them would be counterproductive. Am I drinking the cool-aid? For my condition, no. For depression, I think research shows ADs may not actually work. But that's not my class of drugs. My doc steers clear of benzos. I choose not to take opiates for an unrelated back problem. I do fear addictive drugs, so it's not like I'm a pharma girl. For sure I hope you have a health and wellness team to monitor you during your transition, bc if you're in this topic group, what you think may be clear as day, may actually be quite distorted.

Are you keeping a physical journal? My handwriting is a HUGE give away that things are going south. It gets big and unruly.

[Icare dixit]

Originally Posted by jacky8807

See there are many ppl who go med free and are bipolar and do fine. My niece who is 9 years old with type 1 diabetes would die very quickly without insulin. I know it's a common comparison but it's different
However some ppl without bipolar meds may die very quickly as well. But many do ok

I too don't like the comparison. Our problems are not that localised. It's extreme only because of conflating very mild differences. A very complicated dynamic. The one involving insulin is rather simple. Our insulin response might be a bit off as well though, but very, very mildly and just at times, if at all (our meds can make us diabetic of course, not surprisingly and possibly indicative of an abnormality in our insulin response, besides other suggestive evidence).

That's why I don't like the word illness for what we experience. We don't get more sick when our immune system is lacking because of BP, for example. It's arguably an autoimmune "disease", in part, but far too mildly to deserve the name disease.

If you alter your conditions, your environment, maybe no-one needs meds. Of course, if/as you can't some of us are stuck. It's a societal problem, first and foremost.

[UpDownMiddleGround]

Are you keeping a physical journal? My handwriting is a HUGE give away that things are going south. It gets big and unruly.

That's a good idea. I have my chart but I had not thought of keeping the journal as well.

[UpDownMiddleGround]

Amazing how quickly I can feel a difference. I ended up taking a half dosage of my morning meds. I got too nervous about the whole "cold turkey" thing after waking up feeling so weird and reading some info online. I have been light headed with a headache all day. Low energy. I went to church and visited a friend but landed in bed at 5:00 this evening. I slept until about 8:00. Now I'm awake but I still have a headache. I think I am going to go back to bed.

[Dontspeak]

Oh yeah, titration is important. Some of these drugs are anti epileptic and could cause a world of hurt but a cut and run. Do be careful!

[Dontspeak]

*by a cut and run