[not_amanicpixiegirl]

I was recently diagnosed with Bipolar. They are taking me off of my Effexor and the withdrawals from that are awful but are slowly getting better. They are currently working my Lithium up to a therapeutic dose and are also slowly weaning me off of Seroquel. To put it simply: I miss being hypomanic, I only ever really went into full mania once and I don't remember anything about it honestly; I just remember feeling extremely euphoric. I feel like I function better with my hypomania. Since they've put me on Lithium I feel dull and just bleh. My pdoc keeps telling me that once they get it up to a therapeutic dose I will feel better. I also want to just not take them today so I can have an accurate view of what I am like off my meds, and see if I want to even be on meds.

I'm just looking for people that have any stories if they had done the same, etc.

[bizi]

You are still so young....Tell your pdoc your feelings or your therapist.
You should have some one to talk to about all of this.
((((HUGS)))))
bizi

[Victoria'smom]

There are several other bipolar drugs if lithium makes you feel dull.

[jacky8807]

I have done this countless times never with good results. Either I got my wish and got manic and ended up in hospital or unfortunately there is when it goes opposite and you end up mixed or severely depressed. Just a cautionary tale you don't always end up wanting what you ask for!

[Miss Laura]

I have came off my meds countless times. Cause I missed the Hypo-Mania but I always suffered badly from the withdrawals. You should stick to the meds as much as they are a pain. They make us well and stops us from slipping onto a slippery slope

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[xRavenx]

I can also relate completely to missing the feeling of hypomania so much. It's like once you've experienced that high feeling, there's no taking that back. Almost like drug addiction in a way...you crave that high, but you know it's bad for you. I wish I never felt hypomania so that I would know what it's like to have the "normal" highs and lows. Now, it's about adjusting to the reality that it's much better to be "even" and grounded and learn to be happy with that and sacrifice the illusion of happiness hypomania can bring during those moments of bliss. I try to remember that hypomania only brings destruction and poor decisions, and that helps me cope with those feelings a little bit: knowing it's not all that it's cracked up to be.

There are so many BP meds out there. I know a lot of people who complain of Lithium giving them that "dull" feeling at first, but many feel better over time. Since you have been newly diagnosed, just keep in mind it sometimes takes a while before you find a combo of meds that's right for you, but there's so much out there. A good pdoc will surely help you find what will help you feel better. *Hugs*

[fairydustgirl]

agreed that there are other meds you can take if you are not tolerating lithium well. the thing about not taking meds is that you don't always get to have manic/hypomanic episodes...you don't get to choose which way you are going to go, up or down...and those of us who have had dysphoric mania/agitated depression...what most of us know as mixed...those are HORRIBLE to go through. and of course depression, I don't personally care to go back into that hole. for me, although hypomania felt pretty good I also made bad decisions, despite how productive or out going I might have felt. I did some stupid things in that state.
bottom line, stable is the way to go...as an aside to that, anytime I have been manic or hypomanic, without fail, a depression always followed. the only way to stop the crash is to not climb the high to begin with.

do you have a therapist? mine is worth her weight in gold...not only does she talk with me about things, she also helps me recognize when I am going into an episode...she can notice a depression coming pretty fast...manic/hypomanic..not so much because I hide that pretty well. she's even told me that before. it is usually after talking for about 15 minutes that she will catch on to that. because she works in the same office as my psychiatrist, she helps get me an appt sooner if she sees something that needs to be addressed. win/win situation